Research and Resources


Phantom orchid Cephalanthera austiniae Image© copyright Ron Long E-FLORA BC PARTNERS NPSBC Native Plant Society of British Columbia in collaboration with The UBC Herbarium www.botany.ubc.ca/herbarium Department of Botany University of British Columbia The Spatial Data Lab www.geog.ubc.ca/~brian/lasa.html Department of Geography University of British Columbia BC Ministry of Forests Forest Science Program www.for.gov.bc.ca/forsci/ BC Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management www.gov.bc.ca/srm/ BC Conservation Data Centre srmwww.gov.bc.ca/cdc/ Royal British Columbia Museum www.rbcm1.rbcm.gov.bc.ca Canadian Museum of Nature National Herbarium of Canada www.nature.ca British Columbia Institute of Technology, GIS Department www.construction.bcit.ca/technologies/gis/ Selkirk College Geospatial Research Centre www.selkirk.bc.ca/SGRC/	NPSBC E-FLORA BC PROJECT© The Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia www.eflora.bc.ca An initiative of the NPSBC Native Plant Society of British Columbia; the UBC Herbarium, Department of Botany; and the Spatial Data Lab, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia. The NPSBC Native Plant Society of British Columbia has launched E-Flora BC: an electronic atlas of the plants of British Columbia. Coordinated by Dr. Brian Klinkenberg, this is a major initiative by the NPSBC in partnership with the UBC Herbarium and the Spatial Data Lab in the Department of Geography, University of British Columbia. The goal of the atlas is to develop comprehensive information on the plants of British Columbia through a network of NPSBC botanical experts and partners. The NPSBC acts as an umbrella group for the project, embracing contributions to the project by members of the NPSBC and contributions of data by other partner institutions and agencies. The idea of developing an atlas of the plants of British Columbia was first conceived several years ago by Dr. Adolf Ceska and other members of the NPSBC. The idea was revisited in early 2002 by Dr. Klinkenberg, and it was decided to develop an interactive on-line atlas of BC plants that will make detailed information on distribution, taxonomy, ecology, biology etc. of our species publicly available for education, research and conservation purposes, similar to on-line atlases that are available for other regions. The atlas will be all-inclusive, covering both vascular plants and non-vascular plants. E-Flora BC was approached in two intitial stages. First, a pilot project on the orchids of British Columbia was developed in order to explore the complexities involved in developing an on-line atlas, and to assess the intricacies of data variability. Once this was achieved, the project moved into the second phase, where data has been solicited form other institutions, general search capabilties for all species have been developed, and actual atlas sheets devised. Work on the atlas is on-going, and we will be further developing the databases for the atlas, including an image bank for BC species. E-Flora BC welcomes participation in the development of the atlas, either through direct involvement or through donations to the project. Donations can be made either to the NPSBC; or to the E-Flora BC Fund at the University of British Columbia (if a tax receipt is required). Please contact us if you would like to become involved and contribute to the project. MAJOR FUNDERS NPSBC Native Plant Society of British Columbia The UBC Herbarium Fund The Spatial Data Lab, University of British Columbia Human Resources and Skills Development Canada Vancouver Orchid Society Shell Environmental Fund BC Hydro SUPPORTING DONORS The Richmond Nature Park Society Clover Point Cartographics Nell Dragovan, Powell River BC Malcolm Martin, Penticton BC Patricia Boyle, Victoria BC	E-FLORA BC Coordinator: Dr. Brian Klinkenberg Spatial Data Lab Department of Geography University of British Columbia brian@geog.ubc.ca NPSBC Board of Directors Representatives to E-Flora BC: Virginia Skilton Surrey BC dvskilton@shaw.ca Patrick Williston Smithers BC pwilliston@bulkley.net RELATED ORGANIZATIONS Canadian Botanical Association www.uoguelph.ca/botany/cba/