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Navigating BONAP: A Guide to the Biota of North America's New Website

Navigating BONAP: A Guide to the Biota of North America's New Website

Man inspecting a plant with yellow flowers, with a magnifying glass, he is wearing a blur baseball cap and a beige jacket.

Join Dr. John Kartesz as he provides clarity regarding the use of the new website for the Biota of North America Program (BONAP) and all of its uniqueness. This online webinar will be structured in a manner to educate experienced botanists, curious gardeners, naturalists, and others whom might be interested in plants. It will show how to determine where a plant might be native or introduced.

This program is part of our ongoing gardening series offering a varied focus on native plants throughout the seasons for gardeners of all levels and learning styles. The 2026 “Misunderstood Natives” theme aims to explore diverse perceptions of native plants, inviting audiences to see them through a new lens—one that offers fresh insights and practical tools for understanding the value native species bring to people, wildlife, and the places we live.
 

About the Biota of North America Program (BONAP):

BONAP offers one of the most comprehensive and accurate databases available for vascular plants in North America, north of Mexico. This database is widely used as an international data standard by government agencies, educational institutions, and conservation organizations, including the Nature Conservancy, NatureServe, and The National Audubon Society. It provides species inventories, distributional overviews, and analyses for a multitude of characteristics useful to professional botanists and hobbyists. Users no longer need to type scientific names to view distribution maps or related data. The system is streamlined by mouse-driven access to information housed within an integrated lexicon, atlas, and biological attributes. The Plant Atlas displays distribution maps for each of approximately 28,000 accepted taxa via 5 million plus county-level records.
 

About the Presenter:

Born in Western Pennsylvania, Dr. Kartesz was introduced early into the field of Natural History through his close association with the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, PA. After receiving his B.A. and M.A. degrees in Biology from West Virginia University, in 1987 Dr. Kartesz earned his Ph.D. in Botany from the University of Nevada, Reno and thereafter accepted a position at the North Carolina Botanical Garden. In 1980, Dr. Kartesz published the first comprehensive Checklist of the United States, Canada and Greenland, which was updated and revised in 1994. In 1999, he published the Synthesis of the North American Flora, which was the first attempt to provide a state-level atlas and accompanying morphological database for the vascular plants of North America. In 2010, he published his county-level North American Plant Atlas for the vascular flora, and the first internet-based Flora of North America.  Dr. Kartesz has authored or co-authored over 120 professional papers and 13 books.

This event is open to the public and may be recorded. It is a "pay what you wish" program with proceeds covering presenter fees and supporting Brandywine Conservancy’s education and engagement. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link. Thank you for considering a donation.

Due to technical difficulties beyond our control, you may not immediately receive a confirmation email after registering, but you will receive the Zoom login information in the reminder email that will be sent the morning of the program. If you wish to double check your registration, please email Julia Steiner at [email protected]. Approximately two weeks after the program, all registrants will receive a link to the recording to watch at their leisure.