Dear Stuart and Orchidists- When i first read the account that this orchid was going to be displayed and then auctioned off to raise charity funds for conservation I must admit that I was a little concerned. The commercialization of endangered species for charatable gains is something that I am not too fond of. If the Chinese Government put a Panda up for auction to sell to the highest bidder would people have the same attitude? Whether you think I am just "standing on my soap box" is not the important point of this email.
When the auction is advertised as- “priceless to a collector”, will be auctioned off. To ensure the orchids’ ongoing welfare, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism who has donated this nearly extinct orchid, will purchase membership to the Orchid Society of Great Britain for the highest bidder, and the OSGB has promised to provide a free day’s training on Orchid care" There is little guarantee that after one day of training on orchid care will allow anyone the ability to cultivate this sometimes challenging group of orchids to thrive under anyones care. Many of you who cultivate this group of orchids know how tempermental they can be in cultivation. My fear about this is not only the sensationalism that now surrounds "Ghost Orchids" potentially increasing the demand for specimens which in turn could encourage illegal collecting of these plants from the wild. We have seen this effect with many other species not just orchids and a plant that most people would have thought was safe from exploitation might become threatened through the popular demand of the enthusiastic public - historically just look at the American Egret. I sincerely hope that the demand for of any ghost orchid because of their new status as an icon in popular culture does not eventually impact their survival in the wild. I work on some level with ex situ orchid conservation on a daily basis - it is not an easy prospect to work through red tape, varied conditions, and the millions of other factors that can influence conservation efforts. But to proclaim that the orchid will "languish and die under their 'care' " is a statement that i find a little bit of a slap in the face of people who work in botanical gardens and other conservation institiutions trying to make some difference in the preservation of orchid species worldwide. The network of Plant Rescue Centers operating in the United States is quite impressive and as a result of that thousands of plants not just orchids have been rehabilitated and placed in better care than most of the orchids that have been wild collected and purchased by inexperienced hobbyists. I have seen plants brought from the edge of death and dehydration in a few short years turn into award winning specimens and seeds from plants sown to create thousands of seedlings of a species as a result of these conservation efforts. So the assumption that the plant will only die after being placed in a botanical garden is untrue. Because the confiscation of a shipment is a legal matter - rather than have the plant placed in a box on a shelf labeled "Exhibit A"- it can be placed into a greenhouse where it has a fighting chance. Contrary to some peoples belief the plants that are placed in US Plant Rescue centers do not become the property of the botanical institution but remain in perpetuity the property of the US Government. I have proposed this "challenge" many times and I will again ask yourself - "When was the last time you contributed to orchid conservation?" If you cultivate rare species propagate them, volunteer your expertise at a botanical garden, promote orchid conservation when you lecture, contribute time and funds to orchid conservation organizations and the list would go on from there. It is about time that as orchid enthustiasts we give a little back to this group of plants for all the beauty and pleasure that they have brought into our lives and to increase the chance that they will be around for many generations to come. Sincerely and Respectfully, MNH > >"Cayman Islands orchids slated for the Chelsea Flower Show in London have >been impounded in the Netherlands... > >The Ghost Orchid and Wild Banana Orchid were to be an important part of the >show... were prevented from being exhibited and auctioned because of... >European regulations. > >... the... flowers [plants] were impounded in the Netherlands by customs >officials because of European regulations restricting the trade of rare and >endangered species... > >An article in The Times online notes, "It would have been the first time >that the ghost orchid was displayed at Chelsea and it is believed it would >also have been its first showing in Britain. Ben de Lisi, one of Britain's >leading fashion designers, has created a dress for the show, inspired by >the flower." > >... "Organisers of the Cayman Islands' Heritage Garden had sought special >permission to take specimens for the ghost and banana orchids out of the >country. . . An export licence was granted by the Cayman authorities but >the rare plants now require an import licence under European rules. > >"Dutch Customs officials ordered the plants be impounded in the absence of >suitable paperwork and the orchids are now expected to end up in a botanic >garden in the Netherlands," said the article." > >URL : http://www.caycompass.com/cgi-bin/CFPnews.cgi?ID=1030805 > >************* >Regards, > >VB > > > > >------------------------------ > >Message: 9 >Date: Wed, 21 May 2008 19:39:56 +1000 >From: stuart H <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Re: [OGD] Orchids for the Chelsea Flower Show / impounded in > the Netherlands >To: "orchids@orchidguide.com" <orchids@orchidguide.com> >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" > > >?Dutch Customs officials ordered the plants be impounded in the absence of >suitable paperwork and the orchids are now expected to end up in a botanic >garden in the Netherlands,? said the article. > >To languish and die under their 'care'. > _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
