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A quick look at the federal list of Australian
threatened species would reveal six extinct species, 24 critically endangered,
82 endangered and 71 vulnerable. Those classed under similar state
legislation would increase those numbers significantly. However, despite
all the best legislation and intent, we are still seeing large shopping centres
and residential developments in and around the habitat of these orchids. They
still have not realised the greatest threat to orchids, is habitat destruction .
It simply means developers are closer to those in power than any conservationist
can ever hope to be. They also have more money with which to spread their
goodwill. Furthermore, the first thought given to any threatened orchid
(usually terrestrial) is to dig it up and transplant it somewhere else, without
realising if the orchid were that easy to deal with it would not be under
threat. Most of these orchids do not have a commercial reality so are
seen as being of little value but that is the very reason they should be
protected. Unfortunately the persons directly responsible for their protection
are politicians, who make the laws but always use the easy escape
route of, "this development will create jobs", when that part of the
equation is not in their appointed field of responsibility. These people are
Environment Ministers in name only and are low down on the totem pole as
far as their ability to influence fellow members of a ruling body, or
perhaps the reasons for this is their government is not too keen on the
environment but sees the need to fill an empty office in the
building.
Alan W Stephenson
Conservation Director
Australian Orchid Council
National Conservation Officer
Australasian Native Orchid
Society
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