Orchids
In our tropical backyard, Fairchild is leading efforts for Caribbean nations to analyze the current status of their native orchid species through the process of Red Listing, done in cooperation with the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Fairchild is also pursuing projects that enable delimitation of high-priority conservation zones called Important Plant Areas. The Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Center for Tropical Plant Conservation’s work with partners in the Caribbean, Tropical Africa, Madagascar and Southeast Asia-Pacific promotes conservation of orchid habitats, particularly in those areas designated as Biodiversity Hotspots.
The Fairchild Herbarium supports orchid conservation efforts by serving as a primary reference for species identification, a source for historical distribution data, and a source of DNA for studies in genetics and genealogy, for determining the status of threat (IUCN Red Listing). Of the 121 orchid species occurring in Florida (108 native ones), Fairchild’s herbarium has holdings of 74 species. It also maintains web pages for the South Florida and Caribbean Network of U. S. National Parks, and therefore are the source of information to assist Park managers to conserve the 38 species known from Big Cypress and 41 known from the Everglades.
Fairchild’s Conservation of Plants and their Habitats Program regularly works with the conservation of six rare and threatened orchid species. One species has only eight individuals, was hand-pollinated by Fairchild staff, and the resultant seed pods were sent to CREW (the Cincinnati Zoo’s Linder Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife) and TREC (University of Florida Tropical Research and Education Center). Both of these organizations will be performing detailed seed germination and storage experiments. Once the experiments are concluded, the seed produced from them will be used to raise more plants for species recovery.
Two other endangered orchid species are being monitored on land managed by Miami-Dade County Parks’ Natural Areas Management via a contract with Fairchild. An additional three Florida Endangered orchid species are monitored in the hardwood hammock, hammock/pine rockland transition, and historic marl prairie habitats.
In addition, The American Orchid Society-Florida and Caribbean Judging Center holds monthly meetings at the Fairchild’s Center for Tropical Plant Conservation. The Coalition of Orchid Species has long been active with the garden and finally, the Orchid Society of Coral Gables holds its monthly meetings in the garden and presents the American Orchid Society judged show and will further its outreach through speakers, tours and demonstrations at this year’s third International Orchid Festival.
