Global engagement with the new Guide

Colleagues around the world are discussing the new Guide to Building Ethical Orchid Collections and Societies, including virtual and in-person presentations with orchids growers and societies.

In Indonesia, the Guide has been shared with orchid societies from Jakarta to Aceh and Papua. This includes a recent meeting of the Bali Orchid Hobbyist Association.

Led by SSC Orchid Specialist Group member, Dr Destario (Rio) Metusala, the Association hosted society board members, local academics, and representatives from orchid-related businesses. Rio spoke about the diversity of Indonesian orchids and strategies for their conservation -- including through collective action by orchid societies. Rio introduced the new Guide, highlighting its value for orchid societies to strengthen and expand their commitment in advancing sustainability and conservation within the hobby.

This is part of a growing body of work in Indonesia to engage with orchid growers to help protect threatened orchids. This includes efforts to identify high conservation value plants in private collections. In some cases, this includes plants that are Critically Endangered in the wild, and -- although they may not have been collected legally -- are now in private collections of high importance. Rio is working with societies and these plant owners to help ensure those unique individual are properly documented, are shared with botanical gardens and managed for long-term conservation. You can read more about that initiative here.