Expert secures UK cash to conserve ghost orchid
(CNS): The critically endangered endemic ghost orchid has been given a fighting chance against extinction after local conservationist Christine Rose-Smyth, the former chair of the National Conservation Council, secured funding from the UK. A Darwin Plus Local grant will be used to develop an ex situ propagation programme for the ethereal and elusive orchid that is on the brink of disappearing.
Ex situ propagation involves hand-pollinating the flowers of the Dendrophylax fawcettii species, raising seedlings in sterile flasks of nutrient-rich material for a year or more, and then ultimately planting the seedlings into the wild.
‘Out of Flask, Outcrossed, and Out of Danger’ is a long-term project as the orchid is struggling to pollinate in the wild due to the loss of habitat to development.
“One of the problems with our ghost orchid is the apparent loss of wild pollination of the flowers,” said Rose-Smyth in a release about the grant. “We rarely see naturally occurring seed pods and no seedlings have been observed. Working with orchids rescued from forest lost to development, we are learning how to expand the rescue population and prepare to augment the wild populations in the future.”
Although the ghost orchid is a protected species, the law does not protect the plant from being lost to development once planning permission is granted on private land. The constant clearing of the specific habitat where this orchid lives has dramatically reduced the places where it can survive. Rose-Smyth hopes the pollination project can save the orchid, but its habitat must also be preserved for the conservation efforts to succeed.
“Whilst we aim to produce a sustainable source of genetically diverse plants for ex situ conservation and in situ ecological restoration, the programme does not substitute for the preservation of wild habitat where the orchid naturally flourishes,” Rose-Smyth added.
To date, the project has mostly been self-funded by Rose-Smyth and supported by the Dr Cecilia Koo Botanic Conservation Center and the Taiwan Orchid Growers Association through the 23rd World Orchid Conference “Project Seeding” programme. The Darwin grant therefore represents a significant step up and will fund purchases of new flasking supplies, seed sowing and reflasking in the lab, and the 2023 fieldwork of pollinations and outplant monitoring.
The research has permissions issued by the NCC under the National Conservation Act and is supported by project partners, Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, National Trust for the
Cayman Islands and the Department of Environment.
Darwin Plus Local is a new component of the UK Government’s Biodiversity Challenge Funds, which is aimed specifically at the UK Overseas Territories. Projects are selected for their ability to contribute measured results to the broader Darwin Plus themes of biodiversity, climate change, environmental quality and capability building.
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Category: Land Habitat, Science & Nature
Why should English taxpayers be funding projects in a tax haven that runs a surplus off the fees paid by the rich of the world to avoid pay tax where they live?
Because those financial services profits go to a select few. The distribution of wealth in this country is very restricted and benefits the top 5%.
How many indigenous Caymanians are equity Partners in the top firms ? Look at the pics on their websites ? Loaded with paper Caymanians who have no loyalty or concern for these islands or it’s people!
I dare you to prove me wrong
And don’t start with the usual, they don’t want to work argument, it’s racial and cultural discrimination at its worst!
Read the story about the government surplus, realise where that comes from and shut up, it helps hide your ignorance.
Probably because they want to keep beautiful plants from becoming extinct.
In the middle of a housing crisis where the newest generations of Caymanians are far outclassed by foreign investors and their consequent generation, we have people thinking flowers take priority over humans when it comes to who gets to live and move around on this soil.
It can’t even feed us, ffs.
The NRA wants to put a road right through the last of this orchid’s habitat too.
Love this!
is this an Orchid Society project?
Now now.
The over development also known as the “environmental destruction “in the Cayman islands has
caused the near non- existence of the ghost orchid. Only way this orchid will survive is to allow avid orchid growers to grow it in their backyards. If left in the wild it will eventually be plowed over.
Exactly. It can be grown in multiple locations and therefore not be a reason to block construction of a badly needed link from the outer districts.
Probably because they want to keep beautiful plants from becoming extinct.
“Give it to private collectors”
– The collectors
(And an endangered plant on someone’s property is only as secure as the owner’s tenure in that place. The next people might bulldoze.)
Good work.