AboutOrchids

Founded in 1989 in England, the World Land Trust (WLT) has been working to preserve the world’s most biologically important and threatened lands. So far, the WLT has saved over 375,000 acres (1518 square km) of wildlife habitats, including tropical forests, coastal steppes, and wetlands. Many of these habitats are orchid hot-spots, such as rainforests […]

As a regular visitor to Puerto Vallarta over the years, it’s exciting for me to learn about Vallarta Botanical Gardens. About 1/2 -hour drive south of Puerto Vallarta, the gardens were opened in 2005 in the coastal mountains of the Mexican state of Jalisco. Their mission is “the propagation, promotion, study, enjoyment and discovery of […]

The Orchid Conservation Alliance (OCA) believes that the best hope to preserve orchid species is to preserve their native habitats. As tropical rainforests all over the world continue to be cut, burned, and paved, orchids are losing their homes. OCA funds orchid conservation by working to purchase and protect vital habitats, including hotspots of orchid […]

The American Orchid Society, or AOS, promotes education, research, and conservation of orchids. Founded in 1921, the AOS publishes a monthly magazine, Orchids, filled with a wide range of orchid information and photos. From its headquarters, greenhouse, and botanical gardens in Delray Beach, Florida, the AOS educates about orchids and funds conservation efforts throughout the […]

One of my favorite groups working to conserve orchids is OrchidMania, based right here in San Francisco. Non-profit and all-volunteer, their mission is to support grassroots HIV/AIDS prevention and relief around the world. They accomplish this by using orchids. OrchidMania raises money through regular orchid sales, and donates the proceeds to HIV/AIDS organizations in the […]

Climate change, pollution, habitat destruction, and over-collection threaten the survival of orchid species all over the world. IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, is one of many worthy organizations working hard to save orchids and the environment. They maintain a list of plants and animals facing extinction, and this list includes many orchids. […]