Conservation Speakers for Orchid Societies
(5 speakers)Details and arrangements can be worked out by e-mailing the speaker.
Denise
Wilson, Golden, CO; e-mail: denisewil@aol.com,
or
phone 800-713-8287Denise Wilson is a member of the Orchid Specialists Group of IUCN, and has been growing orchids in her passive solar atrium at 9000 ft altitude for 20 years. She worked for five years at Fantasy Orchids, a wholesale retail orchid greenhouse. She has served on both the Board of Directors for Denver and Boulder Orchid Societies, and has given 40 presentations worldwide on orchid conservation.
In July and August of 2007, she participated in an orchid research project in the canopy of trees at Tamshiyaco-Tahauyo Reserve in Amazonian Peru. This summer she managed twelve native seed collection events for Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, and has also been collecting seeds for three years of native uncommon plants for the Chicago Botanic Gardens Seeds of Success Program for the Millennium Seed Bank Project.
Currently completing a Masters of Integrated Science degree at the University of Colorado at Denver, she was funded by the Denver Orchid Society and the Colorado Native Plant Society to research the pollination of Epipactis gigantea, the stream orchid.
Presentations: (Click on sample pictures for larger picture)
Amazonian Peru Orchid Canopy Study- Conducted by Chicago Botanic Gardens in July and August, 2007, at the Tamshiyaco-Tahauyo Reserve, this program tells of canopy research between disturbed and undisturbed areas. The Reserve is the first Peru State Park as of May 2007, and contains great diversity in plants and animals. There are 14 species of primates in the 800 square mile preserve, and 50 species of orchids were encountered in their study of 16 trees.
Pollination Biology of the Stream Orchid, Epipactis gigantea- Masters research on the reproduction of the stream orchid at three elevations in Colorado, this program shows pollination by syrphid flies, and describes how conservation of the species can be furthered.
Dr. Scott Stewart,
Overland Park, KS; email: slstewar@gmail.comScott’s presentation outlines the past, present, and future of orchid conservation within the framework of integrated conservation and conservation horticulture practices. He discusses the importance of seeing orchids as the top “predators” of their habitats, using them as umbrella species for the conservation of entire habitats and ecosystems. In discussing the present and future of orchid conservation, Scott uses current examples of ongoing orchid conservation research from south Florida, Hawaii, and the Midwestern United States.
Jean Stefanik, Manchester, NH; email: jmsgofind@aol.co
Jean is available to Orchid Societies on a variety of topics including Native Orchids, Ecuador, Florida, New Zealand, Conservation, Orchid Displays & Judging; and to Garden Clubs "Orchids All Around Us", a combination of native orchids, conservation, and culture demonstration. The talk on conservation details the issues with my photo examples from around the world, and also goes through the major conservation groups, including 1%FOC, and emphasizes that each has a different focus. Doing SOMETHING, both locally and globally, is better than nothing!I also give a handout listing websites to check out.
Available weekdays, weekends, both daytime and evening
Jean is an Educator and Naturalist, semi-retired, whose interests include orchids, native habitats, and conservation. She has traveled extensively worldwide, eco-volunteering and often presenting talks to groups. She is a member of, and volunteer for the American Orchid Society, and serve the New Hampshire Orchid Society as Conservation and Education Chairperson, and a member of the North American Native Orchid Conference.
Dr. Peter Tobias,
San Diego, CA, email: peter@orchidconservationalliance.orgPeter begins his talk outlining the three major orchid conservation organizations and there relationship to each other. The main part of his talk is about the Orchid Conservation Alliance. It's activities and goals for orchid conservation.
Dr. Peter Tobias is Professor of Immunology at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA. He was the first chairman of the San Diego County Orchid Society's Conservation Committee. He left that position in 2005 to found the Orchid Conservation Alliance (OCA). The OCA is an American non-profit corporation with the mission of raising funds from orchid enthusiasts to preserve wild orchid habitat.
Dr. Andy Huber,
La Grande, OR , email:ahuber@eou.eduAndy's slide show is about his work on Grande Ronde Overlook Wildflower Institute Serving Ecological Restoration (GROWISER). His approach is to try an understand and grow the whole ecosystem with orchids as the indicator plants to the health of the ecosystem. A farmer's approach to instead of growing agricultural crops, growing and
restoring nature.
Photo by Sarah West
The Observer, La Grande, Oregon newspaper article "GROWISER: The Wild Garden"
Dr. Andy Huber is a a crop and soil science associate professor with the Oregon State University Agriculture Program at Eastern, LaGrande, OR and founder of Grande Ronde Overlook Wildflower Institute Serving Ecological Restoration (GROWISER).