Orchid
Conservation
Coalition
A
grassroots movement towards orchid conservation
The Orchid Conservation Alliance’s goal for 2008 is to raise $50,000 www.orchidconservationalliance.org
To achieve these and other important objectives the following projects are under development:
Orchid Hotspot and Gap Analysis, Ecuador. Ceiba Foundation for Tropical Conservation with Fundación EcoMinga. Both CFTC and Fundación EcoMinga recommend a new project to define orchid conservation priorities. The goal is to combine orchid distribution records contained in the Red List of Endemic Plants of Ecuador with digital land-use and land-type data available from the Ecuadoran Conservation Data Center to define hot spots of exceptional orchid diversity. These will be validated by ground surveys. A combined map that defines hotspots of orchid biodiversity and orchid rarity will enable selection of areas to target for new reserves. This project is our first priority. The cost estimated for the mapping phase is $15,000. For more information on Fundación EcoMinga and CFTC, see their websites at www.EcoMinga.org and www.ceiba.org .
Rio Zuñac Reserve, Fundación EcoMinga, Ecuador. This is a new reserve being developed by Fundación EcoMinga, which established the Rio Anzu Reserve last year. The Rio Zuñac Reserve will protect over 2500 acres in habitats from 4600 to 8000 feet in the upper Pastaza River Valley. The rights to use this land as part of a reserve have been acquired but these rights do not provide clear title to the land. Clear title to the land is required for inclusion of the property into a conservation easement that will protect the land from future development. We estimate that $25,000 would allow for legalization of the land title.
Reserve Infrastructure, Ceiba Foundation for Tropical Conservation, Ecuador. At two reserves organized by CFTC there is a need for infrastructure improvements to enhance the reserves’ roles in conservation education. Many local school children use these reserves as their primary sites for environmental education. CFTC estimates a need for $10,000 to provide an information center and educational materials such as signage, informational displays, and plant labels.
The Three projects above can be funded if we raise $50,000.
Two additional projects are under development...
Reserve Expansion and Establishment of an Atlantic Rainforest Biological Field Station, Brazil, The Rio Atlantic Forest Trust. The Rio Atlantic Forest Trust (RAFT) currently controls more than 3000 acres of orchid rich land in what amounts to a privately held reserve. Part of the reserve, which includes an empty house, consists of a property on the Rio das Flores, one of the most pristine rivers in the state of Rio de Janeiro. This property as well as the adjacent forest are in exceptionally good condition. RAFT proposes developing the property as a biological field station. Several other conservation organizations nearby are in a good location to collaborate on this project by making their property available for study as well. At this point, a rough estimate of the costs to develop and maintain the field station are $70,000 for capital expenses, and $20,000 annually for ongoing operations. Fundraising for this project will be initiated when the costs are more clearly formulated. For more information on RAFT see www.rockboat.co.uk/riotrust/.
Land for Learning, Ecuador, Ceiba Foundation for Tropical Conservation. Rural people in Ecuador and around the world are often land rich but cash poor. In addition, the educational opportunities for their children are limited. In return for establishment of a conservation easement on orchid rich land, CFTC proposes to fund the university education of one of their children. CFTC estimates that this would cost about $2500 per student for each of four years. In addition to the tangible benefit of conserved land, the educated children are much more likely to be cognizant of the need for conservation and also more likely to be able to afford to conserve their land. CFTC seeks $25,000 to initiate this program.
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