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short-cut to ‘Events’ |
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All relevant news items will be considered for inclusion here
Please e-mail details to the . |
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For the latest news from the IUCN's Species Survival Commission, click here . . . |
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March 2004
Alfred Toepfer Natural Heritage Scholarships 2004 - call for applications by EUROPARC Federation
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The EUROPARC Federation will award two Alfred Toepfer Natural Heritage Scholarships of €2,000 each in 2004, to promising young conservationists with practical experience in the field of conservation and in the work of protected areas. The scholarships will enable them to undertake a study visit to one or more protected areas in another European country and to gather experience which will be of benefit in their future careers. Further details, including conditions and an application form, can be found here on the EUROPARC web site.
The deadline for applications is Friday 31 May 2004. |
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December 2003
Brookfield grant awarded to OSG member |
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Congratulations to Dr Lokesh Shakya on being awarded a grant by the Brookfield Zoo / Chicago Zoological Society's Chicago Board of Trade Endangered Species Fund, in support of his project "Conserving threatened orchids of southern part of Annapurna Range" in western Nepal. The project is fully endorsed and supported by the Indian Subcontinent Region Orchid Specialist Group, of which Lokesh is a member. A copy of Lokesh's successful funding application is available here (14Kb .RTF file). |
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December 2003
'Orchids of Sri Lanka' is published |
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 Just published through IUCN's Sri Lanka office is Orchids of Sri Lanka, A Conservationist's Companion. With contributions from the Orchid Specialist Group members, the book provides an easy-to-use reference for identifying the country's native orchid species whose collection and trade is regulated by law. It is hoped that as well as helping law enforcement officials in their work, the book will also generate interest in orchid conservation among the general public including students and amateur growers. The book is available from the IUCN Bookstore.
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Publisher |
IUCN Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
Authors |
Malik Fernando, Siril Wijesundara, Suranjan Fernando |
First Published |
December 2003 |
ISBN |
955-8177-23-7 |
Price |
on application |
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x plus 147 pages, illustrated |
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8 December 2003
'Orchid Conservation' is published |
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The book Orchid Conservation is now available for distribution and can be ordered directly from the publisher, Natural History Publications (Borneo). To summarise - |
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 Orchids are one of the most diverse and most widespread families of flowering plants and are also one of the few plant families that have a profile that can benefit plant conservation on a broad scale. Orchid conservation, however, is at a crossroads. We understand more about the distribution, rarity, threats and extinction of orchids than ever before, and we have the scientific tools to address many of the problems; yet many species face daily threats to their survival, including habitat loss and unsustainable exploitation. Many international plant conservation groups and organisations are using orchids as flagship species in the conservation debate and to raise public awareness of the perilous nature of global plant conservation. These organisations have a vital role to play in countering the trend of biodiversity loss by promoting effective orchid conservation, improving networking and technology transfer, interacting with decision-makers, and in educating the orchid community.
This book, a product of the First International Orchid Conservation Conference held in Perth, Australia in September 2001 under the auspices of IUCN's Species Survival Commission's Orchid Specialist Group and King's Park Botanic Garden, Perth, highlights the current plight of orchids and provides details of the techniques that can now be applied to their successful conservation. Both off-site, on-site and integrated approaches are considered in detail. With the wider application of modern techniques, including new molecular approaches we stand a real chance of reversing the current trend where the populations of many orchids, both temperate and tropical are declining rapidly. The problems are especially severe in the tropics where the numbers of researchers and conservationists are small and the conservation issues often acute.
The diversity of orchids and the many faceted aspects of their lifestyles suggest that only a co-ordinated approach to their conservation will succeed. Many of the world's leading orchid specialists have contributed to this volume to provide the very latest views and techniques suitable to this complex group of plants. This book is essential reading for any person involved in orchid conservation from legislators to growers and enthusiasts. Never before has a volume of such scientific breadth been devoted to the complexities of orchid conservation.
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Publisher |
Natural History Publications (Borneo) |
Editors |
Kingsley W. Dixon, Shelagh P. Kell, Russell L. Barrett, Phillip J. Cribb |
First Published |
25 September 2003 |
ISBN |
983-812-078-2 |
Price |
US $55.00 |
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Hardback, 18·5×25·5cm, 1700g, xvi plus 418 pages |
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16 September 2003
Appeal for funds for land purchase by the Nigerian Conservation Foundation |
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The NCF has launched an appeal for funds to purchase 14 hectares of additional land around the existing 78-hectare Lekki Nature Reserve. The proximity of Lagos brings with it very considerable urban pressures on the freshwater swamp forest Reserve, a part of the Lekki Conservation Center - Nigeria's premier environment education centre and internationally recognized for its biodiversity conservation work. |
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Note from Webmaster. Although the Centre appears concerned more with the Reserve's fauna, personal experience indicates that it's flora will include several species of Orchidaceae. |
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16 July 2003
Call for papers for 2nd International Orchid Conservation Congress |
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The Program Advisory Group is soliciting orchid conservation-related papers and posters for inclusion in the Congress program. Abstracts to arrive by 31 December 2003 for consideration. |
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1 July 2003
Launch of OSG Web Site |
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"The Orchid Specialist Group (OSG) of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) is proud to announce the launch of its web site . . ." |
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30 June 2003
Invitation for proposals for 2003 awards by San Diego County Orchid Society's Conservation Committee |
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Closing date is 1 October 2003. |
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| Invitation |
. . . available here as a PDF file (35.8Kb) supplied by SDCOC |
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5 June 2003
Nominations invited for the 2004 Equator Prize |
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"In conjunction with global celebrations for World Environment Day on 5 June 2003, the Equator Initiative is pleased to open the nomination phase for the Equator Prize 2004. Nominations will be accepted until 5 October 2003." |
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The full press release is available here in 3 languages . . . |
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January 2003
New Charity to Support Orchid Conservation |
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In September 2001, orchid conservationists from around the world came together for the First International Orchid Conservation Congress (1st IOCC). This inaugural meeting highlighted the vast breadth of expertise on orchid biodiversity that exists, but also the urgent need to harness that wealth of knowledge for the benefit of orchid conservation by improving alliances and networking, and establishing practical, concrete and sustainable global strategies. A resolution was passed that resources were urgently required for the continued operation of the OSG Secretariat.
In response, the OSG Executive Officer and Chair have put forward a proposal to establish a new independent charitable organisation, Orchid Conservation International. This professional body will act as a supporting umbrella organisation for global orchid conservation efforts, with the ability to fundraise from governmental, nongovernmental and private sources. Within a year of the proposal's first circulation, the establishment of the new charity has been endorsed by the Orchid Specialist Group, the International Orchid Commission, the American Orchid Society, and the Orchid Digest Foundation. Substantial donations have already been pledged for partial funding for the first two years of operation, and a team of development committee members are in the process of establishing the organisation as a formal registered charity.
The establishment of Orchid Conservation International should overcome many of the obstacles faced in fundraising for the OSG. The OSG will remain as an active network, but with the organisational support of OCI, and the advantage of improved alliances with other conservation organisations, orchid networks, and societies.
For further information about OCI, contact Shelagh Kell at . |
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All relevant events will be considered for inclusion in this "diary". Event organisers should e-mail appropriate details to the . Please include the event name, dates, venue, brief description, contact name and e-mail address, Web Site URL (if any), etc. |
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2007 - 12-16 September
"An Orchid Safari" - A Window on Conservation of African Orchids |
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Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town, South Africa |
An exhibition and conference celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Cape Orchid Society, in association with the AGM of OSG's Afro-Madagascar Regional Group. Full details are available on the Cape Orchid Society's web site. |
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2007 - 31 October to 2 November
Orchid Evolutionary Biology and Conservation |
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- from Linnaeus to the 21st Century |
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London, UK - venue(s) to be confirmed |
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A three-day conference to be held at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Linnaean Society, as part of the Linnaean Tercentenary celebrations. The conference will include a wide range of talks, from the orchids described by Linnaeus through to modern conservation activities. |
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Further details will soon be available on the Linnean Society's web site. |
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For more information please contact Marcia Tolfts at |
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2007 - 11-13 November (prior to the Scientific Conference on Andean Orchids)
Population Dynamics Workshop |
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Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Ecuador |
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A workshop, with Professors Pavel Kindlmann, James Ackerman and Raymond Tremblay, on tools for understanding and conserving the orchid flora, designed to assist people monitoring and managing populations of threatened orchid species.
This event is supported by a grant from Orchid Conservation International awarded to Prof. Tremblay. |
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For further details please contact Carlos Naranjo in Ecuador at |
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2007 - 14-17 November
2nd Scientific Conference on Andean Orchids |
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Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Ecuador |
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Following the success of the first Scientific Conference on Andean Orchids, held in 2005, this second conference is being organized by the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL) in conjunction with Ecuagenera Cia., Ltda. Full details are available on the Conference web site, in Spanish and English. |
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2008 - 23-27 January
19th World Orchid Conference |
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Conference Center, Sheraton Miami Mart Hotel, Miami, Florida, USA |
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Hosted by Fort Lauderdale and South Florida Orchid Societies. Includes, as always, a comprehensive lecture programme. |
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