Orchids for Peace: bridging biodiversity conservation and community resilience in the Neotropics

Resumen

Orchids for Peace is a conservation initiative focused on orchids as flagships for biodiversity preservation and community engagement in the Neotropics. Our work combines scientific research with community-based conservation strategies to preserve orchids and their habitats while offering sustainable livelihood alternatives through ecotourism, cultivation, and legal trade. Through collaborative efforts, we have documented significant orchid diversity, contributing to regional inventories across the Andean-Amazonian foothills and other Neotropical ecosystems. By integrating in situ and ex situ approaches, including native orchid nurseries and propagation programs, we prioritize species with ornamental and conservation value. Training programs have empowered local communities, including youth and farmers, in orchid reproduction techniques such as manual pollination, seed viability testing, and in vitro cultivation. In addition to ecological outcomes, our initiative fosters environmental education, sustainable tourism, and civil society reserve participation. By building interpretative trails, biodiversity field guides, and promoting traditional circa-situm conservation methods, Orchids for Peace not only safeguards orchids but also nurtures peace and prosperity for communities across the Neotropics, bridging biodiversity preservation with social transformation.

 Citation: Arias, T. 2025. Orchids for Peace: bridging biodiversity conservation and community resilience in the Neotropics. Revista Jard. Bot. Nac. Univ. Habana 46(Número especial 1): 108.

Trabajo presentado en el XIII Congreso Latinoamericano de Botánica. Sesión Biodiversidad y Conservación.