IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

The 5th International Orchid Conservation Congress (IOCC5) will offer the opportunity for the audience to gain information about the widest possible spectrum of ongoing orchid conservation research. The format of IOCC5 is a four full-day meeting, encompassing ten sessions and one day congress field trip in the Réunion National Park. 

Please visit (IOCC5 : http://iocc5.univ-reunion.fr) for more details.

Please see this poster of native orchids of Belgium (published by the Orchid Society of Flanders). The title reads: "In Belgium, all native orchids are legally protected, both aboveground and underground parts of the plants." The poster was produced by Rik Neirynck who is a member of the Orchid Specialist Group.

The International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University and a committee of scientists from around the world announced their picks for the top 10 new species described in 2011. Night-blooming orchid is one of the top 10 species, described as a slender night stalker from Papua New Guinea whose flowers open around 10 at night and close early the next morning. Bulbophyllum nocturnum named from the Latin word meaning “at night.” believed to be the first night-blooming orchid recorded among the more than 25,000 known species of orchids.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1095-8339.2011.01183.x/full

The new listings include 44 global assessments for orchids done by Hassan Rankou (Orchid Red List Authority Focal Point) in the Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – bringing the number of orchids “done” to 204 (up from 161) –a 20% increase! These are all European endemics.

In addition 153 European assessments have been uploaded. To download these assessments, please visit: http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/search