Orchids are among the most traded wildlife in the world and represent >70% of CITES-listed species. However, there is little understanding about this trade (e.g., its scale, species targeted, economic importance), and its implication for the long-term conservation of Nepal’s >500 orchid species. Nepal’s wild orchid conservation is facing many challenges: there are legal ambiguities in Nepal’s shifting legislation; there is scientific uncertainty about the sustainability of different harvest regimes; species identification is challenging, and illegal trade is hard to regulate.

In response, Greenhood Nepal (in support of its partners Lancaster University, University of Oxford, IUCN SSC Orchid Specialist Group, University of Hawaii, UKAID) is exploring the trade dynamics of orchids based on which this stakeholder’s engagement is planned.

The workshop aims to bring together a small, but diverse group of stakeholders (academe, government, civil society, private sector, orchid enthusiasts) to help inform efforts in controlling illegal trade and sustainable use of wild medicinal orchids in Nepal. 

The participants include orchid researchers, conservationists, government officials including CITES scientific and management authorities, and plant traders. Considering the COVID-19, we are limiting the participants at the venue to ~30. The event will be held on 30 March 2021 from 7:30 am-10:30 am at The Everest Hotel (Hall: Far Pavilion). We will be sharing the key updates of the event by using the #NepalOrchids hashtag via our Twitter page.