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Project: 331/2019
Title: Promoting AOF activities-Asia Pacific Orchid Conference 13 (APOC) Kuching, Malaysia, 2019
Applicant: John Varigos
Funding for this project was provided to facilitate attendance at the 13th Asia Pacific Orchid Conference 2019 in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
This is the preeminent regional conference attended by delegates from most Asian countries and from further afield such as Europe and the USA/Canada.
The venue afforded the opportunity to make a presentation summarising the history and activities of the AOF during one of the scientific breakout sessions. It also offered the opportunity to meet leading opinion leaders and to listen to the current status of regional orchid conservation and ecotourism, orchid commercialisation, cultivation of various orchid genera and a number of scientific papers.
Since its inception 42 years ago, the Foundation has supported well over 200 projects amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants. Many of these projects have been direct conservation projects or have assisted conservation indirectly. The presentation provided a brief history of the AOF, its aims, and information about its funding model together with examples of the various projects that have been sponsored and are being sponsored by the Foundation.
The focus was on conservation and threatened species reintroduction, including examples of funded exploratory expeditions around Australia, PNG and Pacific Islands.
It briefly touched on the AOF’s seed and protocorm bank for local and “exotic” species and the PECE (Propagation, Education, Conservation & Exploration) School’s Project introducing high school students to the wonders of orchids.
John is available to present an expanded version of this presentation to Orchid Societies or related groups, Tel: 0411 726 848