# Orchid import gone wrong...



## merc (Aug 12, 2020)

Trying to be responsible in my orchid acquisitions and was reading up on and trying to make sense of CITES. Fell down the internet search rabbit hole and found this very interesting case study of an orchid import gone wrong:









The Heritage Foundation


Since our founding in 1973, The Heritage Foundation has been working to advance the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.




www.heritage.org





Thought it was interesting and worth sharing.


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## abax (Aug 12, 2020)

For a reasonably stated CITES explanation read ORCHID FEVER by
Eric Hanson and skip all the "official language" that is confusing and
often contradictory. The whole book is a fun read too.


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## Ray (Aug 13, 2020)

George & Kathy were good friends and longtime suppliers of hard-to-find plants.


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## NYEric (Aug 13, 2020)

Oh, that brings back memories. Pk was exported for years before Michael tried to have it named. George could have been a little more discreet. CITES enforcement is convoluted and ridiculous.


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## merc (Nov 6, 2021)

abax said:


> For a reasonably stated CITES explanation read ORCHID FEVER by
> Eric Hanson and skip all the "official language" that is confusing and
> often contradictory. The whole book is a fun read too.



ORCHID FEVER was such a fun and informative book! Talk about an epic adventure! I couldn't wait to find out why happened next with each turn of the page. Thank you so much for the recommendation.


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## skirincich (Nov 7, 2021)

Is the source of the story reliable?


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## BrucherT (Nov 7, 2021)

skirincich said:


> Is the source of the story reliable?


Nope. Unless you consider an organization this mission it is to legitimize Trumpanzee-Nazi filth “reliable.”


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## BrucherT (Nov 7, 2021)

And I’m not saying there aren’t problems with CITES with regard to plants.


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## abax (Nov 7, 2021)

The source of what story? Hanson?


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## BrucherT (Nov 8, 2021)

Heritage Foundation. Reaganistic/Thatcherite trash. Its antediluvian excuses for political philosophy have led directly to the global crisis of poverty, climate destruction, healthcare crises, etc. The organization itself is wildly corrupt, of course with a budget north of $80 million.


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## skirincich (Nov 8, 2021)

Probably best to kill this thread?


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## orchid527 (Nov 8, 2021)

skirincich said:


> Probably best to kill this thread?


Having read about this before, I do believe this story is mostly true, with some self-serving spin on the part of the source. Seems like this is the case for all information anymore. Mike


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## abax (Nov 8, 2021)

Almost all "information" is an infomercial lately, 527!


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## Leo Schordje (Nov 9, 2021)

Orchid Fever by Eric Hanson is more or less "pretty true", I knew a few of the tangential characters, the book more or less has it correct. 

As to the Heritage Foundation story about George, eh, not so much.


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## abax (Nov 9, 2021)

I had a lengthy discussion with Mr. Hanson when the book came out and have read his
other publications as well. He's a first class, dependable source of information and a
fine writer.


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## SouthPark (Nov 10, 2021)

Something isn't quite right with it ....... eg. _One, Special Agent Jeff Odom of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service_ ...... should be special agent from Odom's Orchids.


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## BrucherT (Nov 10, 2021)

skirincich said:


> Probably best to kill this thread?



Why? No one ever silences the climate science deniers….


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## abax (Nov 10, 2021)

Good point Brucher.


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## BrucherT (Nov 11, 2021)

Aw thanks. I’m grumpy.


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## marriott orchids (Nov 12, 2021)

I could have sworn overpopulation of the world and inherent greed was responsible for pretty much all of that!


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## Guldal (Nov 12, 2021)

abax said:


> I had a lengthy discussion with Mr. Hanson when the book came out and have read his
> other publications as well. He's a first class, dependable source of information and a
> fine writer.



Angela, I can vouch for the information in Hanson's book, when it comes to the Danish end (the last or penultimate chapter of the book). My friend, Hans Christiansen, was befriended with the preeminent, con amore botanist Gunnar Seidenfaden (probably the widest cited Danish botanist, when it comes to orchids - and the only one, to my knowledge, who has had a genus named in his honour, namely the monospecific genus Seidenfadenia) and he confirms Hansson's story about his visit to Seidenfaden.
Hans, actually, could add a few more stories, that explains why Seidenfaden, who as a diplomate was one of the founding fathers of CITES, became very sceptical towards the way it was administrated
Seidenfaden, who for a longer time was stationed as Denmarks ambassador to Thailand, contributed decisively to the description of the Thai orchid flora, often received plants from Thai colleagues and friends. The Plantedirektoratet, who in Denmark enforces the CITES regulations, seized some of Seidenfaden's plants - and decided to press charges against him., probably in the hope of gathering publicity by such a high profile case. Only the personal intervention by the then Danish Minister for the Environment, Svend Auken, who recognized Seidenfaden's important and unstinting efforts for the protection of the environment, brought the charges to a halt.
(As a curiosum one of the two Danish naval vessels, that these days protects our seas with regard to the environment, has been named "Gunnar Seidenfaden" in his honour)


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## abax (Nov 12, 2021)

Me too and tired of being grumpy. Thank you Jens for the explanation and a very tiny
incident in the orchid world that is plagued with politics and backstabbing. Also a
recognition of the efforts of Mr. Auken is appreciated.


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## Guldal (Nov 13, 2021)

marriott orchids said:


> I could have sworn overpopulation of the world and inherent greed was responsible for pretty much all of that!


Maybe a little name change would be in place: 'Malthus Orchids'


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## Ray (Nov 13, 2021)

marriott orchids said:


> I could have sworn overpopulation of the world and inherent greed was responsible for pretty much all of that!


I'm with you 100% on that, Hadley!


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## Guldal (Nov 13, 2021)

.


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## BrucherT (Nov 13, 2021)

marriott orchids said:


> I could have sworn overpopulation of the world and inherent greed was responsible for pretty much all of that!


Liking your comment re: greed. But the world could support a near infinite human population if resource allocation were to be managed properly.


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