Researchers save tens of thousands of orchids from Indian road construction

Researchers in Kerala, India, rescued more than 27,000 orchids from trees slated for removal due to road development.

The team collected the plants from trees that were already cut down or marked for clearing. Many of these orchids are epiphytes, which are plants that use trees as physical support frames rather than growing in soil. Because these orchids rely on their host trees for survival, road construction projects often lead to their destruction.

The researchers moved the rescued plants to three public locations: Kappad Beach, Sarovaram Bio Park, and Malabar Botanical Garden. The study found that nearly 71% of the relocated orchids survived after 12 to 24 months. This included a high survival rate for plants moved from cold, hilly areas to warmer, sea level environments. Among the plants saved were 12 species endemic to the region, 11 of which are not currently listed on the IUCN Red List.

The researchers noted that many of these species face silent extinction as infrastructure expands across the Western Ghats mountain range. The team also used the relocation as a way to educate the public. They placed QR codes on 10 different orchid species at Sarovaram Bio Park, which reached over 126,000 scans by visitors over two years.

While the authors suggest that rescue translocation can turn plants facing destruction into conservation assets, they advise using this method only as a last resort when trees cannot be saved.