WOW September 2020

 

Rosalie and Robert Lawrence at the 2020 Tall Poppy and Unsung Hero of Science Awards

2020 Unsung Hero Awards of South Australian Science Communication

Rosalie and Robert Lawrence were named the Unsung Heros of South Australian Science Communication 2020 at the September 21st award ceremony in Adelaide! Congratulations Rosalie and Robert and thank you for your tireless work promoting orchid conservation and citizen science. Wild Orchid Watch would not exist without you.

 

Adrian and his next generation orchid enthusiast.

Citizen Scientist profile - Adrian Uren

Adrian is currently the lead citizen scientist contributor to the WOW project, having submitted 97 orchid observations via the WOW app. Thanks for your contribution Adrian (and family) and for being our orchid spotter of the month!

What is your favourite Australian orchid and why?

At the moment I particularly like the Black Fire Orchid, Pyrorchis nigricans. It's a spectacular flower and I have been following the progress of a few plants over the winter, watching the buds slowly form, and now finally one has flowered.

What originally drew you to orchid spotting? 

Orchids have such a large diversity of flowers and I think their complex relationships with their environment are fascinating. The challenge of finding these little jewels in the bush definitely appeals to me and it's very rewarding when I find a new species or a spectacular patch of them!

Why did you start using the WOW app? 

I have been keen to increase my knowledge of orchids since I moved to the Adelaide Hills last year. A friend recommended the app to me and it has given me a good platform to record my sightings while also supporting a great citizen science project. I am also enjoying the opportunity of getting some excellent advice from the leading orchid experts in Adelaide on my orchid identifications. 

What is your favourite conservation park or reserve for orchid spotting?

I live very near Morialta Conservation Park and it is spectacular for orchids especially at this time of year. I visit it regularly with my wife Amy who also helps find the orchids, and my baby son George. Once he's walking I'll train him up to be my chief orchid spotter! 

Any advice for people who are thinking about using the WOW app?

Get started! It's a great project and gives a fun focus to any walk in the Australian bush.

 

Photo: Daniel McCawley @moocattle

Dendrobium kingianum Pink rock orchid. Northern NSW, September 2020.

Have you used the WOW app yet?!

You can access the WOW app by going to the internet browser on your mobile device and typing in app.wildorchidwatch.org

Wild Orchid Watch Australia is a project within iNaturalist and all photos and data collected using the WOW app will be stored, collated and identified on the iNaturalist platform. If you already have an iNat account you can use it to log in to the WOW app, and if not, it is very easy to create one.

We encourage you to read the WOW app frequently asked questions on the website https://www.wildorchidwatch.org/faqs for info such as: how location data is collected and protected through the WOW app, what is a PWA and why is the WOW app not in the app stores, and using the app in remote locations.

For guidance on signing up and getting the most out of the WOW app please see the WOW App Instructional Videos on the website.

If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch info@wildorchidwatch.org

 

Photo: Rosalie Lawrence. Pterostylis foliata Slender greenhood. Mount Lofty Ranges SA, September 2020.

Note the home-made stand for the WOW photographic scale card, it’s a bulldog clip!

Would you like a WOW Photographic Scale Card?

Great to see WOW scale cards in orchid photos appearing in the WOW project via the app and other online forums - we have now posted more than 1000 cards to every state in Australia, and even some to the USA! (ACT and NT we’d love to hear from you)!!

If you would like a couple of cards for yourself or a bundle to give out to nature photographers in your organisation (eg. Landcare or “Friends of” groups), please send us your postal address and we will mail them to you. info@wildorchidwatch.org

 

Photo: Claire Lock @gumnutbabies.

Caleana major Large duck orchid. Lennox Head, Northern NSW, 16th of August 2020.

Thank you!!

Thank you to the early adopters who have embraced the WOW app and are submitting some wonderful observations of Australian native orchids to the project. We are so proud of this project created in collaboration with Australia’s orchid enthusiasts. We particularly appreciate the patience and persistence of all app testers and people who have provided constructive feedback to improve the user experience of the WOW app.

All the best,

The WOW team. info@wildorchidwatch.org