Uttarakhand sets up natural orchid conservation site in Pithorgarh district :

1. Uttarakhand has identified 36 species of orchids for their conservation in their natural habitat in Lumti area of Pithoragarh district.

2.Orchids are perennial herbs of varying growth habit in the ground, on rocks, trees or shrubs; a few also grow in water and the species for conservation were identified via a survey which concluded in October, this year.

3. The entire orchid family is listed under Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and any trade in wild orchid is banned globally.

4. According to studies by various organizations, Uttarakhand has great orchid diversity and the Gori valley area is the most favourable habitat for orchid growth as it covers more than 55 per cent of orchid species of the state.

CITES :

CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals. It was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The convention was opened for signature in 1973 and CITES entered into force on 1 July 1975. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species in the wild, and it accords varying degrees of protection to more than 35,000 species of animals and plants. In order to ensure that the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was not violated, the Secretariat of GATT was consulted during the drafting process.

As of 2018, Secretary-General of the CITES Secretariat is Ivonne Higuero.