View source for APROVACA

'''APROVACA''' (Spanish '''''Asociación de Productores de Orquídeas de El Valle y Cabuya''''') is a non-profit organization established to conserve and protect native [[Orchidaceae|orchids]] in [[El Valle de Antón]], Panama.
The organization was founded on May 15, 2001 with the goal of protecting endangered [[Endemism|endemic]] Panamanian species of orchids. Illegal orchid [[poaching]] by locals have greatly diminished the number of orchids in El Valle and threatens to eradicate several species of orchids only found in El Valle.
The headquarters of APROVACA is in El Valle de Antón. Aside from administration the center has an orchid garden and a [[Plant nursery|nursery]] for local orchids and horticultural varieties.
As an ongoing project APROVACA is collaborating with the Institute of Agricultural Investigation of Panama (Instituto de Investigación Agropecuaria de Panamá, IDIAP) to reintroduce endemic local orchids into their natural habitats.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.idiap.gob.pa/|title=Instituto de Investigación Agropecuaria de Panamá|website=Idiap.gob.pa|accessdate=8 February 2019}}</ref>
Since March 2010 APROVACA has been a member of the [[Orchid Conservation Coalition]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.orchidconservationcoalition.org/index.html|title=Orchid Conservation Coalition|website=Orchidconservationcoalition.org|accessdate=8 February 2019}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.aprovaca.com/ Official website]
[[Category:Orchid organizations]]
[[Category:Orchids of Panama| ]]
[[Category:Non-profit organizations based in Panama]]
[[Category:Nature conservation in Panama]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 2001]]
[[Category:2001 establishments in Panama]]