BEN ROSTRON, PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
How far would you travel to see and photograph an extremely rare orchid? The obvious response from any die-hard orchid hunter is: how rare? and how far? Throw in spectacular scenery, wildlife, birds, rich history, incredible food, and wonderful people, and you have a once in a lifetime trip to a rare orchid-spot at one of the western-most points in North America: the town of Unalaska, Alaska spans the island of Amaknak and part of the larger island of Unalaska with a bridge connecting the two islands.
Such was the motivation for myself, my wife Catherine, and close friends David Fielder and Duane Erdmann. Three of us left Edmonton, Alberta in July 2018 and flew through Vancouver, BC to Anchorage, Alaska to meet up with Duane, who had travelled from Pennsylvania, USA. We then flew 800 miles southwest, down the Aleutian Island chain, to these tiny volcanic islands nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea.
Our primary target was one of the rarest orchids in North America, Platanthera tipuloides var. behringiana. This species has only been recorded a handful of times, and always on remote islands (Attu and Kiska) at the very western edge of the Aleutian Island chain. Our guide, Suzi, had discovered this species growing locally in Unalaska. Other significant orchid species in the area included: Platanthera chorisiana, Platanthera convallariifolia, the enigmatic Cypripedium yatabeanum and its hybrid C. x alaskanum, as well as 10-12 other species known to occur on Unalaska Island. All these orchid species in a town that hosts the billion dollar Bering Sea crab/seafood/fishing industry with added benefits: no bears, no trees, and no mosquitos!
Ben Rostron is the current president of the Native Orchid Conference and a Professor in the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Alberta. His research area is regional groundwater flow and the large-scale movement of water, oil, and natural gas in basins. Ben is also the founder of Isobrine Solutions, a University of Alberta spinoff company.
His hobbies include photography and hunting for native orchids not just in Alberta, but throughout North America and beyond. His keen eye and attention to detail serve him well as an accredited American Orchid Society Judge. Back home, Ben still finds time to nurture a small collection of Phalaenopsis species that includes amboinensis, bellina, and violacea.
Learn more about Unalaska Island and the role of the Aleutians in WWII from the National Park Service.
To see more of Ben's orchid adventures, visit his Flickr site, and discover the orchids growing in your area on the Go Orchids website.
