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Senior Citizens Participate In Million Orchid Project

Dozens of senior citizens braved the heat Tuesday to help plant 200-300 baby orchids in Cutler Bay. 

The planting was part of the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden's Million Orchid project, which is three years in the making.

Jason Downing, an orchid biologist at Fairchild and project leader, says the plants are part of a research project to monitor the effects of climate change on native plant species.

“The goal is to essentially blanket Miami with orchids again," Downing said. "Long term goals would hopefully one day have some sustained populations still in Miami-Dade.”

Credit Isabella Cueto / WLRN News
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WLRN News
Frank Causey, 85, is a resident of East Ridge at Cutler Bay.

Right now, the orchids are just tiny plants, a couple inches across. Frank Causey, 85, lives at the East Ridge senior living community where the orchids were planted Wednesday.

“It’ll be probably five years before they bloom, but maybe I’ll be here," he said.

Students throughout Miami-Dade County will have the opportunity to participate by visiting Fairchild labs, growing baby orchids in their classrooms and learning more about biology. Sixth graders grew the first batch of orchids that were put out for planting.

Only 999,700 orchids to go. 

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