There are concerns one of the few remaining habitats of a rare orchid, the Queen of Sheba, could be threatened by dedicated horse trails in Western Australia.
The Queen of Sheba (Theylmitra variegata) is a native orchid which only grows wild in the state's south-west, and is sometimes referred to as the holy grail for orchid hunters.
Historically the orchid grew in Perth but loss of habitat through clearing has eliminated many populations.
It is now restricted to a few small and isolated populations between Bunbury and Albany, according to the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority.
A new installation of horse trail signs at a recognised Queen of Sheba habitat site in Gull Rock National Park, however, has prompted outrage from wildflower fans.
Lyn Alcock, a member of the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attraction's (DBCA) Adopt An Orchid Program, said horses could cause serious problems for rare orchids.
"The most concerning thing is that whenever horses are travelling you will have also poo all over the place and it is well known that horses don't digest feed," she said.
"Any gardener will know that when you get horse manure in your garden you inevitably get lots of weeds growing.
"These weeds will start growing out in the area where the Queens grow, the weeds will spread rapidly and choke out the Queen areas."
Not the first time
The upset comes almost a year after a bobcat, contracted by the DBCA, accidentally destroyed Queen of Shebas at a nearby site.
Ms Alcock said following that incident DBCA had promised to work with them.
"They said they would liaise with … the leader of that group and said they would at least keep her in the loop of anything that was planned to be done," she said.
"It has not happened.
"It's extremely frustrating and it makes me question how much this orchid is valued."
According to DBCA, horses have been permitted in the national park for many years and the trails were pre-existing, with no new trails having been built.
In a statement, a spokesperson said the trails had recently been formalised with signage to allow for improved control of the user group.
The spokesperson said horses were only allowed on designated trails and were confined to less than 20 per cent of the national park.
