Podcast - Charging Ahead Ep. 4: Ecodiversity and the Secret Life of Orchids with Oscar

This week on Charging Ahead, we sit down with Oscar, a world-renowned orchid botanist whose life has been shaped by the extraordinary biodiversity of Colombia.

Raised among some of the richest ecosystems on Earth, Oscar shares a deeply personal story of growing up, what led him to learning about the magic of orchids, his pursuit of a PhD in Germany before joining the scientific community at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Today, he splits his time between London and Colombia, returning home to study orchids in the wild and reconnect with family and community.

This conversation moves effortlessly between laughter and urgency. We geek out over orchid evolution, pollination strategies, and yes, the scandalous world of orchid “sex” and floral cheating. But beneath the humour sits something heavier.

Oscar speaks with fierce clarity about biodiversity loss, the responsibility of wealthier nations, and the importance of protecting both ecosystems and the people who depend on them. We talk about extinction not as a distant headline, but as a present risk. And as always, we do not let the conversation stay abstract. What does acting now actually mean? Who needs to step up? What are we willing to change?

Oscar does not shy away. He brings both scientific precision and emotional honesty, reminding us that conservation is not just about plants. It is about children, communities, culture, and the future we are choosing to build.

This episode is for anyone who loves nature, believes in protecting it, or simply wants to understand what is at stake.

Orchids may look delicate. The fight to save them is anything but.