Gulf Coast Orchid Alliance Screens THE MOUNTAINS OF AMAZONAS in Naples Today

High in the Peruvian Andes, Stig Dalström, the Wild Orchid Man, searches for rare and Unknown orchids. These mountains of Amazonas are the birthplace of the mighty Amazon River and home to the legendary rainforest that blankets its basin. In his quest to find Unknown orchids, he discovers the mysteries of this region - from the ancient ruins left by Unknown people to one of the world's tallest waterfalls, Unknown to outsiders until 2005.

The Gulf Coast Orchid Alliance invites you attend the exclusive Southwest Florida screening of "The Mountains of Amazonas," to be shown at the Alliance's "Third Thursday" Member Event today, March 21, 2013 at the Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church at 1255 Piper Blvd., Naples, FL, from 6:30-8:30 pm. (Look for the tall steeples across from Sam's Club on Immokalee Road.) Reservations for the free viewing are required since seating is limited. Call early to reserve your seat: 239-498-9741 or info@GulfCoastOrchidAlliance.com.

Travel with Stig Dalström and filmmaker Darryl Saffer on their exploration of jungles and deserts where they meet the strange creatures of this unique ecosystem. This is sure to be an enlightening, educational and entertaining journey filled with Stig's Swedish sense of understated humor, especially while he valiantly maintains his composure as he encounters floods, landslides, giant Spiders and a host of biting insects and hostile plants.

Stig Dalström holds degrees in civil engineering and horticulture and was the Curator of the Orchid Identification Center (OIC) at Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Florida. He is a self-taught watercolor artist and botanical illustrator, as well as an experienced orchid taxonomist. He has published 47 new species of orchids for science and has had 23 plant species named in his honor. Dalström continues to assist with the identification of orchid specimens, as well as providing popular and scientific articles and lectures. He conducts fieldwork to inventory and classify orchids, and contributes to creating awareness about fragile ecological sites.

This is his second film working with award-winning filmmaker Darryl Saffer. The first, "Ghost Orchid Swamp," was filmed in the Florida Everglades and has been screened at botanical and educational venues worldwide. The Amazonas film examines the impact of deforestation on the land and water of Northern Peru through the search for rare and Unknown orchids.

The Gulf Coast Orchid Alliance, a new non-profit formed in 2012, strives to empower its members with orchid knowledge by providing educational opportunities where beginners to advanced hobbyists exchange information and ideas in an enjoyable and enthusiastic atmosphere.

MISSION: The Gulf Coast Orchid Alliance is committed to promoting interest in orchids by providing educational opportunities to learn about orchid culture in an enthusiastic, enjoyable, supportive and inclusive environment where beginners to advanced hobbyists can exchange orchid information and ideas. GCOA reaches out to the community, inspiring others to learn about orchids and orchid conservation.