XVI International Botanical Congess

The problem of conservation of biological diversity is very important nowadays. Today not only species but even families of plants are at the brink of extinction. Such a family is the family Orchidaceae This family numbers 66 species in the Ukrainian flora. All orchids of Ukraine are listed in the National Red Book (1996). According to categories of IUSN the Ukrainian orchids are distributed as follows: I (endangered) - 13 species (19.6%), II (vulnerable) - 29 (44.0%), III (rare) - 24 (36.4%). Most of them are represented at some biosphere reserves, nature reserves and national nature parks, but 10 species are absent at protected areas. The conservation measures are necessary for all Ukrainian orchids both very rare species and enough spread because the state of their populations are often characterized by the low number of individuals, incomplete age spectra and declining vitality at protected areas. The approach to the conservation of each populations must be differential.