European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

Dactylorhiza fuchsii is widespread, occurs in several locations in Europe and is known from many sites within parts of its range. The existing threats for the species and the habitats are unlikely to cause the populations to decline quickly in the near future. It is therefore assessed as Least Concern.

Dactylorhiza fuchsii is found throughout Europe but is rare in the Mediterranean region. The species is very common in Belgium, Luxembourg, and France, but absent in Corsica. There is some confusion concerning the boundaries between this species and D. maculata, particulary in Eastern and Central Europe. This species is found up to 2,300 m altitude (Delforge 1995, Bournérias and Prat 2005).

Dactylorhiza fuchsii is widespread and often abundant. The trend of the population remains unknown and the species is not well known, due to confusion with Dactylorhiza maculata (Delforge 1995, Bournérias and Prat 2005).

Dactylorhiza fuchsii is typically found in open woodlands, forest margins, marshes, grasslands, meadows, and seepages. It grows in alkaline, dry to marshy soils in semi-shade to full light. The flowering takes place from May to July. The species has a very wide range of pollinators (Delforge 1995, Bournérias and Prat 2005).

The habitat of Dactylorhiza fuchsii is submitted to numerous anthropogenic threats including drainage, agriculture use of the swampy meadows, urbanization, grazing, plant collection, trampling and extensive hybridization with other species of the same genus (Bournérias and Prat 2005).

The bulb is very nutritious when cooked. It is a source of 'salep', a fine white to yellowish-white powder that is obtained by drying the tuber and grinding it into a powder. Salep is a starch-like substance which can be made into a drink, added to cereals or to bread. It can be prepared in the same way as arrowroot. A jelly can be made from the salep which is used to treat irritations of the gastro-intestinal canal (Plants For a Future 2010).

All orchid species are included under Annex B of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The species is protected at national level in Belgium and Luxembourg and at regional level in France.

The following actions are recommended to protect Dactylorhiza fuchsii;

• Moderate grazing or forestry, mowing or recurrent burning; to prevent the vegetation to become dominated by more robust and competitive species.
• Protection of the habitat from ploughing, agriculture uses.
• Moderate grazing.
• Fencing the vulnerable site to protect the species from trampling.
  
• Protection of the living individuals through legislation which bans the species from being picked or dug up.
• Ex situ conservation: Artificial propagation, re-introduction, seed collections.
• Monitoring and surveillance of the existing populations and sites.
• Estimate the population size and study their dynamics (Delforge 1995, Bournérias and Prat 2005).