Forest Protection

In Cambodia, we have worked across ministry lines and at the national, provincial, and local level to advocate for sound policies that protect forests while enabling communities to develop responsibly. We have assisted the provincial authorities and national ministries in zoning and mapping protected areas, commune development zones, and residential areas.

Between 2005 and 2010, we documented more than 1,500 cases of land encroachment, and submitted more than 300 cases to the provincial and national courts. By documenting violations, our legal and policy team backed up the work of our forest rangers in preserving 714,024 hectares (1.76 million acres) of continuous forest cover.

Recently, we worked to help key ministries and the Province of Koh Kong draft and implement the Southern Cardamoms Biodiversity Corridor Zoning and Regulations. This critical piece of legislation reflects the commitment of Koh Kong to harmonize land management and develop its natural resources in a sustainable manner. The Biodiversity Corridor Zoning and Regulations were signed into law by the Provincial Governor in May 2009.

We won approval for a forest carbon program under the United Nations for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation, or REDD. When enacted, this REDD project will allow wealthy countries to support efforts to preserve forests in Cambodia in the fight against global warming and will provide financial incentives for the government and local communities to protect the country’s forestland.