Environment and natural resources
Forests and forestry
Vietnamese nationals arrested for logging
Eight Vietnamese nationals were sent to pre-trial detention on Saturday after being arrested last week for allegedly illegally logging on behalf of a local firm in Mondulkiri province. The eight were arrested last Wednesday clearing land in Pech Chreada district near the Sre Pok Wildlife ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/vietnamese-nationals-arrested-logging
Villagers evicted from national park
Authorities are to force about 40 families in Koh Kong province to relocate from their homes in Botum Sakor National Park. The villagers asked authorities to provide them with social land concessions, because they have no other place to live. ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50102035/villagers-evicted-from-national-park/
Landowner unwittingly begins clearing ‘ancient spirit forest’
A Kampong Thom landowner was stopped by provincial officials from clearing a piece of land used as a “spirit forest” by local villagers. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/landowner-unwittingly-begins-clearing-ancient-spirit-forest
Chinese firm invests in forest
A little-known Chinese company is investing $200 million in a massive timber plantation in Stung Treng that the government has equated to “replanting the forest”, despite concerns among environmental protection groups that existing forest will be destroyed in favour of non-native commercial species. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/chinese-firm-invests-forest
Villagers asked to vacate national park
Koh Kong provincial authorities on Monday ordered 40 families living in Botum Sakor district to vacate their land and homes after it was determined they were illegally occupying a national park. On Friday, authorities went to inspect Botum Sakor National Park and found 40 families ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50101013/villagers-asked-vacate-national-park/
Virgin ‘stops purchases of Oddar Meanchey REDD credits’
A Virgin Atlantic representative yesterday said that the British airline is no longer purchasing carbon credits from an area of Oddar Meanchey province set aside for a UN REDD+ program after a report describing widespread problems. ...
Yesenia Amaro
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/virgin-stops-purchases-oddar-meanchey-redd-credits
Military clearing claims dismissed as outdated
A REDD Programme representative yesterday said it would be concerning if recent claims of the military systematically clearing protected forest in Oddar Meanchey province covered under the scheme proved true – though a third-party company has dismissed the claims as outdated. ...
Yesenia Amaro
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/military-clearing-claims-dismissed-outdated
Timber found in Kratie
Nearly one hundred pieces of timber were found separately in Kratie province’s Prek Prasap and Sambo districts over the weekend, but no arrests were made. About 40 pieces were discovered in Sambo’s Vathanak commune after forestry officials unsuccessfully chased a truck they believed was carrying timber. ...
Pav Suy
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50100815/timber-found-kratie/
Ethnic Phnong claim their forest land was grabbed by officials
An ethnic Phnong community in Kratie province’s Snuol district has accused local officials and soldiers of grabbing over 1,000 hectares of community forest and threatening the lives of local villagers for years, with the rights group Adhoc yesterday saying they would take the case to ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ethnic-phnong-claim-their-forest-land-was-grabbed-officials
Timber taken, eight detained in Preah Vihear
Official confiscated about 6 cubic metres of luxury timber in Preah Vihear’s Chey Sen district this week in two separate busts, also detaining eight for illegally transporting timber out of the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/timber-taken-eight-detained-preah-vihear
Task force confiscates Kratie logs; no arrests
A joint task force of national Military Police, provincial Military Police and Forestry Administration officials confiscated a large amount of illegal timber in Kratie province’s Sambor district earlier this week, but made no arrests. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/task-force-confiscates-kratie-logs-no-arrests
Rare plants found in Mondulkiri
More than 60 species of endangered plants have been found in the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary in Mondulkiri province, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5099922/rare-plants-found-mondulkiri/
Eight timber trucks seized
A team of Pursat provincial and national military police seized eight trucks loaded with timber on National Road 55 in Kravanh district’s Samraong commune on Monday and yesterday. ...
Pav Suy
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5099637/eight-timber-trucks-seized/
Soldier suing Oddar Meanchey villagers over land dispute
A military lieutenant is suing 13 families in Oddar Meanchey for allegedly farming his land, which lies within a protected community forest in Anlong Veng district, local authorities confirmed yesterday. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/soldier-suing-oddar-meanchey-villagers-over-land-dispute
Crackdown on logging has been a ‘success’: Bin Chhin
Deputy Prime Minister Bin Chhin oversaw a meeting on illegal logging in the northeast region of Cambodia, reportedly branding the Kingdom’s anti-logging crackdown a “success” despite evidence to the contrary. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/crackdown-logging-has-been-success-bin-chhin
Press accuses tycoons of illegal logging
Local media in Mondulkiri province have accused established businessmen of being involved with logging in Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary. Online newspaper Nokor Dragon said illegal logging became rampant in the national reserve, and claimed local tycoons Oeng Bunchin, San Choy, and Srieng Meng mobilized people ...
Pav Suy
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5098323/press-accuses-tycoons-illegal-logging/
Oddar Meanchey carbon scheme used by Virgin ‘does not work’
Claims the military is involved in systematically clearing forest in Oddar Meanchey province in an area meant to be protected by a carbon credit scheme involving Virgin Atlantic have prompted the UK-based airline to launch an investigation into the program. ...
Yesenia Amaro
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/oddar-meanchey-carbon-scheme-used-virgin-does-not-work
WWF gets EU funds for conservation in Mondulkiri
The European Union will be funding conservation efforts in Mondulkiri’s Srepok and Phnom Prich wildlife sanctuaries to the tune of $3.3 million over the next five years, according to a press release yesterday. The project, Advancing CSOs Capacity to Ensure Sustainability Solutions (ACCESS), will be ...
Yon Sineat
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/wwf-gets-eu-funds-conservation-mondulkiri
National park gets camera traps
A research team comprised of members from the Environment Ministry, Wildlife Conservation Society and local communities has set up camera traps in Phnom Tbeng National Heritage Park in Preah Vihear province. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5098122/national-park-gets-camera-traps/
Sesan dam gets land concession
The government has reclassified 32,305 hectares of public land in Stung Treng province’s Sesan district to provide an economic land concession for the Lower Sesan II dam. According to a sub-decree signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on November 17, the land covers part of ...
May Titthara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5097362/sesan-dam-gets-land-concession/
Officials deny timber sent to Vietnam via Sesan
Ratanakkiri Military Police officials yesterday denied multiple local media reports that thousands of logs of luxury timber were being transported on the Sesan River to be sent to Vietnam illegally. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/officials-deny-timber-sent-vietnam-sesan
Timber trader held for linking business to CPP
CPP lawmaker Sar Sokha has denied any involvement in the timber trade in Prey Veng province after a depot owner used his name and that of Prime Minister Hun Sen to threaten local journalists. ...
Ros Chanveasna
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5096512/timber-trader-held-linking-business-cpp/
Tycoon denies timber accusations in Mondulkiri
After ignoring summonses for two months, a prominent timber tycoon accused of illegally trading luxury-grade wood in Mondulkiri province appeared at court to deny his involvement in the case. Sam Ol was summonsed on October 12 to testify after the authorities’ anti-logging task force found ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/tycoon-denies-timber-accusations-mondulkiri
Environment ministry targets set
The Environment Minister instructed his staff to cooperate with relevant ministries and institutions to improve management in the sector at the closing of the ministry’s annual meeting on Monday. ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5095895/environment-ministry-targets-set/