Environment and natural resources

Nearly 300 families in the Sre Trob community in the Prey Preah Roka Wildlife Sanctuary in Preah Vihear province continue to make a living from their ancestors’ methods of obtaining wood oil or vital resin to sell, which can earn about $450 a month per ...

A joint working group of the Preah Sihanouk Provincial Administration is inspecting a site at Bak Kang Mountain, which was designated state public property in 2002 but is now being cleared by a private company. ...

A large variety of plants from the Tonle Sap Lake area have been discovered by officials from the Tonle Sap Authority (TSA), but one tree in particular has revealed that it provides many benefits, according to TSA secretary-general Tony Hell on June 21. ...

The Mekong River Commission (MRC) has recorded river levels increasing by 0.65m between Stung Treng and Prey Veng’s Neak Loeung over the last seven days and forecast an additional rise this week of 0.60m due to torrential rain. ...

Fears that history may repeat itself and lead to yet more contamination of Cambodia’s rivers has been offset by the estimated $40 million the government will receive annually from Renaissance Minerals. ...

Over 1,500 floating houses and fish farming cages have been dismantled and evacuated from the rivers in Phnom Penh, according to Phnom Penh municipal police spokesman San Sok Seyha. ...

A 180kg Irrawady dolphin in the Ochheuteal dolphin pleasance in Preah Rumkel commune of Stung Treng province’s Borei O’Svay Sen Chey district was found dead on June 14, most likely from natural age-related causes.​ ...

The Battambang Provincial Administration has announced that it has a project to develop Roluos Lake in Peam Ek commune’s Takorm village of Ek Phnom district with the goal of protecting the lake as a sustainable tourist resort and preventing encroachment. ...

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Cambodia has voiced concern about the rapid decline of the Bengal florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis) population fuelled largely by habitat loss, rice farming and poaching, with a 2018 tally counting just over 100 territorial displaying males in the Kingdom. ...

Owners of floating houses and other unofficial structures on the rivers bordering the capital were ordered by the Phnom Penh Municipal Administration to remove or relocate the structures from June 2. ...

Battambang provincial officials said land encroachment still occurred on thousands of hectares of flooded forest land bordering Tonle Sap Lake, and authorities lacked the resources to protect these areas.   ...

The Tonle Sap, which contributed over half the fish produced in Cambodia, is now faced with a serious threat in fish catch due to loss of flooded forest, climate change, upstream dams and illegal fishing activities. ...

The Ministry of Environment announced yesterday that nearly 70,000 traps have been removed from the Kingdom’s forests over the past 15 months.   ...

BirdLife International Cambodia Programme yesterday said that it has freed 20 water pools in Siem Pang Wildlife Sanctuary in Stung Treng province in the first four months of this year to improve water sources and habitats for wildlife. ...

Cambodia has been internationally recognised for its rich biodiversity and the Kingdom’s Biodiversity Index is 7.5 (MacKinnon, 1997) although a higher score may be attainable when inventories are more advanced. ...

The APSARA National Authority (ANA) plans to release 11 birds from three rare species into the Angkor Archaeological Park’s forest and calls on the public to take care of all animals in the park. ...

The French Government today granted EUR 1.5 million to the Mekong River Commission (MRC) to improve and expand its river monitoring network for better river monitoring and management of water infrastructure project operations along the mainstream and key tributaries of the Mekong.   ...

An attempt to remove a forest community leader has created unhappiness among environmental activists and the people of Mondulkiri province’s Andong Kraloeng village, Sen Monorom commune of O’Raing district.    ...

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries denied that it had allowed the exports of luxury wood from Koh Kong province to Hong Kong. ...

The Siem Reap provincial Forestry Administration on May 17 referred the case of two pieces of impounded machinery to court after conducting an investigation. ...

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries denied that it had allowed the exports of luxury wood from Koh Kong province to Hong Kong. The denial came after the Hong Kong Customs reportedly seized about 211 tonnes of logs from an endangered tree species from Cambodia ...

Kampong Speu provincial governor Vei Samnang has issued an order prohibiting clearing and settling on more than 281ha of state forest land in two locations after some residents illegally occupied and farm the land. ...

Mondulkiri provincial governor Svay Sam Eang urged officials and local authorities to intensify efforts to prevent forest crimes and illegal logging as these activities have increased. ...

More than 100 families living in Chroy Svay commune in Koh Kong province’s Sre Ambel district protested in front of the district hall to demand that authorities keep 63ha of lowland forest as state property and take legal action against forest encroachers. ...