Environment and natural resources
Forests and forestry
Forest activists allege logging scheme in Prey Lang
Forest activists from the Prey Lang Community Network (PLCN) in Preah Vihear province claim that Macle Logistics Cambodia Co Ltd and PNT Co Ltd are working together to illegally collect timber being logged in the core area of the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary. ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/forest-activists-allege-logging-scheme-prey-lang
Development in Botum Sakor National Park
Koh Kong Provincial Administration is examining a request from Anko Ahran Niharan company to invest on 6,145 hectares of land inside Botum Sakor National Park. ...
Son Minea
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50999244/development-in-botum-sakor-national-park/
Forestry Administration issues wrap-up on 2021 enforcement
There were over 4,000 cases total of fisheries and wildlife crimes in 2021 nationwide, with nearly 200 suspects referred to court, according to a report by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/forestry-administration-issues-wrap-2021-enforcement
Koh Kong forest station begins official operation
Koh Kong provincial authorities on December 27 officially inaugurated the Chi Khor Leu Forest Research Station in Sre Ambel district’s Chi Khor Leu commune, which was funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) through the Greater Mekong Sub-region Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Project in Cambodia. ...
Orm Bunthoeurn
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/koh-kong-forest-station-begins-official-operation
Siem Reap orders tough, immediate crackdown on illegal timber sites
Siem Reap provincial deputy governor Ngan Phirun has instructed authorities to immediately put a stop to all activities at more than 140 illegal logging sites in or near protected areas and biodiversity corridors in the province to prevent further deforestation. ...
Agriculture ministries talk cross-border cooperation
Cambodia and Vietnam have negotiated an agreement on agriculture to strengthen import-export controls and prevent the illegal cross-border timber and wildlife trade, among other issues, according to Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Veng Sakhon. ...
Orm Bunthoeurn
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/agriculture-ministries-talk-cross-border-cooperation
Forest Chief takes actions against illegal loggers and encroachers
Legal measures will be taken against those who illegally logged and encroached on the community forest in one of Stung Treng’s districts stated the forest chief. ...
Khmer Times Staff
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50992510/forest-chief-takes-actions-against-illegal-loggers-and-encroachers/
Huge swathes of land returned to state by evicted encroachers
Kampong Thom provincial authorities have determined that over 10,000ha of flooded forestland located in three different areas near the province’s Tonle Sap Lake shoreline have been illegally encroached upon, with more than 200 families having already returned in excess of 2,000ha of misappropriated land back ...
Long Kimmarita
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/huge-swathes-land-returned-state-evicted-encroachers
Bokor National Park squatters told to clear out by December 15
The Kampot provincial Department of Environment warned people who have encroached upon land in Preah Monivong Bokor National Park and claimed it as their own to voluntarily remove their boundary posts or huts by December 15 or face legal action. ...
Orm Bunthoeurn
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/bokor-national-park-squatters-told-clear-out-december-15
30,000ha of wetlands encroached
Nearly 30,000ha of flooded forest land stretching across the six provinces surrounding the Tonle Sap Lake have been illegally occupied or cleared by both ordinary citizens and in some cases public officials acting in a personal capacity. ...
Long Kimmarita
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/30000ha-wetlands-encroached
Draft law shifts forest enforcer role of ministry onto provinces
Officials and lawyers are in ongoing discussions about amending the forest, fisheries and protected areas laws to transfer natural resource protection and conservation functions from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to sub-national level administrations. ...
Orm Bunthoeurn
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/draft-law-shifts-forest-enforcer-role-ministry-provinces
T Khmum eyes eco-tourism
The Tbong Khmum Provincial Administration plans to transform the Boeung Kade multi-purpose area in Kroch Chhmar and Dombae districts into an eco-tourism attraction while remaining committed to preventing deforestation and poaching in order to protect and conserve its natural resources and biodiversity. ...
Orm Bunthoeurn
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/t-khmum-eyes-eco-tourism
Authorities discover more than 800 hectares of swamp forest land cleared in Battambang
Officials continued to discover more flooded forest land in Battambang were cleared by encroachers and deforestation. ...
Khmer Times Staff
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50983325/authorities-discover-more-than-800-hectares-of-swamp-forest-land-cleared-in-battambang/
Stolen 700 hectares of Tonle Sap land returned to the state
A deputy provincial police chief in Kampong Chhnang province was involved in the encroachment of nearly 700 hectares of flooded forest in the Tonle Sap Lake area, while so far the Kampong Chhnang provincial authorities have returned 2,000 hectares of land to state ownership. ...
Tith Kongnov
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50980801/stolen-700-hectares-of-tonle-sap-land-returned-to-the-state/
More than 5,400 swamp forests in Banteay Meanchey encroached by criminals
Banteay Meanchey’s authorities reported that 5,470 hectares of flooded forest land in two of the zones of the province’s borders were encroached and deforested by crooks. ...
Khmer Times Staff
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50981118/more-than-5400-swamp-forests-in-banteay-meanchey-encroached-by-criminals/
Blitz on land grabs: Authorities seize back 2,000 ha of flooded forest
In an effort to restore natural habitat, Land Management Minister Chea Sophara yesterday began a crackdown against encroachments in Tonle Sap lake’s flooded forest and seized back more than 2,000 hectares in Kampong Chhnang province. ...
Tith Kongnov
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50979345/blitz-on-land-grabs-authorities-seize-back-2000-ha-of-flooded-forest/
PM: Do not defile Tonle Sap swamp forest or else
Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered police to arrest anyone – including government officials – involved with the deforestation of the flooded forests surrounding the Tonle Sap Lake because it is an area important to the spawning of many species of fish, among other reasons. ...
Long Kimmarita and Orm Bunthoeurn
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/pm-do-not-defile-tonle-sap-swamp-forest-or-else
85 CSOs appeal for drop of all charges against activists
A group of 85 civil society organisations (CSOs)and associations have asked the government to release representatives of land communities and other forest, natural resource and environment activists who have all recently been detained. ...
Mom Kunthear
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/85-csos-appeal-drop-all-charges-against-activists
K Speu reclaims over 300ha of encroached land in wildlife area
The Kampong Speu Provincial Administration has reclaimed more than 300ha of forest land in Oral district which was being illegally logged and cleared by unidentified individuals. Authorities are searching for those responsible for the encroachment for legal action. ...
Lay Samean
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/k-speu-reclaims-over-300ha-encroached-land-wildlife-area
Activists say mangroves under threat
Some of Cambodia’s fishing communities and civil society organisations are expressing great concern over the ongoing loss of mangrove forests in coastal areas due to illegal encroachment as well as legal coastal development projects. They called on relevant authorities to intervene on the matter. ...
Orm Bunthoeurn
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/activists-say-mangroves-under-threat
Siem Reap pagoda monks plan palm tree planting campaign
Monks at the Phnom Preah Thevak pagoda, also known as Sen Chey, in Siem Reap province’s Banteay Srei district plan to plant 50,000 Asian palmyra palm trees in a 60ha community forest to preserve the species represents the national identity. ...
Lay Samean
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/siem-reap-pagoda-monks-plan-palm-tree-planting-campaign
43 people arrested in Preah Sihanouk land encroachment case
Preah Sihanouk authorities launched an operation to arrest people in Prey Nob District who were involved in a forest encroachment case. ...
Khmer Times Staff
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50957535/43-people-arrested-in-preah-sihanouk-land-encroachment-case/
K Thom village participates in REDD+ project
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has registered 1,359ha of land as the O’Bosleav Forest Community Land in Kampong Thom province in an effort to implement a REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) project to preserve forests for carbon forest sales. ...
Orm Bunthoeurn
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/k-thom-village-participates-redd-project
Mystery over Stung Treng cleared forest land to be solved
Sesan district governor said he will solve the mystery surrounding illegally cleared forest land after more than 50 families appealed to the Stung Treng provincial authorities for an investigation into the clearing of hundreds of hectares in Kbal Romeas commune’s Krabei Chrom village. ...
Yin Soeum
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50949090/mystery-over-stung-treng-cleared-forest-land-to-be-solved/