Environment and natural resources
Forests and forestry
Military police officers arrested for blocking forestry officials
Forestry Administration officials detained two military police officers and a third man on Tuesday for attempting to stop them from transporting a haul of illegally logged wood to their headquarters in Kratie City, officials said Sunday. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/military-police-officers-arrested-for-blocking-forestry-officials-92360/
Ministry investigating reports of gunfight in Thailand
The Foreign Affairs Ministry is looking into a Thai media report that seven Cambodian illegal loggers were involved in a gunfight with Thai soldiers Thursday that culminated in one Cambodian suffering serious injuries and all of the suspects being arrested, a ministry spokesman said. ...
Khuon Narim and Saing Soenthrith
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/ministry-investigating-reports-of-gunfight-in-thailand-92198/
More primates released at Angkor, deer to follow
The Angkor Wildlife Release Project successfully released a third group of primates into the Angkor Archaeological Park earlier this summer. An enclosure for two species of deer is now under construction. ...
Naomi-Collett Ritz
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/14636/more-primates-released-at-angkor--deer-to-follow/
Officials find luxury wood in Stung Treng city pond
Forestry officials confiscated 13 cubic meters of illegally logged timber in Stung Treng City on Saturday after discovering the wood hidden in a pond and the surrounding underbrush, an official said Sunday. ...
Saing Soenthrith
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/officials-find-luxury-wood-in-stung-treng-city-pond-91798/
Police exchange fire with convoy carrying luxury wood
Police from Takeo province came under fire in neighboring Kampot province early Sunday morning as they pursued a truck transporting a load of luxury wood while four other cars tried to protect the truck carrying the timber, according to officials, who said police managed to ...
Mech Dara and Ouch Sony
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/police-exchange-fire-with-convoy-carrying-luxury-wood-91355/
Gov’t has identified suspect in M’kiri logging case
The head of the Forestry Administration’s Mondolkiri cantonment said Monday that he had accused one man over an August 1 incident in which military police freed the drivers of four trucks transporting illegally logged timber from the custody of anti-economic crime police and escaped with ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/govt-has-identified-suspect-in-mkiri-logging-case-91353/
One dead, 1 flees in wood smuggling accidents
Police in Kratie province say they are searching for the driver of a truck who had been transporting illegally logged timber through Snuol district early Saturday morning when it overturned and burst into flames. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/one-dead-1-flees-in-wood-smuggling-accidents-91234/
Prey Lang campaign kicks off
As deforestation in Cambodia’s forests has grown in recent years, more and more citizens have come together to fight against it. Now, a group of 300 people are going to campaign for awareness about the destruction of Prey Lang, the largest evergreen forest in the ...
Chea Vannak
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/14222/prey-lang-campaign-kicks-off/
Journalists accuse Ratanakkiri forestry official of intimidation
Four reporters accused a forestry official in Ratanakkiri province of locking them behind the gate of the local Forestry Administration headquarters Thursday morning in an attempt to stop them from reporting on the transport of illegally logged luxury wood. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/journalists-accuse-ratanakkiri-forestry-official-of-intimidation-91095/
Tree-planting campaigns target deforestation
Faced with Cambodia’s rapid deforestation, a group of monks and environmental groups want to replenish Cambodia’s natural world. ...
Chea Takihiro
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/14099/tree-planting-campaigns-target-deforestation/
Plantation denies illegal logging, employing military police
The manager of a Vietnamese rubber plantation in Mondolkiri province accused of illegally logging in collusion with local military police denied the claims Tuesday but admitted to calling on police to quell protests. ...
Five illegal loggers shot dead in Thailand so far this year
Five Cambodians were shot dead by Thai soldiers while illegally logging across the border during the first half of the year, according to the government’s latest figures, roughly on par with last year. ...
Saing Soenthrith
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/five-illegal-loggers-shot-dead-in-thailand-so-far-this-year-90748/
(Un)Protected Areas
In Cambodia’s wildlife sanctuaries, conservation areas and national parks, forests are falling as fast as anywhere else. ...
Zsombor Peter and Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/unprotectedareas/
Soldier was ‘trading timber’
A vehicle transporting 18 cubic metres of illegally logged timber was stopped on Saturday night by the Wildlife Alliance’s Wildlife Rapid Response Team (WRRT) in Kampong Speu province and is believed to belong to a military officer currently involved in a prior lawsuit over contraband ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/soldier-was-trading-timber
Soldiers, civilians charged over illegal forest clearing operation
A soldier and two civilians were charged on Wednesday with illegally clearing forest land by the Kompong Thom Provincial Court, while a second soldier who allegedly guarded the illicit operation has been charged with illegal weapons possession, a court official said Thursday. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/soldiers-civilians-charged-over-illegal-forest-clearing-operation-90215/
ELCs tied to destruction of forests in new report
Cambodis’s most crucial forests are disappearing at a rate of more than 2,000 kilometres a year, as agricultural firms continue to harvest timber by illegal means in protected areas and national parks, according to a study from Washington-based Forest Trends. ...
Ethan Harfenist
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/elcs-tied-destruction-forests-new-report
Alarm over 'timber grab' from Cambodia's protected forests
The analysis, from campaign group Forest Trends, says that large corporations are using legitimate development permits to illegally clear land.Around 2,000 sq km of forests are being lost every year, they say. ...
Matt McGrath
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-33702814
Pheap’s pledge sought
A forest peoples’ network has appealed to tycoon Try Pheap to issue a written commitment to put a halt to his companies’ deforestation activities after he told the Post last week that his logging days are over. ...
May Titthara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/pheaps-pledge-sought
Truck stopped with huge rosewood load
An inspection of a truck transporting cassava through Siem Reap province’s Kralanh district on Tuesday revealed a massive haul of luxury rosewood. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/truck-stopped-huge-rosewood-load
Lawmaker asks PM for probe of Try Pheap’s SEZ
CNRP lawmaker Un Sam An sent a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday asking for an investigation of Try Pheap’s Special Economic Zone in Ratanakkiri province, saying that the timber magnate is misusing the site to export illegally logged trees to Vietnam. ...
Khuon Narim
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/lawmaker-asks-hun-sen-for-probe-of-try-pheaps-sez-89251/
Minister calls for ban on chainsaw imports
A ban on the importation of chainsaws into Cambodia could be in the offing, after agriculture officials this week called for a nationwide crackdown on the illegal logging trade. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/minister-calls-ban-chainsaw-imports
Illegal-meat dealer caught with Gaur, Tiger parts
An illegal-meat dealer was arrested in Ratanakkiri province on Monday after 65 kg of gaur meat and two heads of the endangered bovine species were discovered along with two dried tiger skins during a raid of his home, an official said. ...
Saing Soenthrith
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/illegal-meat-dealer-caught-with-gaur-tiger-parts-89132/
Logging baron claims tree-felling days over
Preah Vihear province Try Pheap wants to turn over a new leaf.In an exclusive interview with the Post at the opening ceremony of his vast plantation in Preah Vihear province on Sunday, the media-shy tycoon spoke of a desire to cultivate a new image – ...
May Titthara and Daniel Pye
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/logging-baron-claims-tree-felling-days-over
Wild gaur poached in protected forest
An endangered gaur – a species of wild bovine – was reportedly shot dead near a protected forest last Wednesday in Stung Treng’s Siem Pang district. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/wild-gaur-poached-protected-forest