Forests and forestry

Military Police in Ratanakkiri province on Wednesday confiscated 70 pieces of luxury timber that traders hid behind villagers’ homes in Pak Thom village, Pak Nhai commune, in O’Yadav district. Forestry Administration officers are set to confiscate the wood, which was intended for export to Vietnam ...

The Apsara Authority is stepping up its efforts to manage and maintain forest cover surrounding the Angkor World Heritage Site in Siem Reap province. At a meeting with about 250 officials and staff members of the authority’s forestry department on Wednesday, Hang Peou, deputy director-general ...

District authorities in Kampong Thom province on Tuesday arrested a Kampong Cham man who was allegedly driving a van hauling illegal wildlife and timber, according to Mom Sophal, chief of the Forestry Administration office in Kampong Thmor. ...

Activists in the northern provinces of Cambodia claimed on Tuesday that while police forces are busy providing security for the July 29 national elections, they are witnessing a worrying spike in forest crimes. Prey Lang Community Network activist Phok Hong told The Post that forest ...

At least 107 cameras deployed for tracking endangered wildlife in the northeast provinces of Cambodia were dismantled or destroyed by poachers, according to a provincial environment official on Thursday. Mondulkiri Provincial Environment Department director Keo Sopheak told The Post that the dismantling of the cameras ...

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday denied that the government intends to allow private development around a lake in Ratanakkiri province, which is important to a biologically diverse ecosystem. The denial was sparked by an article published in the Rasmei Kampuchea Daily on Monday that ...

The Takeo provincial Environment Department on Monday warned authorites would take legal action against a senior police official in Koh Andet district who tried to use a vehicle to clear land illegally in the protected lake Boeung Prek Lapouv. ...

Authorities in Ratanakkiri province confiscated timber left behind inside the Lumphat Wildlife Santuary in Lumphat district on Tuesday. Kim Reaksmey, commander of the provincial military police, said that the timber was discovered abandoned, adding that no arrests were made. ...

The Mekong River Commission and the Japan International Cooperation Agency have launched a joint study on forest conservation and river basin management in the lower Mekong aimed at improving management and environmental conservation of the area. ...

Muk Kampol district police officers in Kandal province yesterday confiscated more than 70 pieces of timber being transported to Phnom Penh along National Road 6 over suspicion that it was illegally obtained. However, one officer said that the owner had already paid a fine in ...

The government yesterday announced a sub-decree by the office of the Prime Minister to designate Yeak Loam Lake in Ban Lung city in the northeastern province of Ratanakkiri as a new wildlife and ecological protected area. ...

The Ratanakkiri provincial prosecutor on Monday filed a complaint with the Appeal Court against a decision made by the province’s investigating judge, San Bunthoeun, to release a Vietnamese timber trader, a court spokesman said. ...

Tumpuon ethnic minorities residing in Seda commune, in Ratanakkiri province’s Lumphat district, on Monday accused authorities of colluding to sell 100 hectares of protected land in the Lumphat Wildlife Sanctuary  that they say belongs to the community ...

The Senate yesterday approved a draft law to adopt the Asian Forest Cooperation Organisation’s policies to help regulate existing measures to prevent forest crimes. The approval of the draft law followed a May 31 National Assembly session where all 112 lawmakers approved the draft law. ...

Nearly five cubic feet of highly priced wood was confiscated in Battambang province’s Samlot district after Military Police in Kampong Lapov commune stopped a truck on Wednesday, said Meas Sovan, the provincial Military Police commander. ...

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday blamed the Kingdom’s rising population as a factor contributing to deforestation. He also told government critics who lived on deforested land to return it to the authorities for replanting. ...

More than one million cubic metres of illegal timber has flowed unhindered from protected areas in Cambodia’s northeast provinces to Vietnam as the latter continues its role as a serial illegal timber trade offender, according to a report issued by the Environmental Investigation Agency. ...

Police are on the lookout for an SUV driver who escaped after a chase by Rovieng District Forestry Administration (FA) officials in Preah Vihear province, who spotted his vehicle hauling two cubic metres of expensive thnong timber. ...

Ten men were caught engaged in illegal logging during a three-day patrol by the Prey Lang Community Network (PLCN) that began on Friday. This led a representative of the group to declare that illegal logging at the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary in Preah Vihear province ...

Several National Assembly commissions met yesterday to discuss a draft law adopting the policies of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organisation. The meeting was led by Chheang Vun, chairman of the Commission on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Information and Media; Yim Savy, chairman of the Commission ...

According to Gray, the snaring crisis is worst in Vietnam and Laos, but is increasing in Cambodia – where he works – as well as Myanmar, Indonesia and Thailand. In some places – even protected areas – it is so bad that scientists talk of ...

The owner of a timber handicraft workshop and one of his workers were arrested yesterday for allegedly handling illegal luxury wood. Eam Bunly, 45, owner of the workshop in Spean Meanchey commune in Mondulkiri province, and Doeun Sokhim, 35, were detained by Sen Monorom city ...

An endangered gaur was one of “many” wild animals found dead in “dozens” of illegal traps in Pailin province’s Phnom Khieu Wildlife Sanctuary, said Chit Thy, a military officer working with rangers to protect the conservation area, on Wednesday. ...

Apsara Authority officials and local police yesterday completed a three-day investigation into illegal logging on Angkor Archaeological Park grounds, noting that one man was detained and released after signing a contract to stop cutting trees. ...