EU gives park protection
A huge area of Ratanakkiri province’s Virachey National Park has been declared a protected area under a European Union-funded plan that government officials say will shift forest communities away from dependence on depleted forest byproducts. Chhay Samith, head of protected natural areas at the Ministry of Environment, signed off on the $1 million, five-year project yesterday, which will see five forest communities’ land legally protected and some of the 18,395-hectare area turned into an ecotourism site. Minister of Environment Say Sam Al, who presided over the signing ceremony, said the scheme would also help to preserve indigenous peoples’ ways of life. …
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/eu-gives-park-protection
