Bio-diversity

Monk community forestry (CF) covering 18,261 ha evergreen forest in northwest Cambodia was established in 2001 and is participated by 3,742 members, 1,918 women, from 6 villages in 5 communes including Samrong, Kon Kriel, Trapaing Tav, Lum Tong, and Pong Ror, from 3 districts namely Samrong, Anlong Veng, and Chongkal districts. The community forestry has a management committee (CFMC) consisting of 9 members who supervise the management of forest within the community area. The 9 CFMC members include 5 Buddhist monks and 4 villagers - 1 woman and 3 men. Although the community receives support from Forestry Administration (FA) and local authority the CF still faces with a number of problems and challenges such as: The forest suffers from overall logging by powerful elites and outsiders as well as from forest fires including wild fires and manmade fires to hunt for wildlife and thus pose severe threats to its integrity and biodiversity; The boundary of the CF area is not clearly and physically defined and lack of natural landmarks, and the CF is subject to disputes over boundary and encroachment for private ownership and farming within the area; Wildlife is hunted and trapped as a common practice by soldiers and other community members; Lack of capital to organise saving groups to generate revenue to cover regular patrol costs; and Limited knowledge of market for Non-Timber Forest products (NTFPs) and capital for processing of NTFPs. Project objective Promote the protection and conservation of biodiversity within 18,261 ha Monk CF area to contribute to mitigate climate change and alleviate poverty of the CF members. Objective 1 By mid-2015 the CF successfully implemented CF agreement to ensure biodiversity protection and conservation over 18,261 ha land within the CF area. Objective 2 By mid-2015 members the CF from 3 villages of Trapaing Tao, Lumtong, Pongror, Samrong, and Kon Kriel have higher income through development and management of NTFP groups. Expected outputs 1.1 18,261 ha if the CF is protected and conserved through regular patrol; 1.2 27,000m canal built to serve as boundary of the CF to help with protection of the CF forests; 1.3 5,000 tree saplings are planted along the canal, the CF boundary; 2.1 3 NTFP groups organised with capacity particularly of women members to manage NTFP market chains and have at least 75 members, 50 women, have their livelihood improved. Activities 1.1.1 Regular patrolling of CF forest and provision of fund under the CFMC management for lending to members to generate interest to cover costs of patrolling; 1.1.2 Provision of training for CFMC on financial management; 1.1.3 Provision of training for CFMC on biodiversity conservation, laws and regulation relevant to the CF including internal rules, CF bylaw, and REDD project; 1.1.4 Participation in provincial and national networks of CFs to share information; 1.2.1 Meetings to organise a committee to select members for procurement of services to build canal as CF boundary; 1.2.2 Bidding to select service provider; 1.2.3 Building of 27,000 m canal as CF boundary; 1.2.4 Monitoring of technical aspects of the work; 1.3.1 Planting of 5,000 tree saplings along the canal; 1.3.2 Monitoring and maintenance of the planted field; 2.1.1 Raising awareness on the benefits of NTFP group (tree resin, honey bee, mushroom, and rattan) and development of NTFP committee and its management arrangement; 2.1.2 Development of draft by-law and procedures for management of revenue from NTFP groups and their submission through commune council to FA for approval; 2.1.3 Provision of training on market chain, market strategy for NTFPs and NTFP processing; 2.1.4 Provision of capital and material support for NTFP groups; and 2.15 Holding of quarterly meeting of NTFP groups.

Cambodia