Bio-diversity

The Environmental Education through Pagodas Project utilizes the special role of monks in guiding local populations in understanding and protecting natural resources, as well as improving the environment. This is done by using pagoda based projects as an example for the local communities, where they can learn practical skills and environmental education from the monks who can also exert moral pressure on those abusing the environment to change their behavior. The project will work through the monks in the selected pagodas, with its focus on Buddhism and environment activities, especially concentrating on the role of pagodas in environmental education, modeling to villagers around and promoting conservation at local community level through practical actions. Even though pagodas play a vital role in communities, their environmental knowledge is often limited so the project aims to select key monks in the target pagodas and build their capacities so that they will be able to effectively spread general environmental awareness to fellow monks and villagers. Objectives: 1.To provide and build the capacity of 18 selected monks from 8 target pagodas in Kampong leng district on environmental knowledge so that they will ultimately become key trainers. 2.To support 8 pagodas in Kampong Leng district as environmental resource centres in order to conduct environment activities in their communities and to promote natural resources conservation. 3.To strengthen and expand the existing network with new target pagodas through regular meeting, exposure and visits. 4.To support livelihood activities to communities so that can generate income for their families. 1.3 Outputs: 1.Monks will be able to provide environmental awareness to community, and they will be able to encourage local people to discuss about environmental issues within their community. The importance of the flooded forests will be raised to these communities around. 2.Selected monks will be directly initiating EE and awareness activities in their own pagoda and these will become as models for community 3.Environmental awareness through religious activities (tree ordinations , forests thankful and grateful ceremonies , and Buddhist Blessing ceremonies/ Dhammayietra ) could play an important role to inspire local people to involve in conservation activities within their communities. 4.Environmental awareness through public event will be encouraged and empowered local people to concern about their resources within community.

Cambodia