Quick Facts About Logging and Deforestation:

Cambodia has the 3rd highest deforestation rate in the world, at 29.4% from 2000 to 2005. Only Nigeria and Vietnam are losing their forested land faster.

Cambodia has a land area of 18,104,000 hectares. As of 2005, forest and wooded areas make up 59.2% of the total land area. In 1990, forests made up 73.3%.

Cambodia is home to 862 native tree species.

The major threats to Cambodia’s forests are illegal logging, population growth, mining, and development.

Data Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005; Asian Development Bank 2006

Forestry Problems:

During the conflict period of the Khmer Rouge and the succeeding years of civil war, different factions financed activities through timber sales. Cambodia’s forests were also damaged by the defoliage effects of chemical warfare, and from the laying of landmines. Though logging has been banned or severely limited in past years, illegal logging persists.

It is difficult to get accurate information about how much forested land remains in Cambodia. The last national forest cover survey in Cambodia was done in 2003 by the Forest Administration. The UN has also conducted surveys. Using satellite imagery alone does not allow for differentiation between a biodiverse area of forest from bamboo, which is why much of the data is contested. It is clear that Cambodia is losing its beautiful expanses of forests and the associated ecosystems.

In addition to the destructive effects that deforestation has on air quality, water quality, and erosion, many rural communities depend on forest products for subsistence. Resin-tapping, which does not permanently damage trees, can contribute up to 1/3 of a family’s income in a rural area, and often represents the difference between survival and starvation. Illegal logging near communities that depend on this resource can have devastating human consequences.

What can be done about this?

Effective reforestry programs can help reverse the damage. Stopping illegal logging practices will help preserve a valuable natural resource and will help protect wildlife, many species of which are endangered.

Educate yourself: www.globalwitness.org* and www.globalforestwatch.org

*In 2005, Global Witness and its representatives were barred from entering Cambodia for their advocacy on land rights and investigations into illegal logging transactions. According to Voice of America, USAID is still able to provide funds to GWO to monitor logging activity in Cambodia.
 

What is PEPY doing?

We are partnering with Mlup Baitong, a well-established NGO, to train teachers at 8 primary schools to initiate an EcoClub for students. Students initiate projects in their community, such as tree-planting or clean-up days. Mlup Baitong visits the schools and distributes educational materials to the children.

We also work to make PEPY a carbon-free organization through a tree-planting program with Mlup Baitong and other efforts such as our partnership with GERES.  GERES Cambodia works to reduce fuelwood consumption, emissions of greenhouse gases, expenses for energy, and the negative impacts of household energy utilization on women. Their Vattanak stoves, for example, help diminish forestation by requiring 30-50% less fuelwood compared to traditional stoves. PEPY Tours has contributed to these projects by purchasing offsets equivalent to 10 metric tons, nearly double our estimated emissions from transportation used during our trips in 2007. 

www.mlup.org
www.geres-cambodia.org

What can you do?

Plant a tree! The environmental effects of deforestation are devastating on a global scale. Do your part in your own community.