First Community Protected Area in Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary Approved

Cambodia has approved the first Community Protected Area (CPA) in Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the northeastern part of the country, according to a joint press release of People Resources and Conservation Foundation (PRCF) and BirdLife International’s Cambodia Programme issued yesterday.

The first CPA, ‘O Rey’, was established by four villages of Serey Mongkol commune, Kaun Mom district, Rattanakiri province, and supported by the PRCF and BirdLife International’s Cambodia Programme, it pointed out.

“We are excited about this development and congratulate the Ministry of Environment for approving this first CPA in Lomphat, home for the critically endangered Giant Ibis – the national bird of Cambodia,” said PRCF Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Fernando Potess.

“We will continue to support local communities and the wildlife sanctuary to manage their natural resources sustainably,” he added.

For his part, Mr. Nou Moeung, Chief of O Rey CPA Committee, expressed profound thanks to H.E. Say Samal, the new Minister of the Environment, for approving the O Rey CPA, stressing, “The O Rey CPA will not only provide a specific forest area for local communities to manage, but will also help local livelihoods in the long term.”

The new ‘O Rey’ CPA, officially declared on Mar. 7, 2014, is located in the middle of three economic land concessions. Covering 2,680 hectares, it contains healthy riverine forests and important wildlife habitats, including seasonal wetland pools (trapaeng) visited by species such as the critically endangered Giant Ibis.

Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary covers an area of some 250,000 ha. It is home to several critically endangered species, including the White-shouldered Ibis, White-rumped Vulture, Slender-billed Vulture, and Red-headed Vulture, Eld’s Deer, Banteng and Tiger.