The Prey Lang Community Network (PLCN) celebrated Forest Day (Bonn Prey Lang) on 14 February to honor the value of trees, ordain special trees, and call for stronger participation in forest conservation and the protection of natural resources in Cambodia.
The event took place on February 14 and 15, with 200 to 300 community members gathering at the Chheu Teal Pres Community Forest in Stung Treng province’s Rumdeng village, Thala Barivat district’s ChamkarLeu commune. The community members all live and depend on the forest, with the beliefs, culture, and traditions of the indigenous Kuoy people.
The day serves as an opportunity to offer tribute and remind the public of the importance of trees and pray for the longevity of the forest. It ensures the preservation of the identity of the indigenous Kuoy people who live in close connection with the forest.
Additionally, it aims to raise awareness among both the community members and the general public about the government’s decision to establish the forest as a protected area and wildlife sanctuary. This event also serves to highlight the potential of forests to the general public and encourage joint efforts with the network, as well as the government, in the preservation of natural resources.
Prey Lang
Prey Lang is the last major lowland rain forest on the Southeast Asian mainland, covering approximately 5000 square kilometers and located west of the Mekong River in the northern part of Cambodia. It is home to 250,000 inhabitants, many from the indigenous Kuy people of Cambodia, plus numerous threatened animal and plant species. Illegal logging and industrial agriculture are posing major threats to the forest, which has been dramatically deforested over the past 15 years.
Prey Lang is home to 530 plant and tree species, 11 of which are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The forest contains seven different types of rain forest, including the rare primary evergreen forest and evergreen marsh forest. These forest types exist in Prey Lang in their rare original condition, undisturbed by human activities, and contain a large number of rare and endangered species.
The forest is also home to 393 animal species, including 55 that are globally threatened. Several of Prey Lang’s animal species are threatened because their natural habitats are being destroyed. Among the most threatened species are the Asian elephant, the banteng (wild cattle), and the pileated gibbon.
In May 2016, the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen signed a sub-decree turning 4.320,000 square kilometers of Prey Lang into a Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary includes forest areas in Stung Treng, Kampong Thom, Kratie, and Preah Vihear. The purpose of the sub-decree is “to ensure the maintenance of wildlife habitats and ecosystems and to protect and conserve plants, forest, and all kind of globally endangered animals and species.”
The indigenous Kuy people, who live in the 340 villages in and around Prey Lang, are highly vulnerable when it comes to changes in the water cycle and natural resources. They primarily live primarily of the land, farming rice crops, and tap resin from trees in the forest, which is then sold on the market.
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