Deforestation in Cambodia

I-                 Rainforest after ending the chronic internal war

After the chronic internal war ended, Cambodia was cowered by forest more than 75% of entire area (181,035 square kilometers).

According to a 2005 report which conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United State, Cambodia is one of highest rate of deforestation in the world.

Dramatically, Cambodia’s rainforest remained after ending of Vietnam War fell to just 3.1% in 2007.

II-              Forest threaten with extinction

It has several issues such as population growth, timber trader with impunity, and weakness of law enforcement that cause Cambodia’s rainforest facing with extinction.

1-      Population Growth

Population increasing rapidly has contributed to the increased demands for wood, and forest area also has been invaded for demand of agricultural land area and building more infrastructures such as school, road, hospital and so on to meet people’s needs.

2-      Timber trader with impunity

In 2002, the Forestry Law was adopted by National Assembly of Cambodia to ban the harvesting of rare timber species in national forest. Even though the law had been adopted, Mr. Try Pheap’s network logging still transport and ship these species, According to Global Witness’s researchers.

3-      Economic Concession

More concerns involved to deforestation in Cambodia are timber traders who are Oknha(Tycoon) or senior government officials trading the wood by staying under economic concession image. The words of the 99-year-Economic Concession have been known well by Cambodian people because land concession has destroyed natural resource like forest seriously and many social issues have occurred to the poor.

4-      Weakness of law enforcement

Recent year, Prime Minister Hun Sen declared publically, “I would cut my neck if forest crime were still committed illegally”. Ever if head of government also announces to take legal action on illegal logging, some rainforest area like Areng Zone forest, Prey Lang forest and so on almost become the empty field.

III-           Impacts and consequences

Forest is a natural barrier for protecting us from harmful natural disaster. Weather change, climate change, extreme flooding, unstable season, and hurricane will come to us if deforestation is still on-going.

IV-          Conclusion

I think government do not hesitate more; government must take action to eliminate reforest crime immediately. Moreover, government needs to educate people to understand about benefit of forest that also link to their lives and encourage them plant the tree in their community; government has to preserve national forest properly.

V-             Reference

1-   Radio Free Asia:

2-   The Cambodia Daily:

3-   Wikipedia: