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Project update - August 2006
The last 6 months of DSWF funded work at
Bokor National Park in Cambodia has seen several significant events.
Fifty forest hardened rangers conducted 195 anti-poaching patrols
in all weathers. This resulted in 274 loggers and 282 poachers
being apprehended whilst engaged in violations. Additionally,
58 chain-saws and 1,223 snares were confiscated and destroyed.
Most such evidence now is catalogued and destroyed in the forest,
so patrols can continue for the full period rather than returning
back to the sub-stations to report. To prevent accusations of
items being misappropriated, documentary photographs with the
time and date of destruction are taken and filed with the patrol
report.
A worrying development at Bokor is an increase
in the levels of land encroachment as new settlers attempt to
stake claims. An interesting detail is that most of these settlers
are land owners from other provinces who have expanded into the
park area speculating on new land. Sometimes local government
officials are complicit in this land-grabbing by illegally issuing
land-permits for land inside the park. Ignorance of the law means
that speculators sometimes believe they are legally buying land
when in fact the opposite is the case.
A very large case involved one of Cambodia's
richest businessmen who planned to encroach on more that 4,000
hectares of parkland. His workers cleared the land very quickly,
and when his operations were suspended by the rangers he appealed
the case to the highest government levels. A trade-off was eventually
reached and he was allowed to rent 400 hectares of cleared land
which can only be used for eco-tourism related activities. WildAid
continues to closely monitor the case.
As funds allow, community outreach activities
are implemented in tandem with enforcement. A small pig-bank is
now operational in villages around Bokor and will soon be able
to give pigs to local people. In return recipients must pay back
some piglets as interest. These in turn will be given to other
villagers. This lessens their need to poach wildlife for protein
and the eventual sale of some pigs will also give local people
a way to have a legal income that isn't dependent on the forest
or its resources.
A reforestation project has also been started
this year and more than 50,000 trees have already been propagated
and distributed free to the local communities. These consist of
fast growing species that can be harvested for wood, fruit trees
and natural luxury timber species to regenerate areas that were
previously illegally logged. Workers propagating the tree seedlings
are all ex-poachers who have willingly ceased their illegal activities
to take-up an honest career. It is planned by the end of the year
that at least 80,000 young trees will have been distributed.
Two major ranger training courses have been
conducted recently. The first was a team leader training course,
during which experienced rangers were taught how to plan and manage
patrols. They were also coached in methods of delivering training
classes. Immediately following this, a second course was conducted
for new rangers, giving the new team leaders an opportunity to
practice their recently learnt training skills. The new rangers
came from three protected areas in Cambodia and were put through
a gruelling enforcement ranger course. This now brings the number
of rangers taught at Bokor to more than 500, from 12 parks.
Conservation work in Cambodia is dangerous.
This year 3 rangers from other parks were murdered as they slept,
because of their pro-active anti-poaching and logging suppression
work. The 'murderers' were later apprehended, but there is some
skepticism that the real culprits were actually caught or merely
scapegoats.
In spite of the high risks, Bokor's rangers
have not been deterred. Even the constant threat of malaria has
not kept them from fulfilling their duties (5 rangers every month
are treated for the life threatening cerebral malaria). They continue
to conduct long range patrols every day.
One piece of good news from the park is
that tiger sign has been seen again recently. It is usually difficult
to find any sign of wildlife during the rainy season and the recently
documented spore indicates that tigers are still at Bokor despite
being targeted by poachers for their bones and organs.
The rangers' job remains a tough one that
not many people want to take on. All of the Bokor rangers are
thoroughly committed to the task of protecting the park and following
the brave leadership of their park director, Mr. Chey Yuthearith.
They continue to protect Bokor, its wildlife, and remain admirable
role models for their counterparts elsewhere in Cambodia.
Every little contribution helps wildlife
and remember 100% of your donation will go in full to the project - thank you!
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of DSWF. Click here for more information
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