Monks and a layman from Prasat Reachea Samrong pagoda plant palm trees in the protected area in early August. MCF
In Cambodia, the palm tree is more than just a resource; it’s a symbol of national heritage. But the sight of these trees is dwindling, leading to a unique conservation effort.
At Prasat Reachea Samrong pagoda in Banteay Meanchey province’s Samrong district, a group of monks has been collecting palm tree saplings. Their goal is to create a palm tree park within Monk’s Community Forestry (MCF), also known as Sorng Rukahvorn Community Forest, and cover part of the 18,261-hectare protected area with these iconic trees.
The initiative is led by Venerable Tho Thoross, chief of MCF. He and his fellow monks are planting saplings in areas where only sparse bushes remain.
Venerable Thoross told The Post that the group of monks planned to rejuvenate between three and five hectares of previously used land with palm trees. Thoross and his fellow monks are carrying on the forest protection work that was started by their predecessor, former monk Bun Saluth.
According to Thoross, before leaving his monkhood, Saluth had planned around 10,000 palm tree saplings, but not all flourished. He estimated that around 7,000 of them are growing, while the other 3,000 had died, in the protected areas. In total, about 15 hectares have been planted with palm trees.
“When former Venerable Bun Saluth was in charge, he led the planting of palm trees only along the border of the community protected forest,” Thoross elaborated. “Now, new saplings are being planted not only on the borders but also within the protected area itself.”
“We plant them because we see a lot of benefits they provide us. We can use their leaves, juice to produce sugar, and the tree itself can be used for other purposes,” he said.
Thoross explained that a palm tree can offer such yield when it reaches seven to 12 years old and grows between three and five meters.
“We plan to transform a part of Sorng Rukahvorn Community Forest into a park and we will name it Palm Tree Park,” he proudly announced.
A palm tree planting campaign is scheduled this month, with Thoross inviting youth groups in Oddar Meanchey province and calling for people to collect palm saplings for planting in the protected area.
“The palm tree not only provides benefits but also stands as a traditional crop left for young generations by Khmer ancestors,” he said.
He highlighted the Cambodian belief that wherever a palm tree is found, that land is considered to belong to Cambodia.
Phon Chan Nil, Samong district governor, recognises the benefits of palm trees, which inspired authorities to participate in the campaign.
“As far as I know, tens of thousands of palm saplings have been planted by monks. We, the authorities, have also participated in that work. Planting palm trees helps preserve our Khmer ancestors’ legacy. The palm tree is our identity,” Chan Nil told The Post.
In a national push last April, Prime Minister Hun Sen encouraged the public to plant palm trees for conservation and benefits.
He cited the popularity of Kampong Speu palm sugar, a geographically indicated (GI) product that has reached markets in European countries, the US, South Korea, Japan, and Thailand. His call to action further emphasised the cultural and economic significance of Cambodia’s cherished palm trees.
Hun Sen also noted the broader impact of the palm sugar industry on Cambodia. “Achieving GI status for Kampong Speu palm sugar helped increase its price, employ more people, lift up the local community’s livelihood, and motivate people to protect the palm tree as the national identity of Cambodia,” he said.
Back in Sorng Rukahvorn Community Forest, Thoross acknowledged that while planting palm trees will preserve this tree variety and contribute to forest recovery, the protected area still faces many challenges. These include illegal snaring, trapping using electrical devices, and illegal logging. Regrettably, these crimes continue to occur in the area, with little action being taken.
“Most of the illegal poachers are from the community near the protected areas; only a few of them reside in this area,” Thoross claimed. He acknowledged that the illegal actions persist, even though campaigns to raise awareness about wildlife protection, forest preservation, and related matters are conducted annually.
