Officers from the NatureLife Cambodia Organization patrol for bird species records in the Stoung district of Kampong Thom province on June 12, 2023. NATURELIFE CAMBODIA
NatureLife Cambodia, a national conservation organisation, documented 29 bird species, including six globally endangered ones, and one mammal species. The documentation was made by its community members utilising SMART, a smartphone application for patrolling community protected areas.
In a social media post on June 12, NatureLife Cambodia announced their support for the Balot protected community committee which recently held their monthly meeting to summarise community patrolling achievements, identify challenges hindering regular implementation, and discuss potential solutions.
“The community committee joined us in patrolling the protected area using the SMART app on their phones 16 times. We recorded 29 bird species, six of which are globally endangered, and one mammal species,” the organisation’s social media post stated.
The meeting took place at the headquarters of Boeng Tonle Chhmar Ramsar Park in Peam Bang commune, Stoung district, Kampong Thom province. It was attended by the director of NatureLife Cambodia, eight rangers from the park, and six members of the Balot protected community area.
“The purpose of this monthly meeting was to facilitate regular implementation of work and enhance committee efficiency by identifying challenges, planning activities, and strengthening cooperation,” added the organisation.
The social media post highlighted challenges faced by the community, including malfunctioning phones, limited knowledge of waterfowl, and restrictions on placing nets within community boundaries.
However, following the meeting, participants identified potential solutions and actionable plans. These included enhancing the committee’s capacity in using the SMART application, improving bird identification knowledge, and conducting a detailed study on fishnets.
On May 26, the Ministry of Environment officially recognised the Balot protected community area, which is part of the Boeung Chhmar Ramsar site in Balot village, Peam Bang commune. The area covers a total of 65 hectares.
In a video shared on the ministry social medial channels, environment minister Say Samal stated that the conservation area was established to ensure sustainable management of natural resources and improve the community’s livelihood. He emphasised the importance of collective harmony and responsible resource utilisation.
“In this community, we work together harmoniously and have the right to decide what to extract from the forest and what to protect for the community’s livelihood. The protected area serves as the foundation supporting their livelihood. This is their means of sustenance, so we organise the community,” Samal exlained.
