Funding Conservation for Eternity

Central Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia

Central Cardamom Mountains is Cambodia’s first designated protected area, located at the heart of a vast rainforest wilderness spanning 10,000km².

Funds disbursed

million USD

Funding year

of 15 years

Program area

km squared

Over 96 percent of the national park is intact, as its forest cover suffered only low levels of deforestation compared to surrounding forest areas. Consequently, Central Cardamom Mountains provides critical habitats to over 400 vertebrate species, 70 fish species, and over 200 plant species, many of which are endemic to this region.

The park’s outstanding environmental, cultural, and economic value has been recognized through numerous international designations, and its 43 forest watersheds provide key ecosystem services to more than 6.9 million people.

IUCN Category II National Park

Country
Kingdom of Cambodia
Protection status
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Ecosystem type
Tropical rainforest
Key species
Asian elephant, Asiatic black bear, clouded leopard, pileated gibbon
Conservation and climate relevance
95% natural habitat; home to 60+ IUCN-listed endangered species & unique endemic flora/fauna; 400+ vertebrate species; over half of Cambodia's 230 endemic plant species; more than 90% designated Critical Habitats
Implementing partner(s)
Conservation International
Governmental partner(s)
General Department of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection of the Cambodian Ministry of Environment
Grant type
Sustaining
Match funder
Procter & Gamble

Program in brief

Activities

Improving park management e.g. technical assistance in developing protected area management and workplans, community consultations, workshops and technical reviews, and SMART and PAMP systems training
Supporting law enforcement technically and financially
Enhancing community engagement e.g. community consultations for project FPIC and REDD+ planning and implementation, stakeholder engagement workshops and meetings, benefit-sharing mechanisms and community business plans
Implementing sustainable livelihood activities (market linkage, value chain strengthening, technical training and support)
Developing and implementing biodiversity monitoring program
Advance verification and issuing  of carbon credits

Conservation challenges

For more information on this landscape’s Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD)

Field insights

Voice from the Field

Creating knowledge with camera traps

Ret Thaung, Biodiversity and Science Manager, gives an insight into camera trap deployment

“Understanding more about the flora and fauna which reside in a landscape not only aids in conservation planning but also informs local communities about their natural resources.

Conservation International Cambodia is establishing a long-term biodiversity monitoring plan for the Central Cardamom Mountains Landscape, to monitor its ecological status and support its protection and management. One of the methods we are employing to collect this biodiversity data is to use camera traps to study and monitor terrestrial wildlife species.

For this we work closely with government law enforcement rangers and local communities to deploy camera traps in the landscape. I really enjoy this part of my job, especially working closely with rangers and local communities who are passionate about their work and the forest. As a biologist, it has been inspiring to observe how fast they learn new skills and methods to conduct biodiversity research, and how motivated they are to have a sustainable forest and future.”

"I really enjoy this part of my job, especially working closely with rangers and local communities who are passionate about their work and the forest. As a biologist, it has been inspiring to observe how fast they learn new skills and methods to conduct biodiversity research"

Gallery

Partners

Central Cardamom Mountains Landscape

Conservational International homepage for Central Cardamom Mountains