Coolearth.org
This week, the Cambodian Prime Minister, Sandech Hun Sen, cancelled a significant titanium mining project because of it's potential negative impacts on some of the country's last remaining intact rainforests, located in the beautiful and remote Cardamom Mountains.
Pleased that the prime minister has taken the environmental impact into account, Suwanna Gauntlett, of the conservation NGO Wildlife Alliance, says: "We applaud the courageous decision of the prime minister to see the greater value of the forest as it currently stands."
The move has been welcomed by locals and environmentalists who were concerned for both the biodiversity of this forested area and also the continued well-being of nearby communities who depend on it. The proposed project had planned to locate the mine in the way of a migration trail used traditionally by Cambodia's largest population of Asian elephants.
The local communities have spent years avoiding deforestation and poaching to develop alternatives such as viable eco-tourism packages. These forests are famously rich in wildlife and, according to the IUCN Red List , there are several endangered species found in the Cardamom Mountains. These include: the Asian elephant (Elephas maximums), Indochinese tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti), Malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) and Pileated gibbon (Hylobates pileatus). Also in this forest, the Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis), classified as "critically endangered", has one of its last refuges.
Wildlife Alliance and a Cambodian newspaper had questioned a claim by the mining company that its project would generate US$1.3 billion dollars a year.
Source: www.mongabay.com
2 comments:
This the only place in srok Khmer that have rivers,plants and animals to ourselves. It's does not connect to our neighbor's borders. I am glad that we have a beautiful forest that have edible fruits, mushrooms, plants, etc....in a virgin forest. Who else like this kind of things????
This is a very encouraging news from Cambodia. Including myself, I have always criticized the current Cambodian's government for their lacking of concern for the country well being regarding most of their decisions. However, hearing news like this, I think we all should have the courage to compliment Mr. Hun Sen for his decision to save our forest. I am wondering what would happen if he get a flouded compliment letters from around the world about his decision. I definetly think that would have some impact on his future decision about everything else. I am no psychologist, but as a person we all want people to talk good about us regardless of who we are. Mr. Hun Sen have been critized, look down, skoaled etc, since the first day he was in office especially from the West including Khmer over Sea. Any way, just something to think about if you love Cambodia, it might be one small step that we can do to make a difference.
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