Forests and forestry

The Center for People and Forests in partnership with the Lao Biodiversity Association and the World Wide Fund for Nature have launched a five year project to strengthen capacity in forest governance. Supported by the European Union, the project’s objective is to empower non-state actors ...

On Monday, the Nepalese government set fire to more than 4,000 items of confiscated wildlife parts in an attempt to demonstrate zero tolerance for the illegal wildlife trade. The stockpile included parts from 48 species, including 67 tiger skins, 418 common leopard skins, 354 elephant ...

Australian financial institution ANZ has distanced itself from the Royal Group, its local partner in a Cambodian joint venture bank, following police reports linking the group to illegal logging activities. A report published by Cambodia’s National Police this week accused Royal Group, owned by prominent ...

The National Police on May 16 published a brief but scathing report on business mogul Kith Meng, citing anonymous sources who accuse his company of using its license to log the reservoir of the nearly completed Lower Sesan 2 hydropower dam to launder timber. Mr. ...

The Ministry of Environment is investigating collusion between state officials and timber traders in the country’s east, Environment Minister Say Sam Al said on May 11, three days after a report exposed industrial-scale illegal logging backed by Vietnamese traders in Ratanakkiri province. The minister’s comments ...

One of four new mining exploration permits, advertised publicly this week, is within the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary map, coordinates reveal, sparking concern among activists and community members about the strength of the forest’s recently-acquired protected status. In the first public tender of fresh exploration ...

Villagers representing 200 families embroiled in a land dispute with a wildlife charity have written to Koh Kong provincial hall asking for permission to farm on 500 hectares near where they live. The residents were awarded land certificates for their homes in Thma Baing district ...

Dugongs in Thailand’s waters face extinction unless their habitat and food sources are protected, according to a recent study. One of the most gentle marine mammals, dugongs are facing a serious threat as recent research by the Marine and Coastal Resources Department showed that only ...

Koh Kong provincial authorities, in collaboration with the Wildlife Alliance, on Tuesday confiscated 50 kilos of illegal game meat as well as several wild animals that were still alive. The animals were released in Botum Sakor National Park while the confiscated meat was buried. Agriculture ...

Despite the draft amendment to the Law on Electricity being approved, numerous issues have been relayed to the drafting sub-committee for improvement following comments and recommendations from National Assembly members. Electricity project authorisation, impact compensation or resettlement, and project concessions were some of the topics ...