Environment and natural resources
Forests and forestry
More timber seized from Ratanakkiri
Ratanakkiri provincial authorities on April 19 seized a large cache of luxury wood and arrested four people about to sell the timber to Vietnam. Ratanakkiri provincial police chief Kim Reaksmey said the wood was discovered at two separate locations in Banlung town’s La Bansiek commune and ...
Forest conservation might be an even more important climate solution than we realize: study
It’s estimated that deforestation is responsible for about 10 percent of global carbon emissions. Of course, in addition to the direct emissions created, the destruction of a forest means the removal of a valuable carbon sink, as well, which is why deforestation represents a “double ...
Documenting the fight to save Borneo’s animals
After graduating from school, Aaron “Bertie” Gekoski was on a fairly conventional career path for a young businessman, starting out in copyediting for a magazine before launching a modeling agency in London. But the more successful his agency became, the more Gekoski felt like something ...
Nepal tests fencing approach to protect farms and elephants
“We are not angry with the elephant and know that we need to protect it, but we also need to protect ourselves”. This is a brave statement by Kaushala Budha, a Nepali farmer in the Patabhar hamlet, whose house had been nearly destroyed by a ...
Hundred-year-old nghien forest in Ha Giang destroyed
Ancient nghien trees (Excentrodendron tonkinense) in Ha Giang province, in the middle of old forests and on high cliffs, have been lost due to illegal logging and clearing to make room for hydropower plants and mineral exploitation. However, the plan has failed: the province has lost ...
Vietnam-bound timber seized
Ratanakkiri provincial forces and military police yesterday seized 15 logs of luxury wood bound for export to Vietnam. Provincial military police chief Kim Reaksmey said the haul was found when officers targeted the location in Patort village in Lumphat district for the second time. The team ...
The last nghien wood kingdom is being destroyed
The nghien (excentrodendron tonkinense) kingdom growing on the rocky mountains in Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang is getting smaller because of illegal logging. This is a hard, tough and durable wood with no termites, even if it is buried underground. Tay and Nung ethnic minorities like ...
Protected birds come under threat
A protected bird species has come under renewed threat after land-grabbers invaded Preah Vihear province’s Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary and destroyed their habitat. The lesser adjutant is listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Protection of its nests started ...
Sơn Trà master plan needs amending
The central city plans to petition the Prime Minister for adjustments to the Sơn Trà Master Plan in order to better protect the eponymous nature reserve. Đà Nẵng Deputy Chairman Nguyễn Ngọc Tuấn also said at a press conference on Monday that the city will ...
Exports of logs double in 2016
Despite a ban on the export of timber to Vietnam and the creation of a much-publicised anti-logging task force, Cambodia last year still exported nearly $33 million dollars’ worth of unprocessed logs to its eastern neighbour, a volume more than double that of 2015, according ...
