Mangrove forest to be planted
An ambitious campaign to plant 100,000 mangrove trees near Kampot province’s coast over nine months has been announced.
Eight fishing communities from Trapaing Sangke, Kampong Samaky, Trapaing Ropov, Prek Tnort, Kep Thmey, Toteung Thngai, Koh Kroesna, and Lok districts, civil society organisations, and Kampot provincial authorities said they would combine efforts to address the loss of Cambodia’s famed mangrove forests.
They plan to restore the Kingdom’s lost mangrove forest cover and help improve the prospects for coastal fishing communities who rely on algae and seagrass to attract small fish for their haul.
“The destruction of mangrove forestry will result in the loss of nurseries and feeding grounds, resulting in reduced fish stock and other coastal resources, negatively impacting the people’s well-being,” said Hun Boramey, the country director for ActionAid Cambodia.
Kampot and Kep provinces had some 7,900ha of mangrove forest cover in 1992. By last year, that number decreased by 62 per cent with only 1,966ha remaining in Kampot province and 1,005ha in Kep province, official figures showed.
Long Kimmarita
