Timber Company in Cambodia Continues to Collect Wood From Protected Forest Areas

A timber company in Cambodia is ignoring environmental protection laws by transporting felled trees by night from protected forests in the country, activists said on Monday.

The Oeun Sovann Company, operating out of Kampong Thom province, has not been punished or stopped from ignoring conservation laws, nor has it been investigated by relevant authorities, the activists say.

They are able to avoid detection by claiming the felled trees are gathered from an area given to the Chinese-run Heng Fu Sugarcane Company in an economic land concession (ELC).

Residents of Sangke Pii commune in the province’s Chheb district as well as environmentalists are concerned that illegal logging by the company has resulted in severe deforestation in both Prey Lang and Preah Rokar Wildlife sanctuaries.

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