PM Decides to Protect 1 Million Hectares of Forest

[geovalin]

Khmer Times / May Titthara

Prime Minister Hun Sen has agreed to legally protect nearly 1 million hectares of the Kingdom’s forest land, including the Prey Lang forest. Speaking during the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport’s annual meeting at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia, Mr. Hun Sen said he agreed with Tuesday’s joint proposal by the Ministries of Agriculture and Environment to declare five areas of forest land, covering 900,000 hectares, protected zones.

“For example Prey Lang...it must be put as a protected forest. Civil society should also participate in this movement to protect forests,” the prime minister said. “Any good forest has to be our protected forest.” Hoeun Sopheap, a representative of the Prey Lang Community Network in Kampong Thom province, said he was happy with the prime minister’s decision and that previously it was communities alone that protected the country’s forests.

“The government will succeed if they allow people to participate, because people have more information because they live in the areas. I hope the next generation can see some bush,” Mr. Sopheap said.

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