Sang Sahakum Rukha Vorn is recognised as one of the most successful CF that has been making great effort to protect forest in Uddor Mean Chey province. The CF is led by a group of Buddhist monks from Samrong pagoda, Samrong Commune, Samrong City, Uddor Meanchey province. The CF is participated by members from 8 villages ? Sras Keo, Sam Por, Tumnup Thmei, Cha Chas, Char Thmei, Chhuok Mean, Bak Nim, and Tumnup Thmei) to preserve forest particularly through forest patrol to control illegal forest offense, land encroachment and wildlife hunting. As a result the CF has rescued forest for local community who depend on the natural resource for their livelihood. In 2008, the Sang Sahakum Rukha Vorn was included in the REDD+ programme (Forest Carbon Project) led by the Forestry Administration at the national level and with technical support from PACT Cambodia and the GEF SGP UNDP through CDA to pilot CBR+. The Sang Sahakum Rukha Vorn was also selected to pilot a project under UN-REDD programme. Although the Sang Sahakum Rukha Vorn is regarded as most effective in preserving its forest, among other 12 CFs in Uddor Meanchey province, it remains facing many challenges including illegal logging, wildlife hunting, land conversion for agriculture, and forest fire. These threaten to degrade the resource and have been causing adverse effect on REDD programme that may reduce carbon stock in the forest. Success of REDD programme depends on how effective the forest within the communities are preserved and thus actions are needed to address the aforementioned drivers. The project will focus on implementation of key activities such as reinforcing the current forest patrol as led by the Sang Sahakum Rukha Vorn and CF management committee. The forest patrol is the core activity of the Buddhist CF as they had curtailed many forest offenses and the patrol team consists of 5 Buddhist monks and other 28 members of the CF management committee. They have contributed their time and effort to control offenses in the forest such as wildlife hunting, forest conversion for agriculture and illegal logging for high quality wood. To assist in forest patrol in 2014 UNDP SGP/CBR+ had provided support to the community by funding activities to dig 27 km ditch serving as CF boundary and also finance patrol activities. Nevertheless the Sang Sahakum Rukha Vorn remains in need for additional support to continue the current forest patrol, digging the remaining 5,270 m ditch and tree planting along the boundary, strengthening capacity of the management committee and members on how to manage natural resources more effectively, and raising awareness on REDD+ concept and building 58 km firebreak to prevent forest fire.
Forest fire is a recurrent challenge facing the Sang Sahakum Rukha Vorn every year as it becomes more intense year after year. The most effective way is to prevent it from spreading across the area by building firebreak in the CF area. At the same time building knowledge on effective forest resource management among the key Buddhist monks and community members is critically important for the forest and for implementing REDD+.
a. Project overall objective
To conserve 18,261 ha community forest to enable participation in REDD+ implementation through support to the CF in curbing illegal logging, forest clearing, wildlife hunting and forest fire. The effort to address the drivers would help enhance carbon stock and thus enable access to finance for forest protection activities and to support long term local livelihood.
b. Specific objectives
Objective 1: To preserve 18,261 ha forest resource in the CF through preventing the drivers of threats from happening such as illegal logging, forest clearing, wildlife hunting and forest fires.
Objective 2: To build capacity and knowledge of key Buddhist figures and CF management committee members on CF resource management and REDD+ concept that enable them to continue awareness raising effort with other Buddhist monks and people living nearby the CF so they participate in protection and conservation of the community forest.
Expected outputs:
1.1 At least forest patrol can be maintained for 15 trips a month that would have 80% effectiveness in deterring offenses in the area;
1.2 A firebreak (6 m x 58,429m) built within the CF area that would be able to prevent 60% to 80% forest fires from spreading;
1.3 The remaining stretch of the boundary ditch, 5,270 m, be built and with 4,000 tree seedlings planted along the ditch as a living fence that would disable further encroachment of agriculture;
2.1 27 Key Buddhist figures and CF management committee members have understanding of the benefits of natural resource management and REDD+ concept and are able to extend to other community members;
2.2 240 CF members including 40% women have understanding of the benefits provided by forest and of the REDD+ concept in order for them to participate in protection and conservation of the CF forest;
1.4 Description of project activities
1.1.1 Provision of patrol equipment such as camera, boots, hammocks and tarps for the patrol teams, both the one led by the Buddhist monks and that by the CF management committee;
1.1.2 Conducting 15 patrol trips a month by the forest patrol teams;
1.2.1 Meeting to mobilise forces and plan for building firebreak;
1.2.2 Building a fire break, 6m x 58,429m, in the CF area to prevent the spreading of forest fire in the dry season as indicated in the CF map;
1.2.3 Maintaining of the firebreak by the Buddhist monks and CF members;
1.3.1 Identifying the boundary and contractor to build the boundary ditch;
1.3.2 Building the remaining 5,270 m boundary ditch;
1.3.3 Conducting quality checking for the built canal;
1.3.4 Liaising with FA to request for 4,000 tree seedlings to plant along the ditch;
1.3.5 Meeting to mobilise effort and schedule for tree planting;
1.3.6 Planting 4,000 tree seedlings as live fence along the boundary ditch; and
1.3.7 Maintaining the planted trees and filling gaps by the Buddhist monks and CF members
2.1.1 Supporting 2 key Buddhist figures and an official from FA Cantonment to participate in a 2 days training of trainers on REDD+ concept with REDD+ programme at the national level;
2.1.2 Identifying and selecting key Buddhist monks and CF committee members to participate in training on REDD+ concept and natural resource management and relevant laws including CF agreement, by-law and CF internal regulation;
2.1.3 Organising a training on REDD+ concept and natural resource management and relevant laws to key Buddhist figures and CF members to enable them to engage in further awareness raising effort;
2.2.1 Conducting 3 awareness raising meetings, each for 30 participants from 8 villages on REDD+ and raise awareness of the benefits of natural resource protection;
2.2.2 Installing 2 project billboards;
2.2.3 Conducting dissemination and distribution of leaflets received from the national REDD+ programme;
2.2.4 Providing funding support to 3 key Buddhist figures and CF management committee to participate in 3 REDD+ meetings at the national level;
2.2.5 Documenting case studies and a video spot of the project achievements.