A Conservation Program comes to Cambodia
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Koh Rong Samleom
By Suzi Lamb, International Development Manager - UK
I’ve been out in Cambodia for the last week and a half to finalize our newest Conservation Project.
We are working in partnership with Marine Conservation Cambodia who are doing some pioneering work for the Fisheries Department in Cambodia to ensure that the seas and coral reefs around Cambodia’s coastline get the vital protection needed. Sadly many of Cambodia’s coral reefs have already been destroyed but by getting more areas protected and by using techniques like coral farming we can ensure the regeneration of the reefs.
Volunteers will be involved in a range of projects, and will be taught to scuba dive, if they want to take part in dive related conservation activities like species research and dives to remove debris like fishing nets that get entangled in the reefs. Non-dive activities will include mangrove restoration, community projects and educational awareness campaigns.
The Conservation base is on the island of Koh Rong Samleom, 2 hrs boat ride from the coastal town of Sihanoukville. The island feels a world away from the busy city of Phnom Penh and lively coastal town of Sihanoukville, no traffic, no loud bars, no one asking if you want a massage or to buy some sunglasses!
Volunteer Housing
To begin with volunteers will live in rustic wooden bungalows, 2 minutes walk along the beach from the local village, which is home to 200 people. The bungalows have their own ‘bathroom’ with a bucket shower and a western style toilet with a Cambodian style flush! Electricity is provided by a generator and is turned off once everyone goes to bed. A dormitory block will also be ready for volunteers in the next few months. There is also a large communal area where volunteers will eat and relax.
If 5* luxury is your thing, this isn’t the project for you. However, if you don’t mind getting back to basics with the bonus of your own sea view a couple of meters from your bungalow veranda then it’s well worth considering spending some time here. If you like the outdoors and want to be involved in some ground breaking conservation initiatives in a country where the concept of conservation is still in its infancy, then a couple of months here will be time very well spent.
Pises, Suzi and Paul from left to right
The staff here including Pises, the Projects Abroad Director for Cambodia and Paul, the Director of Marine Conservation Cambodia are looking forward to welcoming George, Navina and Carly, our first three volunteers on the Conservation Project.
My way of judging any new project, is whether I could happily take part in it. I could so easily return to Koh Rong Samleom tomorrow, get my hammock slung on the bungalow veranda, do a diving refresher course and spend the next couple of months working with a fantastic team of people. In fact, I’m sure I have a changeable flight ticket, maybe a UK member of staff is needed here for awhile?!
Suzi all geared up for some snorkeling
(Unfortunately Suzi did take her return flight back to London, and is now back at her desk in the UK office, however, she hopes to return to the Conservation Project soon.)
Cambodia relies too much on two industries: textile and tourism. These industries are particularly vulnerable to the global economic downturn. We need to focus our efforts on our natural strength, which is agriculture, not tourism or textile.
I think that true eco-tourism is beneficial to Cambodia, I believe that visitors coming to Cambodia who pay money that goes directly to local communities is a good thing and if once they have supported the local communities financially they then spend their time directly working with those communities it can not be a bad thing for Cambodia. Agriculture in many countries is responsible for a lot of destruction of natural resources especially in the clearing of land, Take South America as an example and look at the destruction of the rain forests to provide farming land. As with tourism agriculture must also be regulated to reduce negative impacts. A balance must always be found.
I believe we need to focus on any and all opportunities that are available to provide Cambodian people with the resources they need to increase their own standards of living and their own livelihoods.