The WWF is run at a local level by the following offices...
- WWF Global
- Adria
- Argentina
- Armenia
- AsiaPacific
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belgium
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Borneo
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Caucasus
- Central African Republic
- Central America
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- European Policy Office
- Finland
On this page
- About the Eastern Plains Landscape
- Trouble in Paradise: Cambodia's threatened environment
- The impacts and threats from mining
- Spatial planning as a solution
- Alternative pathways to prosperity
- What can done
The Eastern Plains Landscape (EPL) in Cambodia is one of most important biodiversity hotspots on the planet. Not only are these Plains essential for the maintenance of healthy functioning landscapes and the survival of Asia's most iconic and endangered species, but also for the sustenance of local economies and the wellbeing of the Cambodian people. Despite its burgeoning beauty and importance, the EPL is, however, under serious threat from a growing mining industry, adding to the already vast array of existing social and environmental pressures that are impacting the Cambodian landscape.
WWF-Cambodia is at the forefront of tackling many of these issues head on. Through its targeted advocacy and related field projects, WWF-Cambodia's intention is to instigate behaviour change within the country that ensures a sustainable future for all.
This page explores the projected impact of accumulated mining projects in Cambodia's Eastern Plains Landscape (EPL) protected areas and how the adoption of an integrated approach towards landscape management - such as that of Strategic Environmental Assessment and a Spatial Planning approach – can help us protect and restore such an important area within the Cambodian landscape.
The Eastern Plains Landscape
Zooming in
The trans-boundary Eastern Plains Landscape (EPL) straddles both Cambodia and Vietnam. It is one of the planet’s most important, but also threatened, wildlife habitats; a haven for many globally endangered as well as iconic species of mammals, birds and reptiles.
The landscape covers over 14,000 km2 of mostly intact forest, forming one of the largest remaining lowland deciduous forests in Southeast Asia, including 12,000km2 comprising seven connected protected areas in Cambodia and Yok Don in Vietnam. Not only does this area operate as a significant carbon sink that helps to mitigate climate change but it also forms an important area for the recovery of the Tiger.
Iconic species in the Eastern Plains Landscape
Natural resources provide a range of benefits from 'ecosystem services' - a flow of goods and services that nature provides for free that are essential for life-supporting processes such as the provision of food, water, energy, etc. - to not only the nation's population but they also help to sustain the country's economy.
The importance of the EPL's Ecosystem Services
Cambodia's threatened environment
Cambodia’s biodiversity is under numerous threats, especially in the EPL, including hunting for local consumption and for the illegal wildlife trade, illegal logging, overfishing, population growth, land conversion and encroachment, hydropower development, invasive species, climate change, and commercial agriculture and mining.
Intensified levels of hunting due to a continual increase in demand for bushmeat and wildlife products remains the greatest threat to the dwindling wildlife populations that remain in Cambodia.
In addition, habitat loss and conversion continue to be a major global threat to biodiversity, especially for large carnivores and wide-ranging species such as leopards, elephants and banteng. These species require large connected tracts of habitat to move freely and adapt to the pressures of changing habitat conditions and a changing climate.
As areas of connectivity become more fragmented, disconnected habitat “islands” form within a wider modified landscape. This fragmentation can threaten the very existence of some species and result in local extinctions by blocking crucial pathways, which reduces the accessibility and availability of critical resources as well as limits essential gene flow for species survival.
The escalation of hunting inside the EPL, coupled with the accelerated expansion of new roads (such as those built for increased access to mining areas) through protected and forested areas, is causing many globally-significant species to be pushed closer to the brink of extinction.
Going, going, gone?
Getting to the nitty gritty: Impacts of mining
The cumulative impact of mining projects have the huge potential to destroy the landscape and are completely incompatible with the Government of Cambodia's green economy policy, other environmental policies as well as tiger reintroduction plans. Here's why:
In mid-2017 there were 15 mining exploration licenses, one gold exploitation license and one artisanal mining exploitation license in existence in the EPL. 15 of these licenses lie within biodiversity conservation corridors, protected areas and even inside conservation zones, which is currently illegal under the current Cambodian Protected Area law (2008). These licenses were granted by the Government without properly consulting local communities or civil society groups.
Collectively, these mining concessions will cause significant environmental and social pressures on Cambodia's landscape and ecosystems. This in turn affects the wellbeing of the local communities that depend on the flow of goods and services provided by these ecosystems.
Thanks to the work of the Government and WWF, some headway is being made to address the potential impact of these concessions. Several mining licenses within the protected areas have been cancelled.
Nonetheless, many mining licenses still remain within protected area zones, threatening the EPL's habitat if these projects were to go ahead. It is essential, therefore, that the Government focuses on the protection of these zones and on the implementation of the Protected Area law.
Large areas of the Eastern Plains Landscape protected areas have been conceded to exploration licensing (orange areas), whilst one extraction licence (dark red area) is operating in the Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary.
Major Mining Companies
A number of mining companies have already established operations in the EPL. WWF have produced a detailed report into the impacts of mining in the EPL.Rong Cheng is a subsidiary of Luo Yang Rong Cheng Industrial Investment in China. It was created and registered with the Ministry of Commerce in Cambodia in 2009.
Rong Cheng is the first mining company to be granted an industrial mining license (for exploitation) in the EPL from the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) in February 2016. Exploration work started in 2010 and the industrial license now covers 1,957 hectares of land in the sustainable use zone of PPWS for gold extraction (see map). The license was granted before the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) was conducted in May 2016. WWF was unofficially informed that the company had already started illegally extracting gold a few years ago before having a license.
Rong Cheng demonstrates many of the big concerns about the negative impacts associated with mining. Public consultations during the development of mining project and ESIA were not properly conducted. WWF was not invited to attend the ESIA inter-ministerial consultation and successive drafts were not made available by the company. This led to an environmental, social management and monitoring plan (ESMMP) far from international standards. Due to the lack of participatory process, the mine is not supported by local authorities, local communities, and other stakeholders leading to increasing conflicts with local communities.
Renaissance Minerals Cambodia (RNS) has full ownership or partial earnings in eight exploration licenses in the EPL (see map). RNS is fully owned by the Australian-listed extraction company Emerald Resources. Five of these licenses are located inside the Protected Areas of the EPL, covering 56,000 hectares of nationally protected land, i.e. 17% of PPWS.
RNS’s most advanced project is the Okvau’s gold mine project for which an industrial mining license (exploitation) is currently under review at the MME. In addition to the project site itself, an access road and a high-voltage transmission line crossing two Protected Areas will be built. The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) is under review at the Ministry of Environment.
The potential mine is located within the officially recognized Conservation Zone of PPWS (Sub-decree 05, 5 January 2017). Based on the National Protected Area law (2008), extraction activities inside the core and conservation zones are not allowed.
In 2013, Angkor Gold was granted an exploration license inside the Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS) at the heart of the EPL’s only remaining elephant migration corridor, home to a number of endangered birds, including the Giant ibis, White-shouldered ibis, Green peafowl and the White winged duck (see map).
In addition to environmental concerns, local indigenous community members also expressed concerns about land grabbing, losing cattle feeding grounds, impacts of chemicals on animal and human health and forest loss leading to the reduction in non-timber forest product availability that their livelihoods depend on. The mine project might also overlap with a community protected area, a legally recognized area under community management, protecting local indigenous populations’ access to the forest on which their livelihood depends on.
Angkor Gold is in the midst of a proactive public relations campaign claiming that “industry should make every effort to improve the conditions for the people and to protect the environment”, although pursuing mining exploration in the biodiversity corridor of a nationally recognized protected area–despite early and repeated warnings from NGOs–seems to contradict with this statement.
While the Cambodian government has the ability to place stringent conditions on leases, mining companies also need to be aware that the purchase of exploration mining licenses inside Protected Areas is a high-risk investment and is against mining industry best practice.
WWF believes that under strict conditions the mining sector can be developed in a sustainable way and that mining companies can act as development and conservation partners to the Government. However, mining inside a protected area will never be recognized as sustainable.
The local newspapers in Cambodia, such the Phnom Penh Post, are great sources for keeping track of what’s going on with the big mining companies operating in the Kingdom of Wonder.
See here for a list of relevant and recent archives:
July 2017: Angkor Gold, Emerald ink earn-in agreement
February 2017: Gold Mine Firms Pitch Happy Future, But Civil Society Wary
February 2017: Gold Mines, NGOs Fight Over the Treasures of Mondolkiri
WWF-Cambodia's take on mining
WWF does not believe mining within protected areas is appropriate and the EPL's reserves should be spared from exploitation by mining companies, such as Angkor Gold.
WWF is very clear that protected areas are just that: protected! As such, WWF does not believe mining within protected areas is appropriate and the EPL's reserves should be spared from exploitation by mining companies. WWF is calling on all stakeholders not to continue exploration and not to participate in any mining activity in these protected areas. However, WWF is not always against mining and it recognizes that this sector can bring significant benefits to Cambodia - only if it is managed well.
Therefore, WWF is calling for the development of a sustainable mining sector respectful of Cambodia’s natural resources and of the people that directly depend on these resources for their livelihoods. WWF is calling on the mining companies that are overseeing mining operations in Cambodia to act as responsible partners to the government.
Theats from mining in the Eastern Plains Landscape
Once a mining project is underway, the associated increase in infrastructure installation typically leads to an increase in fragmentation of large forested areas as well as an increase in habitat loss. Not only does this carving up of the forested landscape have an adverse impact on wildlife that depends on large connected areas (e.g. elephants), it can also deplete important natural resources for human survival.
Experience shows that increased infrastructure within forested landscapes can further facilitate illegal trade. Indeed, increasing accessibility to the proposed site location would make it easier for illegal timber and wildlife products to be trafficked out of the protected areas and effective law enforcement to mitigate these threats would be prohibitively expensive.
Mining also brings direct hazards from using cyanide, cadmium and other chemicals associated with gold deposits that can be released into the environment during mining and mineral processing. The use of such chemicals causes high levels of contamination and pollution, which in turn have devastating and sometimes irreversible impacts on local ecosystems and wildlife. They can also be a major health hazard to people that directly depend on these ecosystems for their livelihood.
Spatial Planning in the Spotlight
Mining does not have to be incompatible with nature conservation - and mining does bring some economic advantages to the Cambodian economy. But mining does need to be extremely well-managed to ensure the impacts on the wider landscape and natural environment are minimised. Inclusive and comprehensive spatial planning is a key component to the solution for better land use management.In Cambodia, the National Spatial Planning Policy was adopted in 2011 with an aim to address land use challenges by ensuring that natural resources are used and managed in a sustainable, effective and equitable manner.
The provincial administration of Mondulkiri officially launched the province’s spatial planning process in January 2016 and is committed to develop a vision-oriented plan that would provide direction for the spatial development of the province and ensure a sustainable development pathway that balances economic efficiency, social justice, environmental sustainability and cultural identity.
This process is an opportunity to protect the largest intact block of dry forest in all of Southeast Asia while meeting national sustainable development objectives and enabling economic growth.
What is spatial planning
Spatial planning helps to organize the spatial distribution of :- People
- Human activities (economic, social, cultural etc) and
- Natural resources
Goals of spatial planning
Spatial planning aims for a balanced and sustainable territorial development and improvement of human well-being through cultivating:- Economic efficiency
- Social justice
- Environmental sustainability
- Cultural identify
What are the conditions for an effective and sustainable spatial planning?
A-Conserving Biological Corridors
1.What are biological corridors
Biological corridors are areas of natural or minimally disturbed habitat that connect larger habitats, either at a local, regional or national level. Biological corridors in the EPL are particularly important for enabling the movement of large mammals, such as elephants for example, between major habitat areas.
2. Why are biological corridors critical for wildlife?
They enable long distance migrationIn unmodified environments, wildlife, such as elephants, travel large distances in response to weather patterns and availability of food and water. Where habitat is lost, or becomes too fragmented, this interrupts migration patterns, causing wildlife to become stuck on islands of natural habitat, unable to migrate in search of food or water.
They ensure genetic diversity
In addition, connectivity between large habitat areas enables genetic mixing of lower density species, such as major predators, which increases the populations’ resistances to disease and protects them from inbreeding. The future of species with low genetic diversity can be at risk, even if today's numbers remain reasonably healthy.
They prevent human-wildlife conflicts
The majority of human-wildlife conflict (HWC) incidents occur around the edges of protected areas and it is the local communities who bear the cost of crop loss, livestock predation, human injury and sometimes, even death. Better landscape planning and the presence of biological corridors can help disperse this threat.
3. What are the threats to biological corridors
Intensive human activities, such as mining, agriculture and logging are a huge threat to biodiversity corridors. Linear infrastructure such as roads and electricity lines can impact the very existence of these corridors, by exposing wildlife to roads, pests, and predation in larger open spaces. Roads also bring more people and unmanaged activities such as poaching and forest encroachment.
4. Where are the biological corridors in the EPL?
The EPL includes three ‘core zones’ and seven interconnecting, large scale corridors (see map), important in the movement of species including Asian elephants, leopards and bantengs and several endangered bird species. Successful reintroduction of the tiger to Cambodia is also largely dependent on protecting these corridors.The protection of core zones alone is simply not enough to ensure the success of wildlife conservation and would still lead to species extinction. Protecting interconnected biological corridors, therefore, is key to safeguarding the survival of the EPL’s wildlife populations.
B - Mainstreaming ecosystem services into the Spatial planning process
Greening the Economy
WWF Cambodia recommends the integration of a Green Economy approach in Mondulkiri’s land use and spatial planning process, an approach which strikes a balance between conservation – protecting the areas in which there is the largest amount of ecosystem services – and economic development. For this, ecosystem services should be mapped and valuated, and planning decisions should be made in order to protect those services.
By fully recognising the value of natural capital, this approach can help to inform land use planning and economic development decisions and support the transition to a greener and more sustainable economy. This also helps Cambodia in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Watch the video and learn more about greening the economy in the Mekong.
InVEST for the Future
WWF conducted a mapping and valuation of ecosystem services in Mondulkiri, using the InVEST tools. The outcome of the study shows how a fair trade-off between conservation and development through a green economy scenario would benefit Cambodia. The study is available here.
A leaflet produced by WWF presents the InVEST tool in more detail and aims to demonstrate the importance of assessing Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services in order to improve decision making processes and enable a Sustainable Development. InVEST is one of many existing and complementary tools, methods or models to assess Natural Capital.
C - Understanding cumulative impacts: Strategic Environmental Assessments
Another element of sustainable and well-informed land-use planning is Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA). SEAs are essential prior to the development of a new sector in a defined area. The mining sector is only emerging in Cambodia and conducting a mining SEA would be a critical to ensure that the cumulative impact of the sector does not lead to the complete loss of the environmental integrity of the landscape.
WWF strongly calls on the Government to conduct a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the mining sector in northeast Cambodia before granting any new mining licenses. See the video to learn more about SEA.
Case studies: spatial planning that conserves nature
Years of deforestation the island of Sumatra have reduced the habitat available for the island’s wildlife, which includes tigers, elephants, rhinos and orangutans, and has limited their capacity to migrate across the vast region in search of food and mates. The RIMBA ecosystem corridor (named after three of the overlapping provinces) is the latest in a series of corridors established to better manage land use activities and to secure patches of protected forest, not only to enable wildlife to migrate but also to enable local communities to develop along green economy principles of sustainable, equitable consumption and production that restores the natural environment.
“The Rimba corridor is part of national spatial planning, based on green economy principles that are important to achieving an even distribution of wealth and environmental protection by improving the welfare of locals”, said Prabianto Mukti Wibowo, then assistant deputy for forestry.
The spatial planning framework is mandated at a national level, but also coordinates with provinces and local governments (regencies). The plan for Sumatra is designed to eventually protect forest habitat across 40% of Sumatra. See the Sumatra Vision and the Presidential Decree for more details.
In early 2017, the government of Tanzania took the decision to end the prospect of mining within the World Heritage listed Selous Game Reserve.
This world famous home of elephants, black rhino and other rare African large mammal species had been under threat from over 48 prospective mining concessions, which included a uranium mine that would have enveloped more than 1% of the park’s 5 million hectares.
The park also suffered from significant poaching, which the Tanzanian government has committed to cracking down on, further protecting the park’s animals. While threats still remain, including possible construction of a large hydropower scheme in the heart of the park, the existences of oil and gas concessions, and potential pollution from a neighbouring uranium mine, the threats from large scale mining have now diminished.
The Heart of Borneo (HoB) Initiative is a unique government-led and NGO-supported programme that was initiated by a joint Declaration by the governments of Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia in 2007.
The aim of the programme is to conserve the biodiversity of the Heart of Borneo for the benefit of the people who rely upon it through a network of protected areas, sustainable management of forests and other sustainable land uses.
Borneo is one of WWF's priority places for action and it includes five of WWF's global priority species. WWF has been active in Borneo for many years and played an integral part in catalysing the 2007 Declaration.
WWF has worked with three governments to develop a green economy approach, where governments, companies and communities value ecosystems for the services they provide, and thereby halt conversion of natural forests and biodiversity loss, generate new opportunities for sustainable and meaningful livelihoods, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The establishment of a green economy approach has been supported by ecosystem‐based spatial planning, smart fiscal policy, and incentives that reward conservation and sustainable development practices.
Everything is connected
STUDY ON WATERSHEDS PLACEHOLDER (PLUS DOWNLOAD OPTION)
Forest protection in upper catchments is critical for securing clean and safe water, plus providing a regular supply of water flows. The objective of this study is to examine the three watersheds from the Eastern Plain Landscape of Cambodia and to show the type of ecosystem services and economic value that they provide to downstream stakeholders and users. It should present the biophysical link between forest cover and watershed protection services.
Objectives of the study:
- to convince government officials about the economic importance to protect upstream ecosystems and to ensure optimised watershed management;
- to identify powerful downstream users (economically, socially and politically) that can support advocacy work for the protection of upstream ecosystems.
Sustainability for a Brighter Future
Cambodia has other options for safeguarding the country's sustainable economic development and maintenance of its national pride which do not require the destruction of the environment with a patchwork quilt of mining concessions.
WWF is working with local communities in the EPL to help them sustainably harvest and sell a wide range of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to satisfy their basic needs for nutrition, construction, tools, fuel, and medicines. This helps reduce pressure on natural forests and biodiversity while providing basic needs and livelihoods for local communities. See WWF Cambodia's Brief on improving livelihoods via NTFP harvesting.
The EPL offers fertile, productive soil. If commodities such as pepper, rubber or cassava are cultivated with a strict set of sustainability criteria and developed following an ecosystem services-based land use planning, they can bring sustainable development to the province. Companies should implement a zero-deforestation policy as well as a robust system of verification and traceability. Companies reliant on forest ecosystem services should also join the conservation efforts by participating in sustainable financing mechanisms for forest protection.
Tourist numbers in Mondulkiri have steadily increased in the last few years. Mondulkiri province is the largest, most sparsely populated province in Cambodia. Full of natural beauty – with thickly forested mountains, powerful waterfalls and the lush green rolling hills of the western side – Mondulkiri is the most attractive ecotourism province in Northeastern Cambodia and has a high potential for nature-based ecotourism ventures.
As a significant force behind the investments flowing into the EPL – specifically with regard to extractives and agro-industry – private sector actors can be an agent of change for the sustainable management of natural capital, thus contributing to the long-term supply of the ecosystem services that their businesses depend upon. See WWF Cambodia’s Brochure on private sector financing for effective and long lasting protected area management in the Eastern Plains Landscape.
“Wildlife sightseeing, particularly watching wild tigers, has generated economic growth in some countries, and in Cambodia it could create jobs for local people. The northeastern area, which the government has set as a possible tourist destination, has wide potential for developing a wildlife sightseeing sector for Southeast Asia."
Teak Seng, WWF-Cambodia Country Director.
The Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary in the EPL has been identified as the most suitable site in Southeast Asia for tiger reintroduction and has been recognized as the First Priority Site in Cambodia’s Tiger Action Plan. If tiger restoration is successful, Cambodia will be the first country to have achieved this, and could provide much learning to other countries such as Vietnam, Laos, and Kazakhstan that might one day follow suit.
Tiger conservation requires three fundamental tenets: government will, best practice law enforcement and protected area management, and community support.
The first step in the process of tiger recovery will be to gain support for the program from the highest levels of government. Second is to develop SWS into a world class protected area, with the world’s best management and protection and the rich biodiversity that is afforded by it. And finally, working closely with communities as partners for tiger recovery, such that they not only benefit from having tigers back there, but are also actively engaged in decision making for SWS.
In various parts of the world, such ambitious species reintroductions have been successful and sustained due to the economic benefits that accrue from them. In the case of Cambodia, there is a real opportunity for the regional economy of the northeast to be developed based on wildlife tourism. This is the most ideal and easiest economic avenue to explore as it is a non extractive industry. Cambodia is only one of three countries (including India and Nepal) where tiger tourism is possible due to the open woodland ecosystem which makes wildlife safaris and viewing possible. Such tourism can generate financing for conservation activities, support local livelihoods, and ensure the financial sustainability of the protected areas in EPL.
In August 2017, Prime Minister Hun Sen expressed strong support for the Tiger Reintroduction project, asking the Ministries of Environment, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to work with WWF and other NGOs on the project.
Action points
The protected areas of the EPL can only be successfully protected if all levels of government, the private sector and the community commit to carrying out clear actions:
Cambodian government
- Cancel mining concessions inside Protected Areas and prevent any future granting of concessions within these areas.
- Follow the zoning rules of Protected Areas based on the Protected Area law.
- Ensure the cumulative impacts of mining projects are accounted for by conducting a strategic environmental assessment before further granting licenses.
- Participate in the Mondulkiri Provincial Spatial Planning.
Mining companies
- Do not invest in projects inside protected areas and high conservation value areas.
- Develop offsets programs consistent with international standards.
- Aim at for ‘net biodiversity gain.’
- Act as development and conservation partners by financially supporting local conservation efforts.
Provincial authorities
- Adopt an ecosystem services-based spatial planning plan and zoning laws to conserve biological corridors and protect valuable habitats.
- Involve the community and other stakeholders closely in the spatial planning process by investing in awareness and education programs.
- Consistent with the spatial plan, adopt sustainable provincial and commune investment plans to ensure money flows to the right sectors.
Local communities
- Get involved with local action groups.
- Enlisted the assistance of specialist NGOs for technical help.
Photo credits
All images are owned by WWF Cambodia, except for the following, which have been reproduced through Creative Commons licences.
- Asian elephant and young - Wikimedia
- Tiger - Wikimedia
- Leopard - Pixabay
- Banteng - Flickr
- Dhole - Wikimedia
- Sun bear - Wikimedia
- Siamese crocodile - Wikimedia
- White rumped vulture - Wikimedia
- Giant Ibis - Wikimedia
- Forest Landscape EPL - Wikimedia
- Logging Truck EPL - Global Water Forum
- Mining Cambodia - WWF Cambodia
- Selous Game Reserve - Wikimedia
- Phnom Prich Community Forest - Global Water Forum