Thanks ^^^ for the photographs and for marking World Wetland Day, AM
Mangrove forests are stunning.
But be careful, going inside can be dangerous, this girl poor woman will never be the same again

Nice woman, normal. Emergency nurse specialist from Cornwall, sensible stable




Then one fateful day she decides that a week of deep mangrove in mid wet season might be fun










She made it back to the pick up ok


But poor dear..
She's been wearing that mad grin and that "been to another planet with the Marshans" look in her eyes ever since.

Thanks SA. I was hoping that you would have some interesting mangrove photos stashed away there.

Your friend ^^^ has been somewhere and experienced something amazing. I hope she is well.

Anchor Moy wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 12:05 am it's meant as a shout-out for Cambodia's disappearing mangroves.

Koh Kong, mangrove charcoal maker.

Cambodia Marks World Wetlands Day 2021 in Stung Trèng Province
AKP Phnom Penh, February 03, 2021 --


Cambodia commemorated the World Wetlands Day 2021 in the northeastern province of Stung Treng yesterday, under the theme “Wetlands and Water”.

H.E. Srun Darith, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Environment, presided over the celebration organised by the ministry, in cooperation with the Stung Trèng provincial administration.

The annual celebration of World Wetlands Day aims to promote the value and role of wetlands among the public, communities and younger generations, especially local development planners and wetland policy makers.

This year's theme “Wetlands and Water” confirms the contribution of wetlands, both in quantity and quality of water, to our planet, as well as the inseparable relationship between water and wetlands, which is essential to the life, well-being and health of human beings and animals.

According to an online source, Feb. 2 each year is World Wetlands Day to raise global awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and our planet. This day also marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on Feb. 2, 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea.

Cambodia has now five Ramsar Sites - Boeung Chhmar and Associated River System and Floodplain, Koh Kapik and Associated Islets, Middle Stretches of Mekong River North of Stung Treng, Prek Toal Ramsar Site, and Stung Sen Ramsar Site.
AKP

Reality check: post463068.html#p463068

Ministry looks into tycoon’s right to 400ha of mangroves
Long Kimmarita | Publication date 17 December 2020 | 22:37 ICT

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is investigating whether a tycoon has the right to occupy more than 400ha of flooded mangrove forest in the Chrolong community area in Teuk La’ak commune in Preah Sihanouk province’s Prey Nop district.

The investigation follows a series of local media reports alleging that tycoon Hann Khieng, who holds the honorific oknha title, received 28 land titles for the more than 400ha even after the government reclassified it as state-owned private land to be allocated for 26 families in 2017.

Ouch Vutha, director of the Fisheries Department under the agriculture ministry, told The Post on December 15 the ministry had set up a working group to gather documents related to the tycoon’s occupation of the flooded mangrove forest.

“First, I will check the titles to see if they are related to that location and determine whether they affect the mangrove forest. I will also check whether they affect the community. So it is too early for me to comment further on it until the documents are collected and checked first,” he said.

A government sub-decree issued in 2017 announced the deduction of 423.1661ha in Prey Nop district from the protected forestland established in 2002 and the reclassification of it as state-owned private land, the ownership of which was to be granted to 26 families after its division and the assignment of plot numbers.

The same sub-decree does not specify who the 26 families are or whether it was ever divided into plots. The only other detail mentioned in the sub-decree is that another 4.8626ha located in this area was to be kept as state-owned public land.

Oknha Khieng, who stands accused of unlawfully acquiring the more than 400ha, could not be reached for comment.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... -mangroves

Cambodia’s Ramsar Sites
AKP Phnom Penh, February 03, 2021 --

Cambodia’s senior officials, rangers, and conservationists yesterday marked the World Wetlands Day 2021 in Stung Treng province.

Cambodia has currently five wetlands or Ramsar Sites covering 85,235 ha, according to the annotated list of Wetlands of International Importance. They include Boeung Chhmar and Associated River System and Floodplain, Koh Kapik and Associated Islets, Middle Stretches of Mekong River North of Stung Treng, Prek Toal Ramsar Site, and Stung Sen Ramsar Site.

Boeng Chhmar and Associated River System and Floodplain Site is in Kampong Thom and Siem Reap provinces with 28,000 ha. The site is a good example of near-natural wetlands that play a substantial hydrological and biological role in the natural functioning of two major rivers, Stung Stoung and Stung Chikreng. The area supports a large assemblage of plant, fish and waterbird species, many of which are listed as rare, vulnerable, or endangered, including the Siamese Crocodile Crocodylus siamensis, Mekong Giant Catfish Pangasianodon gigas and Giant Barb Catlocarpio siamensis. The site regularly supports more than 20,000 individuals of a number of large waterbird species on an annual basis.

Koh Kapik and Associated Islets is in Koh Kong province with 12,000 ha. The site consists of two main wetland types, estuarine waters, and intertidal mud, sand or salt flats, and the extensive mangrove stand is representative of a still-functioning mangrove habitat/ecosystem in the Gulf of Thailand and the Indochina Mangroves eco-region. The area plays a critical role in providing a nutrient source supporting coastal fishery in the near-shore and offshore waters of Cambodia, and it is home to globally threatened bird and mammal species such as the critically endangered Giant Ibis (Thaumatibis gigantea) and the endangered Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica) and Indochinese Silvered Langur (Trachypithecus germaini).


Middle Stretches of the Mekong River north of Stung Treng is about 14,600 ha. A 40 km stretch of the Mekong River in the north of Cambodia characterised by strong turbulent flow with numerous channels between rocky and sandy islands that are completely inundated during high water, with higher alluvial islands that remain dry. It lies about 5km from the town of Stung Treng where the Se Kong river joins the Mekong river and 4 km south from the border with Laos. The site is home to a breeding population of the critically endangered White-shouldered Ibis (Pseudibis davisoni). The extensive and largely undisturbed channel islands provide important refuge and a food source for fish species during times of high flows, while the areas deep pools allow refuge for aquatic species, including the critically endangered Giant Mekong Catfish (Pangasianodon gigas) and the vulnerable Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris).

The Prek Toal Ramsar Site includes some of the most pristine floodplains in the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve in Cambodia in 21,342 ha. During the dry seasons, the Site is dry and covered mostly by freshwater swamp forests, but it floods annually, with the water depth reaching up to eight metres. Prek Toal is at the northwest upstream end of Tonle Sap Lake and the rise and fall of the lake’s waters play a vital role in maintaining its biological wealth. The forests trap large quantities of sediment, and the nutrients deposited stimulate the growth of plants and fish which support the high numbers of waterbirds and other wildlife at the Site.
Prek Toal includes a range of habitats for a great diversity of globally threatened species such as the critically endangered river terrapin (Batagur baska), Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis), giant barb (Catlocarpio siamensis), and Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas).

Stung Sen, the 9,293 ha site is located along the south-eastern edge of the Tonle Sap Great Lake, and mainly comprises seasonally flooded freshwater swamp forests. Along the Stung Sen River, there are gallery forests, lowstature shrub land, inundated and submerged trees, and extensive mats of herbaceous and aquatic vegetation which provide habitat for a variety of species. The vegetation of Stung Sen is strongly influenced by the exchange of water between the Mekong River, the Stung Sen River and the Great Lake, and the area is subject to an annual flooding cycle that makes it extremely fertile.
The Site is an important spawning ground for several fish species such as Jullien’s golden carp (Probarbus jullieni) and small scale mud carp (Cirrhinus microlepis), a migratory pathway and feeding ground for waterbirds, and an important habitat for mammals. It is regionally important for supporting a number of globally threatened species such as the critically endangered Mekong giant carp (Catlocarpio siamensis); the endangered yellow-headed temple turtle (Heosemys annandalii) and Indochinese silvered langur (Trachypithecus germaini); and the vulnerable lesser adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus) and smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata).
- AKP

Kep authorities search for forest encroachers
Nov Sivutha | Publication date 22 February 2021 | 21:41 ICT

Kep provincial governor Som Piseth has ordered the Damnak Changaur district administration to search for a group of people who have encroached on about 10ha land in three areas with flooded mangrove forests in Tuol Sangam village of the district’s Angkol commune.

Piseth told The Post on February 21 that district authorities were currently monitoring the encroachment sites with help from local residents because officials could not remain there around the clock monitoring it.

Piseth said the authorities had found 195 coconut trees planted on 3ha of the encroached land, which he says shows clear intention by whoever planted them to illegally occupy it. Authorities uprooted the trees and destroyed them. They have also removed 11 concrete fence posts as well.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... ncroachers

Kampot mangrove trees tallied
Nov Sivutha | Publication date 03 March 2021 | 22:11 ICT
An inter-ministerial committee and the Kampot provincial technical administrative committee have agreed to implement a one-month plan from March 1-31 to assess and update the number of trees remaining in mangrove forests in the province.

However, a civil society organisation official said the move was too slow because some mangrove areas have already been lost.

Kampot provincial administration director Veth Vathana said on March 2 that the inter-ministerial committee made up of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the provincial technical administrative committee have decided to reorganise a working group that will assess mangrove forests across the province.

After the working group finishes the works, it will take up the matter with the provincial technical administrative committee and the inter-ministerial committee for them to prepare a map to plant boundary posts and ask for a state ownership list.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... es-tallied

Sea-fillers called out by Koh Kong officials over illegal operations
Lay Samean | Publication date 03 March 2021 | 22:09 ICT

Trucks dump soil into an area of sea in Kok Kong's Kiri Sakor district last month. Facebook

Local authorities and specialists in Koh Kong province have given a 30-day ultimatum to three people who used soil to fill in an area of sea in Kiri Sakor district. The offenders have been warned to remove the soil or face the law.

The ultimatum was given after soil was used to fill part of the sea, affecting the beauty of sea, mangrove forests and the environment.

Deputy provincial governor Sok Sothy held a meeting on February 26 concerning the incident and mangrove forest logging and the building of bridges and cottages in Kiri Sakor district. The meeting was attended by local authorities and specialists.

He said that the incident took place in Prek Khsach village, Prek Khsach commune in the district. Three people including Huot Khean and Huot Nget and Chhim Chandy were involved in the incident.

“Concerning the case, specialists went to measure soil used to fill in the sea, so that they will remove the soil. It will take at least a month to remove all the soil,” he said.

Sok Sothy added that the three men had also attended the meeting and admitted their wrong doing. They were willing to remove the soil from the sea. Having been informed, authorities took action immediately. However, some people said it didn’t take a lot of time to do the work.

“Putting the soil in the sea didn’t take a long time. It only took a few days. When they had completed their work, we stopped them immediately,” he said.

Provincial coordinator for rights group Adhoc Thong Chandara said that this case is collusion with local authorities because using soil in this way was large scale, not small.

“It is collusion with local authorities because this process is large scale. A lot of soil was used and people knew about it. The province has measures in place to act but nobody does. More importantly, it is the local authorities that do nothing. If a crime is committed, it should be reported at the district or provincial level. For natural resource crimes, the provincial authorities sometimes never try to find the people responsible,” he said.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... operations