August 6, 2020
Tales of trails: Journey of distinguished ranger Sin Satha


Chief of rangers Sin Satha, is the first-ever Cambodian ranger awarded with WWF’s Dr Rimington Award. Supplied

In conjunction with the World Ranger Day on July 31, the World Wide Fund for Nature declared Cambodian ranger Sin Satha as the recipient of the prestigious Dr Rimington Award. Born and bred in the eastern province of Mondulkiri, known for its rolling hills, Satha talks about his journey and unstinting efforts for the protection of Cambodia’s forests and wild animals.

From a very young age, Sin Satha has always had a vested interest in nature and wildlife. Growing up, he said he would listen to the elders in his neighbourhood talk about the wonders of the forests and the fascinating creatures that hide deep within the mountains.

Living in the semi-urbanised city of Sen Monorom, such stories were his only source of information about the province’s natural resources. His other source was black-and-white pictures of wildlife shown through a little television he had when he was 10 years old.

Armed with this fascination for nature, Satha came back to Mondulkiri after attaining a Bachelor’s degree from the capital’s University of National Management in 2014. After which, he immediately started his journey training as a ranger, officially becoming one in 2016.

Now, 28-year-old Satha, a full-fledged ranger from the Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary, is Cambodia’s first-ever recipient of the World Wide Fund for Nature’s prestigious Dr Rimington Award – an honour that came in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the conservation of wild animals.
Full article: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50752324/t ... sin-satha/

From the Khmer Times:

October 9, 2020
Over 11,000 natural-resource crimes so far this year

According to the Ministry of Environment, rangers have cracked down on 11,376 cases of the natural resource crimes cases nationwide, during the first nine months of this year.

The report also said that of the cases in which rangers intervened, 420 were filed in court, 606 resulted in fines and 1,776 cases resulted in perpetrators being reeducated.

Ministry of Environment spokesman Neth Pheaktra told Khmer Times yesterday that some 1,200 rangers are deployed on duty as forest rangers, whose job is to protect and conserve the natural resources of the country.

“Due to the efforts of the park rangers over the years, large-scale natural resource crimes no longer occur, but small-scale crimes remain, and the authorities need to continue to work harder to prevent them,” he said.

“They continue to crack down on crimes and continue to protect and to preserve the natural resources Cambodia has,” he added.

Pheaktra said that during the first nine months of this year, the rangers confiscated 3,076 chainsaws, 126 trucks, 670 tractors, over 30,000 traps and 606 firearms involved in natural resource crime.

Rangers also seized some 2,390 cubic meters of illegal wood.

Keo Sopheak, director of the Mondulkiri provincial Department of Environment, said that so far this year rangers in the province cracked down on 1,528 natural resource crimes, sent 84 cases to the court, issued 26 fines, seized 364 chainsaws, 34 vehicles and removed 2,957 wildlife traps.
KT

A woman ranger risks her life for wildlife
Long Kimmarita | Publication date 13 December 2020 | 22:11 ICT

Chhin Phatthavdy is assigned to protection duties in the Preaek Prasab Wildlife Sanctuary. USAID CAMBODIA

There are only a few extraordinary women who are brave enough to live in the forest and dedicate their lives to the protection of the environment and wild animals.

In Cambodia, a total of 1,200 rangers are carrying out this work in wildlife sanctuaries in 20 provinces in order to protect and preserve the nation’s natural resources. Out of the 1,200 rangers, only 42 of them are women. Chhit Phattavdy is proud to be one of them.

Of the 42 women, Phattavdy is the only one assigned to protection duties in the Preaek Prasab Wildlife Sanctuary, an area totalling 12,000ha in Kratie province’s Prek Prasap and Sambor districts.

A 31-year-old resident of Sambor district, Phattavdy began work as a ranger under the Kratie provincial Department of Environment in 2017 after deciding to quit her job at a private company. As a student she attended university and graduated with a degree in biology.

In a recent interview with The Post, Phattavdy says that at first no family members or relatives supported her decision to be a ranger.

“I love the forest and wild animals. This love inspired me to preserve and protect the forest in a sustainable manner. So, my heart was inspiring me to become a ranger. At first, my parents objected, asking why their daughter wanted to work in the forest.

“I explained it to them and cited the reasons that I love it and wanted to fulfil my own desires. They eventually listened to my reasoning. They no longer object to my profession and they have changed their views to allow me to follow my heart,” she says.

The life of a ranger is filled with many difficult obstacles. Phattavdy went from leading a normal life with her well-off family that was very comfortable to a life of relative hardship in the forest.

She says she now regularly patrols the forest and works to protect animals from poaching and to stop illegal logging and deforestation.

“I am committed to doing this work. At first, I was afraid because we used to live in a part of the district with many people and it was a big change to move to the forest. But my determination comes from loving nature and nature protectors have to stay in the forest. I have to be determined to do it,” she says.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... e-wildlife

Rangers’ achievements honoured
Orm Bunthoeurn | Publication date 21 January 2021 | 21:53 ICT

Rangers gather for a group photo after receiving certificates in recognition of their outstanding conservation efforts. Photo supplied

The Ministry of Environment and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Cambodia) have provided certificates of excellence to six out of 100 rangers in Mondulkiri province as recognition for their outstanding efforts.

Environment ministry spokesman Neth Pheaktra said of the six rangers, three had been working in the Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary and the other three in the Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary.

Pheaktra presented these six outstanding rangers with their certificates at the Trapaing Thmear headquarters in the Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary earlier this week while giving a tour of the sanctuary for members of the press to help familiarise them with the important conservation work there.

Pheaktra said the certificates are a testament to the ranger’s devotion to their work. He also encouraged them to keep developing their professional skills and to mentor other rangers who were less experienced or needed some guidance to bring their performance on the job up to their level.

He reminded the rangers that the ministry considered them to be the heroic guardians of the sacred forest and the front line of defence against the destruction of Cambodia’s natural resources.

As part of its role as one of the ministry’s primary conservation and development partners, WWF-Cambodia was also on hand to congratulate and thank the rangers and to issue them certificates recognising their work and letters of appreciation.

WWF-Cambodia country director Seng Teak said awarding the rangers the certificates and letters of appreciation was a small thing compared to the big difference these rangers had made as part of the nation’s conservation efforts.

“These rangers ... have been instrumental in the protection of two of Cambodia’s most important wildlife sanctuaries starting in 2013 on through 2020 and beyond, and all Cambodian people owe them a debt of gratitude. Thank you,” Teak said as he addressed the rangers.

According to Teak, from 2013 to 2020 these six rangers had collected 24,798 traps; 10,925m of electrified traps; 1,752 chainsaws; confiscated 26,486 cubic metres of timber; prevented 23,898ha of illegal forest encroachment; issued warning letters in 1,597 cases; and sent 123 of the worst perpetrators to court.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... s-honoured

Grassroots Activists Work to Save Remaining Cardamom Mountains Rainforest
The burden of safeguarding the region’s rich resources falls on local environmental groups and a small number of park rangers.
By Joe Patchett
March 05, 2021

Peng Sovannarin, the law enforcement coordinator at the international NGO Conservation International, has spent decades patrolling the rainforests of the Cardamom Mountains in southwestern Cambodia. Previously working as a park ranger, he now provides technical support to the government ranger team charged with defending the huge area of protected forest in the Central Cardamom Mountains National Park.

Despite decades of work in the forest, Sovannarin admits that illegal poaching and logging operations are still common throughout the protected areas, despite the longstanding efforts of the local community, NGOs, and certain government bodies to prevent such activities.

Last month, park rangers confiscated over 600 snares in one outpost area of the Central Cardamom Mountains alone.

“This scale of poaching means it is not just a local problem. We know there is an extensive network in place to trade the endangered animals and luxury timber found in the forest,” said Sovannarin. “The locals we are catching actually understand the need to protect the forest, but the pressure of poverty often forces them into making bad decisions and entering the forest anyway.”
Full article: https://thediplomat.com/2021/03/grassro ... ainforest/

Yep. These local rangers are real heroes. !!!

IMO only - but Conservation International ^^^ who do some really great work, do need to step up to the plate when it comes to challenging illegal forest crimes.
It is not easy, and extremely 'politically and existentially' fraught for o/s NGO's - but CI has a rep for turning its back and being more "realistic" more than most when it comes to organised, illegal forestry and land grabbing in their assigned territory.
Toooo cautious, imo.

IMO. A mixture of CI and FFI's conservation/science approach - with Wildlife Alliance's hardcore enforcement approach is what is needed for the Cardamoms.
But they each do their own little thing in their own little patch. All three doing only half the equation.
You need them both - science and enforcement.

(just my view, not throwing tomato's.
i am familiar with the very real difficulties o/s conservation orgs face - and with some the very real, positive results they have achieved for the environment and wildlife here)



.

CEOCambodiaNews wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 4:20 pm “Due to the efforts of the park rangers over the years, large-scale natural resource crimes no longer occur

very well done, but define 'crime'

illegal wildlife poaching, illegal logging are a couple that come to mind.

Fundraising for wildlife rangers:

Help the forest's unsung heroes
published : 9 Sep 2021 at 04:00


The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation is hosting the "Run, Walk, Crawl For Rangers" competition this month, with all funds from the US$25 (811 baht) entry fee going to help save wildlife and forests. Participants can learn about the important work of wildlife rangers in conservation hotspots from Tanzania to Thailand, the Philippines and Cambodia, and get a chance to win prizes worth over $20,000.

Stay at home and join a mission using your smartphone. This global initiative allows a group of fitness enthusiasts to count their steps while helping five wildlife ranger teams: the Wildlife Alliance in Cambodia, which provides ranger intervention to stop forest destruction; Masungi Georeserve in the Philippines, a conservation area and rustic rock garden tucked in the rainforests of Rizal; HoneyGuide, which runs community-based conservation initiatives such as the Randilen Wildlife Management Area in Tanzania; Freeland Foundation in Thailand, which provides comprehensive training to rangers and protected areas managers; and the rangers at the Cardamom Tented Camp Concession in Cambodia.

The lucky draw offers more than 50 prizes including the very first reservation confirmation for a stay at the new two-bedroom transparent Jungle Bubble Lodge at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort in Chiang Rai that lets you spend the night observing rescued elephants in their natural habitat, followed by a two-night stay in the luxury resort's Three Country View Suite.

There's also a three-night stay in an overwater pool villa at the Anantara Kihavah Maldives Resort; a three-night stay at Shinta Mani Angkor in Siem Reap; a three-night stay at Tiger Tops in Nepal; a two-night stay at the Cardamom Tented Camp; and a one-night stay in a Superior Tent at Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle in northern Thailand.

The foundation was set up at the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort in 2003 to help Thailand's street-begging elephants. Aiming to improve animal welfare, it has branched out to lend a helping hand and resources to other conservation projects mainly in Southeast Asia and Africa, including the Cardamom Tented Camp Concession where Khmer rangers patrol the pristine land to protect against deforestation and illegal poaching.

Find out more details at thai.fit/c/cfr2021 and helpingelephants.org/run-for-rangers.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/social ... e/2178899/

^^^ I don't quite get it?
Is it a race or competition between teams?
Do my steps add to the total?
??

Whatever.. both wild elephants and wild rangers need all the $25 bucks they can get.
as long as i don't have to slog thru the jungle myself.
(do you think i'm stupid? why do you think i paddle around on a bloody kayak all day?)