Project News

On May 23, 2023, the Phnom Ta Kong Community Forestry (CF) held its third quarterly meeting, attended by the representatives of its CF Management Committee (CFMC), water supply group, financial groups, patrol team, under the facilitation of Forestry Administration Cantonment (FAC) and observation of the local authority. Gathering at the CF station, this meeting was the first ever event to take place at the newly constructed venue. The purpose of this quarterly meeting – like the previous ones – was to update the progress of the CF related work in the past three months as well as the challenges and next plan.

At the opening of the meeting, Mr. MEAN Vong, the CF Chief gave a warm welcome remark showing his appreciation to the other representatives of the CF who had dedicated their time and efforts for the community forest sustainable management and SNRM project team who had always been in close cooperation with the CF.

As per the agenda, the representatives of CFMC, water supply group, and financial groups, each gave a report on the progress and challenges in the last three months. Representing the CFMC, Mr. MEAN briefed the achievements of the CF under the support of the SNRM project – such as the installation of boundary poles, billboards and signboards, water pipeline and patrol equipment provision, and CF station – and the ongoing activities including the land registration for CF. The financial groups – namely CF Credit, Saving Group, and CF Trust Fund – reported their incomes and expenses respectively. These groups were formed through the financial schemes of 3 development partners – RECOFTC, MVi, and CEPA – with the objective of creating sustainable fund sources for the community. Among these ones, it was the water supply group that generated the biggest revenue as more than 200 families/users make payment monthly to this group for managing the clean water supply from the reservoir in the CF watershed to households in the village. Regardless of the differences in revenues, all groups had contributed to the conservation work of the CF, including for a part of the procurement for CF station construction. The patrol team, on the other hand, reported to have patrolled 12 times in this quarter and encountered 9 cases of forest crimes. Land encroachment remained a threat to the community forest but complaints and reports had been filed to the authority and interventions were expected sooner than later.

For our new CF station, to our pleasant surprise, the exterior design had been done to honor the custom of the local Brao indigenous group[1], under the theme of ‘the flow of life’. The design illustrates the waves of life, and in the same manner, our project activities had their instability given the pandemic but we’ve always managed to find the light at the end of the tunnel. Why don’t you come to our pride of CF station and meet us!?

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[1] The Brao (Prov, Praov) are an ethnic minority group found on both sides of the Cambodia-Lao border. They traditionally depend on forest for livelihood and have long animistic beliefs for centuries.

Photo-1 The meeting members in Quarterly Meeting

Photo-2 The house decoration showing waves in life

Photo-3 Meeting under CF station meet to the forest

Photo-4 Meeting in the newly constructed CF station

Photo-5 Cleaning surroundings before the meeting

Photo-6 A short break at cleaning surroundings, SNRM & CF Members