National Community Forestry Programme, Strategic Paper

KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA NATION RELIGION KING FORESTRY ADMINISTRATION NATIONAL COMMUNITY FORESTRY PROGRAMME STRATEGIC PAPER Forestry Administration May 2006 The Future of Community Forestry in Cambodia For hundreds of years, Cambodians have utilized and managed local forests. Many rural communities have a long history of harvesting timber and other non-timber forest products for domestic use and trade. This tradition continues, with many local communities heavily dependent on forest resources for their livelihoods. Over the past decade, the Forestry Administration (FA) has been exploring ways to engage such forest-dependent communities as formal partners in natural resource management. With the passage of the Forestry Law (2002), and Community Forestry Sub-Decree (2003), as well as Community Forestry Implementation Guidelines (CF Prakas) being in preparation, Community Forestry has now become an important component of Cambodia’s management framework for forest resources supported by a solid legal foundation and policy framework. Formally recognized Community Forestry provides an ideal approach for meeting the livelihood development needs of Cambodia’s rural people, conserving the nation’s forest resources and biodiversity, ensuring the proper functioning of watersheds and hydrological systems, and poverty reduction. The FA is committed to implementing and expanding formally recognized Community Forestry around the country and in all types of forests. Community Forestry may be implemented in a wide variety of forest contexts including regenerating and restoring degraded forests, improving the efficiency and productivity of high value timber forests, and ensuring the protection of unique forest ecosystems rich in biodiversity. The FA sees Community Forestry as an important national strategy for the stewardship of state public lands. The National Community Forestry Programme (NCFP) seeks to formally integrate and engage rural Cambodians in the management of state public forest land through implementation of the Community Forestry Sub-Decree (CFSD) and related rules and regulations. The NCFP seeks to provide a legally endorsed, symbolic “house” under whose roof rural communities can utilize and sustainably manage forests to meet their domestic and livelihood needs. A “people-oriented” forest sector sanctioned by the Royal Government of Cambodia is essential if equitable economic development is to take place in a way that supports the livelihood needs of the rural poor and national policies related to poverty reduction. Because of this, community-based forest livelihood programs have become a national investment priority for Cambodia. The NCFP strategy promulgated by the FA, in consultation with a broad range of civil society stakeholders, proposes a proactive approach to address this important national transition in the forest sector currently underway. Formally recognized Community Forestry will be a cornerstone of this new initiative. The strategy is premised on the commitment for the FA to play a central leadership role in the implementation of new policies and laws, while forging strong partnerships with international donor organizations, relevant ministries, local government, and competent NGOs. From 1995 through 2004, both FA and NGOs have played an important role in facilitating the emergence of community forestry around the country. A recent national review conducted by the Community Forestry Office (CFO) of the FA indicates that at present there are 274 CF sites across Cambodia, involving 614 villages and covering 218,657 hectares. While at present only one CF site in the country has formal national government recognition, with the legislative and policy frameworks in place, formal recognized CF can take place. The NCFP has two phase of implementation. In Phase I (2006-08), with support from donors and NGOs partners, the FA will formally recognize CFMCs through the 8 step process outlined in the Community Forestry Sub-Decree. The FA proposes to give priority to the recognition of existing Community Forestry Management Committees (CFMCs) with a target of 200 Community Forestry Agreements signed between 2006 and 2008, covering some parts of Permanent Forest Reserve. The FA will also form a National Community Forestry Working Group comprised of senior FA planners, interested donors, and competent NGOs to guide and support the implementation of the NCFP strategy. The NCFP will strengthen the staff and capacities of the CFO to provide technical support and guidance to local FA field offices, NGOs, local government, and communities to guide implementation Support is also needed to activate a Community Forestry Research Team to provide ongoing monitoring and documentation, as well as in-depth studies of CF experiences from organizational issues to forest production, livelihood, and market analysis. To facilitate field level implementation, the NCFP will work to create Community Forestry Support Team at cantonment level that allow for the better coordination of local FA officers, NGO support groups, and local government representatives and line agencies. Funding will be needed to support FA, NGO, and local government staff and field-level initiatives related to Community Forestry, and to promote the cooperation between key actors in implementing the new NCFP within the broader framework of the Forestry Law and Land Law. During Phase II (2009-13), the FA would continue to build its capacity to meet the needs of additional forest-dependent communities requesting technical and financial support to secure formally recognized Community Forestry Agreements, and develop and implement management plans. Provided that funding is available to support this, the FA would attempt to create an additional 200 to 400 formally recognized Community Forestry sites covering the certain parts of state public forest lands. For NCFP implementation to succeed, however, it will require a strong and long term commitment from communities, local government, Forestry Administration at all levels, NGOs, and the donor community. Without adequate funding to provide the technical support and guide NCFP implementation, the FA’s ability to respond to a rapidly growing demand among communities will be limited, and so will the impact of the strategy on sustaining Cambodia’s forests for rural poverty reduction. The launching of the NCFP is a strategic point in history for all stakeholders to join hands to build a secure foundation that will benefit Cambodia’s forests and forest dependent communities for many years to come. Ty Sokhun Director General Forestry Administration TABLE OF CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS................................................................... 7 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................ 8 1.1 BACKGROUND........................................................................................................................8 1.2 OBJECTIVES ...........................................................................................................................9 1.3 METHODOLOGY .....................................................................................................................9 1.3.1 Questionnaire ...................................................................................................................9 1.3.2 Workshops ........................................................................................................................9 1.3.3 Literature Review ...........................................................................................................10 2. CURRENT STATUS OF FOREST RESOURCES ......... 11 2.1 OVERVIEW OF CAMBODIA....................................................................................................11 2.2 FORESTS IN CAMBODIA ........................................................................................................11 2.2.1 Forest Cover ...................................................................................................................11 2.2.2 Forest Classification.......................................................................................................13 2.3 FOREST MANAGEMENT IN CAMBODIA RELATED TO CF ......................................................14 2.3.1 Historical Background 2.3.2 Community Forestry Management 2.3.3 Forestry Concession Management 2.3.4 Plantation 3. COMMUNITY FORESTRY IN CAMBODIA ................ 15 3.1 LEGAL FRAMEWORK SUPPORTING COMMUNITY FORESTRY .................................................16 3.1.1 Overview.........................................................................................................................16 3.1.2 Basic steps to establish CF.............................................................................................17 3.2 BACKGROUND ON CF PROJECTS ..........................................................................................18 3.2.1 American Friend Service Committee (AFSC).................................................................18 3.2.2 Community Forestry International (CFI) .......................................................................18 3.2.3 CFO ................................................................................................................................19 3.2.4 CFRP/IDRC....................................................................................................................20 3.2.5 Concern Worldwide........................................................................................................21 3.2.6 CBNRM Learning Institute 3.2.7 Danida Tree Seed Programme .......................................................................................22 3.2.8 FAO ................................................................................................................................22 3.2.9 (GTZ) ..............................................................................................................................23 3.2.10 Japan International Cooperation Agency (CBFS/JICA) ................................................23 3.2.11 Lutheran World Federation (LWF)................................................................................23 3.2.12 Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) ...........................................................................24 3.2.13 Oxfam GB.......................................................................................................................25 3.2.14 Southeast Asia Development Program (SADP)..............................................................25 3.2.15 WCS................................................................................................................................25 3.2.16 Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF)...............................................................................26 3.3 SUPPORT TO CF DEVELOPMENT ...........................................................................................26 3.3.1 CF Network ....................................................................................................................26 3.3.2 Provincial Networks .......................................................................................................27 3.3.3 CF Database...................................................................................................................27 3.3.4 Prakas Development .......................................................................................................28 3.3.5 Forestry and Wildlife Training Center ...........................................................................28 4. CURRENT CF LOCATIONS AND AREAS ................... 29 4.1 OVERVIEW OF CF IN CAMBODIA ..........................................................................................29 4.2 NORTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE................................................................................30 4.2.1 Description of Inspectorate Area....................................................................................30 4.2.2 Description of CF Area ..................................................................................................31 4.3 SOUTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE ................................................................................33 3 4.3.1 Description of Inspectorate Area....................................................................................33 4.3.2 Description of CF Areas.................................................................................................35 4.4 MEKONG INSPECTORATE......................................................................................................37 4.4.1 Description of Inspectorate Area....................................................................................37 4.4.2 Description of CF Areas.................................................................................................38 4.5 COASTAL INSPECTORATE .....................................................................................................40 4.5.1 Description of Inspectorate Area....................................................................................40 4.5.2 Description of CF Areas.................................................................................................41 5. RESULTS OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT............................ 43 5.1 OVERVIEW ...........................................................................................................................43 5.1.1 Workshop........................................................................................................................43 5.2 NORTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE................................................................................44 5.2.1 Description of CF Activities ...........................................................................................44 5.2.2 Description of training capacity .....................................................................................44 5.3 SOUTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE ................................................................................46 5.3.1 Description of CF Activities ...........................................................................................46 5.3.2 Description of training capacity .....................................................................................47 5.4 MEKONG INSPECTORATE......................................................................................................49 5.4.1 Description of CF Activities ...........................................................................................49 5.4.2 Description of training capacity .....................................................................................49 5.5 COASTAL INSPECTORATE .....................................................................................................51 5.5.1 Description of CF Activities ...........................................................................................51 5.5.2 Description of training capacity .....................................................................................52 6. COMMUNITY FORESTRY FRAMEWORK AND FUTURE PLANNING ........................................................... 54 6.1 OVERVIEW OF MAIN CF ISSUES IDENTIFIED FROM REGIONAL WORKSHOPS...........................54 6.2 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................57 6.3 OVERVIEW OF ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ......................................................................63 6.3.1 Role of FA staff ...............................................................................................................63 6.3.2 Role of Communities.......................................................................................................64 6.3.3 Role of NGOs..................................................................................................................64 6.3.4 Role of Commune Council ..............................................................................................65 7. SCHEDULE FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND EXPANSION OF CF RELATED ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ...................................... 66 7.1 Phase I 7.2 Phase II APPENDIX I: NCFP TASKFORCE MEMBERS............... 69 APPENDIX II: QUESTIONNAIRE ..................................... 70 APPENDIX III: REGIONAL WORKING GROUP MEMBERS ............................................................................. 74 APPENDIX IV: WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS ............... 75 APPENDIX V: SCHEDULE FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PHASE I & PHASE II ACTIVITIES 4 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 3.1 PROVINCIAL COMMUNITY FORESTRY NETWORKS ................................................................27 TABLE 4.1: FOREST AREA IN NORTHERN TONLE SAP FA INSPECTORATE ...............................................31 TABLE 4.2: NGOS SUPPORTING CF IN NORTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE BY PROVINCE .................31 TABLE 4.3: EXISTING AND POTENTIAL CF AREA IN NORTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE ...................32 TABLE 4.4 CF AREA IN SOUTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE...............................................................33 TABLE 4.5 CONCESSION MANAGEMENT SUMMARY IN SOUTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE................34 TABLE 4.6 ORGANISATIONS SUPPORTING CF IN SOUTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE.........................35 TABLE 4.7 AREA OF EXISTING CF AREA IN SOUTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE ................................36 TABLE 4.8 TOTAL AREA OF CF IN DIFFERENT FOREST TYPES IN SOUTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE .36 TABLE 4.9 FOREST AREA IN MEKONG FA INSPECTORATE ......................................................................37 TABLE 4.10 NGOS SUPPORTING CF IN MEKONG INSPECTORATE BY PROVINCE ......................................38 TABLE 4.11 AREA OF EXISTING AND POTENTIAL CF AREA IN MEKONG INSPECTORATE ..........................39 TABLE 4.12 FOREST AREA IN COASTAL FA INSPECTORATE....................................................................41 TABLE 4.13 NGOS SUPPORTING CF IN COASTAL INSPECTORATE BY PROVINCE......................................41 TABLE 4.14 AREA OF EXISTING CF AREA IN COASTAL INSPECTORATE ...................................................42 TABLE 5.1 CF ACTIVITIES IN THE NORTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE BY PROVINCE.........................44 TABLE 5.2 NUMBER OF TRAINED STAFF AND AVAILABLE TRAINERS IN THE NORTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE...............................................................................................................................45 TABLE 5.3 KEY SKILLS, STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS IN THE NORTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE ...45 TABLE 5.4 CF ACTIVITIES BY PROVINCE IN SOUTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE ...............................46 TABLE 5.5 NUMBER OF TRAINED STAFF AND AVAILABLE TRAINERS IN THE SOUTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE...............................................................................................................................47 TABLE 5.6 KEY SKILLS, STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS IN THE SOUTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE....48 TABLE 5.7 CF ACTIVITIES BY PROVINCE IN MEKONG INSPECTORATE ....................................................49 TABLE 5.8 NUMBER OF TRAINED STAFF AND AVAILABLE TRAINERS IN THE MEKONG INSPECTORATE.....49 TABLE 5.9 KEY SKILLS, STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS IN THE MEKONG INSPECTORATE .........................50 TABLE 5.10 CF ACTIVITIES BY PROVINCE IN COASTAL INSPECTORATE ..................................................51 TABLE 5.11 NUMBER OF TRAINED STAFF AND AVAILABLE TRAINERS IN THE COASTAL INSPECTORATE ..52 TABLE 5.12 KEY SKILLS, STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS IN THE COASTAL INSPECTORATE.......................52 5 FIGURE 2-1 FORESTLAND USE IN 2003....................................................................................................12 FIGURE 2-2 FORESTLAND AREA..............................................................................................................12 FIGURE 4-1: CF ESTABLISHMENT IN THE SOUTHERN TONLE SAP INSPECTORATE (2000-2004)...............36 FIGURE 4-2: CF ESTABLISHMENT IN THE MEKONG INSPECTORATE (2000-2004) ....................................39 6 Abbreviations ADB Asian Development Bank AFSC American Friend Service Committee CBFS Capacity Building Project for the Forestry Sector CBNRM Community Based Natural Resource Management CEMP Cambodian Environmental Management Project CF Community Forestry CFI/CFAC Community Forestry International CF/CPA Community Forestry/Communities in Protected Areas CFMC Community Forestry Management Committee CFO Community Forestry Office of the Forestry Administration CF Prakas Community Forestry Guideline Prakas CFRP Community Forestry Research Project CMDG Cambodia Millennium Development Goals Concern Concern Worldwide DoFW Department of Forests and Wildlife FA Forestry Administration FEO Forest Extension Office FET Forestry Extension Team FWTC Forestry and Wildlife Training Centre GTZ German JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency LNGO Local non-Government Organisation LWF Lutheran World Federation MAFF Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries MCC Mennonite Central Committee MoE Ministry of Environment NGO Non-Government Organisation NPRS National Poverty Reduction Strategy NSDP National Strategic Development Plan, 2006-2010 OCBP Overall Capacity Building Program Oxfam GB Oxfam Great Britain RGC Royal Government of Cambodia RWG Regional Working Groups SADP Southeast Asia Development Program SEDP Socio-economic Development Plan SMRP Sustainable Management of Natural Resources in the Lower Mekong Basin TCFIDA Takeo Community Forestry Integrated Development Association WCS Wildlife Conservation Society WWF Worldwide Fund for Nature 7 1 Introduction 1.1 Background The Community Forestry Sub-Decree, approved in December of 2003, indicated a historic shift from informal Community Forestry (CF) projects, to the emergence of CF as a national strategy that is formally recognized and embraced by the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC). A growing number of development agencies are expressing interest in supporting a national Cambodian community forestry programme, as has been done in many countries in South and Southeast Asia. In other nations, donor support for CF programmes has assisted national forestry agencies to build institutional capacity and reorient their field operation strategies to allow them to work closely with communities as management partners. There has been success in implementation of various forms of Community Forestry in India, Nepal, Vietnam, Philippines and other countries in the region. As a form of community based forestry management this form of sustainable forestry management continues to develop. Community-owned and administered forest totals at least 377 million ha, or at least 22 percent of all forests in developing countries (around 10 percent of global forests) and about as much global forest as is owned by private landowners. This figure is expected to reach 540 million ha by 2015 – perhaps representing 45 percent of the developing world’s forest estate. Much of this area will be managed under some form of collaborative arrangement involving sharing decision making between stakeholder groups. (Y. Malla, M. Nurse, Advances in Community Forestry in Asia, RECOFTC, 2005) With proper implementation of the Community Forestry Sub-Decree and implementation of this broad strategic framework, Cambodia can be a part of this global trend. The forest sector in Cambodia appears to be moving toward a crossroad where national policy will either lead to a sustainable forest management road or the significant loss of the nation’s forests and public forestlands. The growing interest in Community Forestry expansion on a national scale among stakeholders, especially the Forestry Administration (FA), and the current lack of an effective long-term strategic plan for CF implementation is representative of these two possible routes. For those supportive of choosing the road to sustainable forest management, it is clear that a broad strategic framework for developing a national community forestry programme (NCFP) and coordinating related activities among stakeholders is crucial for the forest sector in Cambodia. In recognition of this, the Technical Working Group on Forestry and Environment (TWG F&E), a group representing the FA and forest sector donors, has included the development of a NCFP in their work plan. In summation, there is a need to develop a coherent NCFP that provides a broad strategic direction for activities to be taken over the next five to ten years upon which detailed projects and activities can be developed. This requires understanding the current situation on the ground at present, including the strengths and weaknesses within the current system, and identifying opportunities that exist to further formally recognized CF in Cambodia. 8 In recognition of this, the FA organized a NCFP Taskforce in early 2004 with representatives from organizations with experience implementing CF in Cambodia. The Taskforce is headed by the Community Forestry Office (CFO) of the FA and is supported by Oxfam Great Britain (Oxfam GB), The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Concern Worldwide (Concern), Community Forestry International (CFI) and the Capacity Building Project for the Forestry Sector/Japan International Cooperation Agency (CBFS/JICA)1. The main responsibility of the Taskforce is to gather and analyse CF related data in order to develop an overall picture of the current state of community forestry in Cambodia, and to develop recommendations and a broad strategic framework for an NCFP. 1.2 Objectives The main objectives in developing an NCFP are: • To identify and agree on medium and long term community forest management objectives at the national and local level; and • To formulate a sequence of implementation plans for each FA administrative region at the Cantonment level to maximize Cambodia's potential for establishing formally recognized CF. Each of these implementation plans will spell out clearly all implementation activities that gradually institute and support the new management framework to ensure that each phase of implementation is accomplished before proceeding to the next phase. This will also provide a coherent framework and effective strategy for multiple donors to support CF development throughout the country. 1.3 Methodology In June of 2004, the NCFP Taskforce developed a concept note that was presented to the major forestry donors at the Joint Coordination Committee Meeting for the Independent Forest Sector Review. The purpose of this presentation was to inform the donors of the programme development and to ensure their support for the process, including implementation and funding of the finalized NCFP. The methodology for CF related data collection included questionnaire, workshops and existing literature review. 1.3.1 Questionnaire Workshop participants were asked to complete a questionnaire prior to the workshop (see Appendix II). Information from the questionnaire included specific information about CF sites, activities, the training capacity and needs for the implementing institutions, and information on areas where there is potential for CF. This information was entered into a database at the CFO of the FA for future analysis and will serve as the basis for a comprehensive CF database. 1.3.2 Workshops Given the diversity of socio-cultural, ecological, and economic contexts in Cambodia, it was decided that information should be gathered and strategies developed for major ecological regions. This approach reflects the new reorganization of the FA and 1 For a complete list of NCFP Taskforce members and affiliations, please see Appendix I. 9 assumes that operational plans should be done at cantonment levels in each of the four inspectorates as divided in the new reorganization. In each Inspectorate, Regional Working Groups (RWG) were organized to assist with data collection, identification of stakeholders and organization of workshops2. Workshops were held in each Inspectorate as indicated below: • Siem Reap (Northern Tonle Sap Inspectorate) 28-29 September 2004 • Pursat (Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate) 4-5 November 2004 • Kratie (Mekong Inspectorate) 13-14 December 2004 • Sihanoukville (Coastal Inspectorate) 5-6 January 2005 Representatives from FA, local government, CF groups, and international and local NGOs were invited to each of the workshops. The workshops provided the CFO an opportunity to update participants on the current status of the CF Sub-Decree and CF Prakas, but were mainly organized to collect information from participants. Information was gathered through mapping exercises, identification of strengths and weaknesses, a training needs assessment and general discussions. Information sought included: • Current CF locations and area; • Priority areas for CF development; • Activities for legalizing or formally recognizing the existing CF projects and raising awareness and knowledge on CF; • Roles and responsibilities of government entities, donors, communities, NGOs and the private sector; • Capacity building and training needs for effective implementation; and, • Review and revision of the questionnaire. 1.3.3 Literature Review Dr. Sohk Heng, the Chair of the NCFP, also coordinates an Asian Development Bank (ADB) study entitled “Poverty Reduction in Upland Communities in the Mekong Region through Improved Community and Industrial Forestry”. The literature review included in this study was also used as an input in the development of this report. The resulting data collected from the questionnaire, workshops and literature review provide the basis for this report 2 See Appendix III for a complete list of Regional Working Group members 10 2 Current Status of Forest Resources 2.1 Overview of Cambodia The Kingdom of Cambodia is one of the smallest countries in Southeast Asia, located in the south-western part of the Indochina peninsula. The Kingdom lies between 10 ﾟ-15 ﾟN and 102 ﾟ-108 ﾟE. Cambodia shares borders with Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. The area of Cambodia is approximately 181,035 km2.3 Its climate is tropical: monsoon season from May to November and dry season from December to April. It has a population of 13.4 million in 2003 with an average annual population growth of 2.9% for the period of 1997-20034. According to 2001 statistics, 82.5% of the population lives in the rural area and over 90% are Khmer and Theravada Buddhist. Forests and forest resources are important to many people in numerous ways, both in terms of direct livelihoods as well as through contributions to the economy directly and indirectly through environmental services. A broad range of sections of Cambodian society have a stake in forest resources; for example, 98% of households use firewood for fuel. In short, the livelihoods of both the poor and the rich and powerful are linked to forest resources. Officially, forestry has made a relatively small contribution to both national revenue and to GDP, not exceeding 4% and 8% respectively since 1994.5 However, this figure does not capture illegal and unreported economic activity within this sector, nor does it represent the important environmental services that forests provide Cambodia. In the interest of promoting coherence in development policies and strategies, the Royal Government enacted on January 27, 2006 the National Strategic Development Plan, 2006-2010 (NSDP), by consolidating the SEDP (Socio-economic Development Plan) and NPRS (National Poverty Reduction Strategy) and aligning the plan with the Cambodia Millennium Development Goals (CMDGs). The NSDP is a single, overarching document containing RGC's priority goals and strategies to reduce poverty rapidly, and to achieve other CMDGs and socio-economic development goals for the benefit of all Cambodians. "Forestry Reform" is one of the key strategies of NSDP, and the challenge is to spell out a clear strategy to address management of concessions, annual coupes, Community Forestry, and protected areas in a sustainable manner. Community Forestry as a sound, transparent and locally managed programme, is one of the three pillars of the government’s plan for Forestry Reform. In order to achieve the goals in the forestry sector, RGC is committed to implement a National Forestry Programme (nfp). "Promoting forestry contribution to poverty reduction by strengthening community forestry initiatives" is one of the priorities of the nfp. 2.2 Forests in Cambodia 2.2.1 Forest Cover 3 Ly Chou Beang, Lao Sethaphal (?) Community forestry in Cambodia 4 The World Bank (2004) Cambodia at a glance 5 Working Group on National Resource Management (2004) Independent Forest Sector Review 11 In 1969 forest covered 13.2 million hectares or 73 % of the country's total land areas. The result from the Forest Cover Assessment and Monitoring Project in 1997 showed that forest cover in Cambodia covered 58.8 % of the total land areas, indicating a decline of 14% since 1969. According to FA records from 2003, the permanent forest estate covers 10,638,208 hectares, or 60.2% of the total land area in Cambodia. As depicted in Figure 2-1, this is comprised as follows: • Natural forest: 10,555,783 ha. (59.69% of total land area) • Plantation forest: 82,425 ha. (0.47% of total land area) • Agriculture land concession: 679,318 ha. (3.84% of total land area) • Total land area of the country, excluding inland water bodies: 17,683,847 ha. Figure 2-1 Forestland Use in 2003 ForestlLand use, 2003 Plantation forest Natural forest Agriculture land concession Source: FA 2003 The area of forest types within the permanent forest estate, according to FA records from 2003 is as follows below and in Figure 2-2: • Evergreen forest: 3,986,719 ha. • Semi-evergreen forest: 1,505,326 ha. • Deciduous forest: 4,281,397 ha. • Other forest: 864,764 ha. Figure 2-2 Forestland Area 12 Area of forest types 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% Evergreen forest Semi evergreen forest Deciduous forest Other forest Catogories P er ce nt ag e Source: FA 2003 2.2.2 Forest classification The Forestry Law establishes a classification system for forest lands in Cambodia. It is important to have an understanding of this classification system, since formally recognized CF as recognized in the Law and further defined in the CFSD can only take place within certain forest land classifications. The scope of the NCFP will only impact directly on areas of forest that CF provisions within the Forestry Law and CFSD apply to. As relating to formally recognized CF, the following classifications are relevant: Ministry of Environment (MoE) Protected Areas Provisions within the Forestry Law and CFSD do not apply to forest lands within MoE Protected Areas. Although CF type activities may occur in these areas, provisions within the Forestry Law related to CF and the CFSD do not apply to these areas. Flooded Forests The Forestry Law states that flooded forests in Cambodia are under the regulatory authority of the Department of Fisheries within MAFF. As such, provisions within the Forestry Law related to CF and the CFSD do not apply to these areas. Permanent Forest Reserve The Permanent Forest Reserve are those areas of forested public land that fall under the jurisdictional authority of MAFF and the FA. Within the Permanent Forest Reserve there are three sub-classifications: Production Forest, Protection Forest and Conversion Forest for other purposes. Production Forest is managed primarily for the sustainable extraction of forest products and by-products (NTFPs). Production Forest areas include those areas that are or were recently under forest concession, areas for annual harvest intended to supply the domestic market, plantation, and areas that are designated as CF. Production Forest areas are the only areas where formally recognized CF, as defined by the Forestry Law and CFSD, can occur. Protection Forests are those areas that serve a primarily conservation role, such as for wildlife habitat protection, watershed management, research or religious purposes. 13 While communities have traditional access rights to these areas, their impacts must be limited; CF type activities may occur in these areas as defined within Protection Forest management plans, but provisions within the Forestry Law are not clear on this point. Conversion Forests are areas of degraded forest that are temporarily part of the Permanent Forest Reserve, but are slated to be reclassified as State Private land. In terms of formally recognized CF, the most important classification is Production Forest areas within the Permanent Forest Reserve. 2.3 Forest Management Activities in Cambodia Related to CF 2.3.1 Historical Background Beginning in 1898, during the French colonial period, various regulatory regimes for managing Cambodia’s forest resources have been utilized, but there was not a formal Law in place to direct the sustainable management of forest resources in the country until quite recently. On the 30th of July 2002, the Forestry Law was enacted by the National Assembly. The law consists of 18 chapters, 109 articles, and outlines the management regimes, authorities, rights, responsibilities and prohibitions related to the forestry sector in Cambodia.6 Within the Law, there are several provisions that relate to management, authorization and recognition of CF activities; some of these activities have been occurring for some time, but the Forestry Law, along with subsidiary rules and regulations that have been enacted or are in draft form, provide a formal framework within which they can take place. 2.3.2 Community Forestry Management More recently, community forestry has received considerable attention as a potential alternative (or complement) to forest concession management. Community forestry is envisioned as an effort to support and empower communities to continue their traditional use of forest resources, encourage sustainable practices, and support initiatives for socio-economic development and poverty reduction. Community forestry is also intended to harness local knowledge and skills regarding forest management and ensure communities have a stronger voice in forestry sector decision-making. Signs of increasing support for community forestry include greater on-the-ground efforts to organize and develop community forests, enactment of the Community Forestry Sub-Decree, establishment of a national-level Community Forestry Office (CFO) within the Forest Administration and steps towards formulating of a National Community Forestry Program. In 2005, the CFO has identified more than 200 community forest pilot projects in Cambodia. In many cases, at the village level, there are groups of people calling themselves community forestry groups that are in the most preliminary stages of organizing CF. Many of these groups have support from Oxfam GB, NGO forum and other NGOs. The size of these forest areas is largely unknown at present since many projects are in initial planning stages and/or seeking to establish community forests within concession areas. 6 Ouk Syphan, 2003, outline of Forestry Law 14 2.3.3 Forest Concession Management By reintroducing a forest concession system, the government sought to delegate responsibility for forest management to private sector companies and raise much needed revenue for national development. However, concessions were granted through private negotiations between high-level government officials and concessionaires that resulted in ambiguous contracts strongly favourable to the concessionaire. According to legal analysis provided by the World Bank- funded Forest Policy Reform Project, "concession contracts so strongly favor the concessionaire that it is questionable whether they can be considered commercially reasonable" (White and Case 1998). The analysts found the contracts to be so ambiguous and rife with problems that a line-by-line critique would be of little use. From 1994 to 1997, forest concessions were implemented as the primary instrument of forest management. More than 30 concessions were granted covering an area of about 6.5 million ha - equal to more than one-third of the country and over half of Cambodia's forests. The new concession system was superimposed on the existing collection permit system, creating an ambiguous legal context for commercial forest management.7 At this point in time many of the previously awarded concessions have been cancelled, leaving large areas of Production Forest within the Permanent Forest Reserve available for alternative management schemes, such as CF. 2.3.4 Plantation The Forestry Administration encourages people to participate in tree planting, and has provided over a million seedlings of various species every year to people, especially on National Arbor Days, the occasion of religious ceremonies etc. The main species of seedlings supplied are Acacia auriculiformis, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Tectona grandis and Pinus merkusii, Dipterocarpus alatus, Hopea odorata... etc. FA is also participating in the three year Indochina Tree Seed project, which is funded by DANIDA (Denmark). The purpose of this project is to provide genetically suitable seeds of good physiological quality from well-managed seed sources of priority woody species to meet the need for tree planting activities in Cambodia. 3 Community Forestry in Cambodia There is currently in place a basic legal and regulatory framework that supports the concept of CF in Cambodia. From this framework the basic steps for establishing and managing formally recognized CF can be understood. It is important to understand that actual implementation of this framework, resulting in the legal recognition of community forestry sites by the RGC, cannot take place until the Community Forestry Guideline Prakas (CF Prakas) is enacted. As will be discussed in more detail in Section 3.1 below, this Prakas is currently in draft form. 7 Ty Sokhun: Cambodia Forest Policy Review, FA; August 2002 15 The following is an overview of the legal framework and the basic steps for formally establishing CF activities in Cambodia. 3.1 Legal Framework Supporting Community Forestry 3.1.1 Overview of Rules and Regulations The legal framework supporting community forestry is comprised of provisions in the Forestry Law (2002), the Sub-Decree on Community Forestry Management (2003), and the yet to be enacted draft Community Forestry Guidelines Prakas. Forestry Law The Forestry Law gives the FA and MAFF the authority to grant areas of Production Forest in the Permanent Forest Reserve to local communities in order to manage and benefit from the resources therein. The Law states that there needs to be a Community Forestry Agreement which can be for a period of fifteen years, and that agreements can be renewed based on monitoring and evaluation reports of the FA. In addition to the Community Forestry Agreement, the Law states that there needs to be a Community Forestry Management Plan which is to be reviewed every five years or earlier if necessary. The Forestry Law states that the rules for establishment, management and use of a community forest shall be determined by a Sub-Decree on Community Forestry Management, and that the guidelines on Community Forestry shall be determined by a MAFF Prakas. Sub-Decree on Community Forestry Management The Sub-Decree on Community Forestry Management (CFSD) outlines the basic steps for the establishment and management of community forestry, including key definitions and the roles of various entities in the process. Key provisions include those on the process involved for officially recognized CF, the Community Forest Agreement between FA Cantonment and the CFMC, Community Forest Management Plan, financial sources for CF, roles and responsibilities of CF community members, CFMC, FA and MAFF, and the roles of sub-national local authorities such as Commune Councils. Community Forestry Guidelines Prakas Though still in draft form, this Prakas will fill in many of the details for implementation of the Sub-Decree on Community Forestry Management that had yet to be clarified. In addition, the CF Prakas provides annexes which contain official templates for the Community Forestry Agreement, Community Forestry Management Plan, Community Forestry Committee By-Laws and Community Forestry Regulations. 3.1.2 Roles and Responsibilities of the CFO 16 The CFO (formerly called CF Unit of Reforestation Office/DFW) was established in 2004 under the new structural reorganization of the former Department of Forest and Wildlife, now known as the FA. The FA is one of the institutional organizations located within MAFF belonging to the Royal Government of Cambodia. It is responsible for forestry sector policy development and implementation in the country, oversees all strategic plans being implemented in the field, and is responsible for the conservation and sustainable management of Cambodia’s forest resources. The CFO, which is a part of the FA, has the following duties: Preparing rules, regulations and strategic action plans for CF development; Formulating guidelines, manuals and other related documents on CF; Gathering and disseminating information on CF to relevant stakeholders Formulating and implementing CF projects; and Providing technical support and coordination in establishing CF in the field. 3.1.3 Basic Steps for Establishing CF The CFO has developed eight steps for establishing formally recognized CF in Cambodia based on the Forestry Law and the CFSD. These steps are summarised below. Step 1: Community Forestry Formulation In this preliminary stage, interested communities receive basic information about CF from the FA or NGOs. Interested communities submit an application certified by the village chief and the commune or district council to the FA cantonment for approval. In this stage, a working group is set up to collect information about the community and the use of forest resources and a report is developed that will serve as the basis for future management planning. Step 2: Development of CF Management Structure In this stage, the CF Management Committee (CFMC) is established. A temporary election committee is established and candidates are elected by the community. Step 3: Development of CFMC By-Laws CFMC by-laws are developed by the CFMC with assistance from FA or NGO as needed. The by-laws are approved by the CFMC Chief and recognised by the Commune Council. The by-laws are then disseminated to CF members for implementation. Step 4: Boundary Demarcation and Planning With the assistance of FA or NGO if needed, the boundary of the CF is demarcated using GPS. This involves community members as well as representatives from adjacent villages in order to avoid future conflicts over boundary locations. Step 5: Development of CF Regulation CF regulations are developed by the CFMC with assistance from FA or NGO as needed. The regulations must be approved by the CFMC Chief and recognised by the 17 Commune Council, district authority, and the FA Cantonment. Approved regulations are distributed to CF members to involve them in implementation and enforcement. Step 6: Development of CF Agreement A CF Agreement outlining the roles and responsibilities of the CFMC and the FA is drafted and approved by the FA Cantonment. Step 7: Development of CFMP The CF Management Plan is developed with technical assistance of the FA or NGO. The process involves community participation, training, data collection, analysis and mapping. The final draft must be approved by the Head of the FA upon recommendation of the Cantonment Chief. Step 8: Monitoring and Evaluation on Implementation Process Monitoring and evaluation is a critical and on-going part of the CF process and will ensure that CF activities are implemented according to the CF regulations, CF agreement and CF management plan. 3.2 Background on CF Projects 3.2.1 American Friend Service Committee (AFSC) Since 2000 the American Friend Service Committee (AFSC) organization had been collaborating with communities, the Community Forestry Research Project (CFRP), CF Network and Koh Kong FA office to develop community forestry programming. AFSC is currently implementing in Dong Peng commune, Sre Ambel district, Koh Kong province. 288 families are involved in community forestry activities in two villages. The goal of the programme is for communities to sustainably manage, conserve, use and develop community forestry through management planning. The main objectives of the programme are as follows: • To enable communities to establish community forestry committees that can participate in the implementation of government policy on protection of natural resources. • To empower communities to interact directly with authorities and gain social and legal recognition for their right to manage communal forest areas. • To coordinate with government officials and raise their awareness, understanding, and acceptance of community based natural resource management. • To conduct educational campaigns and spread information on the importance of protecting the environment. • To increase options for community people to diversify their livelihood strategies. These activities are supported by the Integrated Farming and Community Development components. • To review process activities in relation to the CFSD such as inventory, assessment need, management plan. 3.2.2 Community Forestry International (CFI) 18 The mission of Community Forestry International (CFI) is to support the greater engagement of rural communities in forest stewardship worldwide. CFI currently has programs in Northeast India, Cambodia, and California. Since 2003, Community Forestry International has been working with a wide variety of Cambodian and international organizations to support ongoing forest sector transitions, with an emphasis on community-based forest management. With support funded by USAID and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, CFI has established a small grants facility that provides financial and technical support to local NGOs that are providing field level support to communities engaged in forest protection and management. In its first 18 months of operation, CFI made 21 small grants of which 17 have been to local NGOs located in 6 provinces. CFI’s activities in Cambodia has three foci including support for CF policy and legal formulation, CF extension materials development, and CF program implementation. CFI has worked closely with the Forestry Administration to facilitate civil society input into the framing of the CFSD and CF Prakas. CFI also supports the communication of CF information to the public through supporting radio programs, posters and booklets, civil society networks on natural resource management, and training programs. CFI is a member of most NRM networks operating in Cambodia and seeks opportunities to work with partner organizations. Over the next three years (2006-2008), CFI seeks to continue its community forestry support program to assist four Forestry Administration Cantonments to launch collaborative pilot projects with participating NGOs and forest-dependent communities. The proposed program would also provide support for research and training, so that capacity could be developed in pilot areas and learning from early experiences captured to guide the continuing expansion of the NCFP through implementation of the CFSD. 3.2.3 CFO Kompong Leng Project According to the results of the study, in July 2002, the former CF Unit/Reforestation Office of DFW with financial support from Asian Forest Network and CFI and the involvement of local authority and local community has initiated the establishment of CF in order to support the poverty reduction policy of the Royal Government and to help develop policy to support the CF implementation in Cambodia. Problems that local community faced in the area are population growth, shortage of water for rice cultivation, insufficient land for crop production and lack of Timber and Non Timber Forest Product for daily consumption. The aim of this project is to increase the standard of living of the rural communities in 27 villages in 5 communes in Kampong Leng district, Kampong Chhnang province, through their organization and participation in the sustainable management of renewable natural resources. The expected outputs are related to creating awareness among Communities, NGOs, Forestry Administration, Policy makers and other stakeholders to understand the importance of community participation in sustainable forest management through CF. Project Output 19 o The local communities will have skills and knowledge in technical and organizational aspect to the community forestry program. o The local communities will have CFMC, Sub CFMC, CF By-law, CF Regulation, CF Agreement and CFMP. o The community forestry will have clear community forest boundary demarcated with map for community forest and it will be recognized by Kampong Chhnang cantonment of Forestry Administration. o The CF communities will have Community Forest Agreements between the CFMCs and Chief of the Cantonment. o The CF communities will have CFMPs recognized by the Kampong Chhnang Cantonment of Forestry Administration. 3.2.4 CFRP/IDRC The Community Forestry Research Project in Cambodia (CFRP) is a jointly implemented project by three institutions, namely the Ministry of Environment (MoE), Forestry Administration (FA) and the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA). CFRP started in late 1999 funded through to early 2003 by International Development Research Centre of Canada (IDRC) and the Regional Community Forestry Training Center (RECOFTC). Phase II continued from April 2003 to March 2006 under funding support from IDRC to implement action research and mobilization of CF in five different research sites within four provinces including Kampot, Koh Kong, Kratie and Preah Vihea (Boeung Per) provinces. The general objective of CFRP is to build human resource and institutional capacity in community forestry in order to enhance security and livelihood opportunities of rural communities through more efficient, sustainable and equitable management of forest resources. The specific focus objectives are on: 1- Field based learning and action research about community forestry 2- Using research findings to encourage policy change 3- Strengthening inter-institutional learning and networking. CFRP is guided by a general approach to research that is participatory and action oriented. The specific research methods in each research site respond to major research questions that are also specific to each site. These are summarised as below: Using participatory process which engages the local community and other stakeholders as fully as possible in the process of knowledge generation and decision-making in improving community participation in forest resource management; Undertaking action research to improve their livelihood security through community-based forest-resource management, and in relation to actions to gain support for community-based forest-resource management from policy 20 makers and responsible institutions; Multi-interdisciplinary team and cross-sectors comprised of people from different backgrounds and from different institutions who work together to obtain relevant information and to test the interventions in villages and local communities; Incorporate gender and social analysis, and involve women and men in all stages of the research program (data collection and analysis, planning, implementation, decision-making, monitoring and evaluation), for their better understanding the different roles and responsibilities of women and men in natural resource management systems; Promote collaboration, networking, partnerships and situational learning among related project programs and NGOs in order to influence policy in the area of community forestry and community based natural resource management 3.2.5 CBNRM Learning Institute The CBNRM Learning Institute aims to analyze and develop community based natural resource management (CBNRM), including community forestry, as an important component of the poverty alleviation, socio-economic development, sustainable resource management, good governance and decentralization policies and strategies of the Royal Government of Cambodia. The CBNRM Learning Institute works towards: • Human Resources Development: to build conceptual, analytical, research, and documentation skills of facilitators and researchers within relevant Government and NGO partners at national, provincial and local levels. • Knowledge Building and Sharing: to identify, analyze, and share lessons on experiences of various approaches to community based natural resource management across the country. • Partnership Building: to build networking linkages among institutions supporting resource management strategies at local, national and international levels. • Institutional Arrangements and Policy Support: to improve institutional capacity and understanding of the policy context which influences community based natural resource management practices at the field level. 3.2.6 Concern Worldwide Since 1999, Concern Cambodia has been working with communities and local partners to develop community forestry programming with funding support from Danida, the Irish government and Concern Worldwide. Concern currently works in Kompong Chhnang, Pursat and Kompong Cham. Concern partners include local NGOs, Commune Councils and the Forestry Administration at the Cantonment and Triage levels. Concern has supported the formation of over 60 Community Forestry Management Committees in these provinces and has supported the formation of national and local-level community forestry networks. At the national level, Concern has supported the development of the CFSD and CF Prakas, and provides support to the Community Forestry Office of the FA to develop policy and conduct other 21 activities in support of CF development in Cambodia. The main objective of the Concern Community Forestry Programme is to improve the livelihoods of rural communities by supporting sustainable forest management. Concern will withdraw direct CF support starting in 2006. Current programme partners and CF communities will assume all future implementing responsibilities with limited financial support from Concern. 3.2.7 Danida Tree Seed Programme The Cambodia Tree Seed Project (CTSP) started in 1999, and currently covers almost all provinces in Cambodia. (CTSP) is institutionally linked to the FA within MAFF. It is funded by the Danish Government with technical assistance provide through Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA). The overall objective is to improve the institutional capacity for increasing the use of quality seed countrywide with special emphasis on indigenous tree species and conservation of forest genetic resource. The approach taken has enabled a large number of forest and related staff to progress within their fields more openly and confidently, having effects far beyond the seed sector. Since 2001 the focuses shifted from purely conservation of forest genetic resource by local FA to a participatory conservation approach. As a result, 4 communities in three provinces (Siem Reap, Ratanakiri and Koh Kong) have been involved in the process of establishment and management of seed sources (conservation areas). Through their involvement people gain benefit (income) through selling of tree seeds to seed users around the whole country. 3.2.8 FAO Participatory Natural Resource Mnanagement in the Tonle Sap Region of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was established in 1994 to coordinate the natural resources management in the Tonle Sap region to stop the degradation of forest and flooded forest resources. The project has been operating directly in the field since 1995 under the support of FAO with financial support from the Belgium government. Main activities of the project focus on CF and community fisheries. The project also implements other activities such as Credit, Agroforestry, Reafforestation, Silvicuture and Environment Education to support CF activities. FAO partners include provincial departments of agriculture, fisheries, environment, and rural development along with local Commune Councils and the Forestry Administration at the cantonment, division and triage levels. The main objective of the project is to: 1. To facilitate integrated natural resources management by local communities; 2. To promote private and community-based development activities in support of natural resource management; 3. To implement the strategies and activities for the maintenance of productive fisheries within the Tonle Sap basin; and 4. To strengthen local institution and human capabilities for participatory natural resource development. 5. Rehabilitate the degraded forest and protect water sources 22 FAO began withdrawing direct CF and Fisheries support starting in 2004. Current programme partners and CF communities will assume all future implementing responsibilities with limited financial support from Belgium. 3.2.9 GTZ GTZ has supported the Rural Development Programme in Kampong Thom since 1999 as part of the Natural Resource Management (NRM) component of GTZ programming. The programme objective is to enable local communities to manage their forest resources sustainably. The program works in 11 villages with partner staff from the Provincial NRM Committee which includes representatives from the DoE and FA. The major activities include establishing regulations and developing operational management plans for the use of NTFP and timber products. 3.2.10 Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) JICA has been implementing the Capacity Building Project for the Forestry Sector (CBFS) in Cambodia since 2001. The project supported the construction of the Forestry and Wildlife Training Center (FWTC) and currently supports training activities therein. JICA also has assisted FA to formulate and to implement the Overall Capacity Building Program (OCBP). The overall capacity building needs of FA was analyzed, the priority activities were identified, and the training needs were assessed in 2003 and 2004. The result of OCBP was also used in this report and the both of the official programs of FA, OCBP and NCFP, are consisted each other; for example, strengthening technical knowledge of CF, especially extension techniques, community organization, participatory resource planning/management, silviculture, livelihood development, benefit sharing, etc., and establishment of an information sharing system, especially technical guidelines, manuals and reports, among FA staff, were also identified as the priority activities for the capacity building of FA, according to OCBP. The 2nd phase of CBFS started in Dec. 2005. The project purpose of the new 5-year project is “through the capacity building of FA officers, sustainable utilization of community resources is secured for stabilizing the living of local people in the Field Project sites.” To realize this purpose, JICA will implement the CF Field Project in several sites, as well as training local FA officers at FWTC and on field training sites. Beside the CBFS Phase 2, JICA also supports implementation of OCBP by providing training opportunity for FA staff both in Japan and in 3rd countries, which includes subjects related to CF. 3.2.11 Lutheran World Federation (LWF) LWF started working in Cambodia in 1980 after the Khmer Rouge regime. LWF had supported government departments (e.g. animal health, agriculture and vocational training center) until 1995 and since then has moved its program to support rural communities in remote areas through integrated rural development. LWF focuses on 23 empowerment of rural communities, in particular poorest households, in development of their villages and households by themselves. LWF uses empowerment, community centered, right-based and integrated approaches to achieve its overall objectives “empower rural communities, particularly vulnerable groups to improve their livelihood ”. LWF closely cooperate with ministry of rural development, several respective provincial departments and local authorities to empower rural communities in improving their livelihood. LWF provides some financial support to the CF Network at the national level and sends staff to participate in any meetings/workshops related to forestry and natural resources at national and provincial levels. From 2002 until 2004, LWF has encourages local people to establish about 15 CF projects, and plans to increase that in future because more communities in LWF target areas have requested support for CF establishment. LWF considers FA cantonment, division and triage as necessary partners in supporting CF projects. The objectives of the LWF programme are to: • Reduce disastrous exploitation of forests through CF establishment • Ensure sustainable uses of the forest resource • Promote people's awareness and participation to be aware in forest protection • Mobilize and strengthen the community base organization for self-reliance to take over the role of forest management • Empower communities to achieve long-term sustainable forest management CF activities include community awareness raising related to forestry law and other related laws (CF sub decree etc.), introduction of CF concepts and objectives and needs assessment through PRA; formation of CF committee; training about CF concept and management; exchange visits to other CF management committee members; and support to develop CF by-laws, internal rules and regulations, agreements. LWF also works with the local FA triage office to link communities and the CF for needed service provision. 3.2.12 Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) MCC’s work in Takeo started in the late 1980s when MCC supported the Department of Forestry to establish six tree nurseries in Cambodia. One of these nurseries was located in the 1,600-hectare Prey Ler forest reserve, Tramkok district, Takeo province. In 1992, MCC started a community forestry project in 500 hectares in the west end of Prey Ler involving 12 villages surrounding the forest reserves. The 500 hectares of land was provided as a loan by the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fishery to the people who were living in the 12 villages. After a few years of implementation, MCC observed that these replanting forestry activities were slow in producing benefits such as a reduction of poverty and improvement of food security. MCC then integrated community development activities to address the needs of the villagers where MCC was working. Village Development Committees were elected to manage the development activities. In 1994, a Community Forestry Association was created from the 12 project villages. Three officers were chosen as a Management Committee. Six new villages were added to the project in 1995; the Takeo Community Forestry Integrated Development Association (TCFIDA). 24 In 1998, MCC’s focus remained on helping TCFIDA become autonomous and to shift the relationship from implementers to partners. MCC handed over all projects to TCFIDA in the middle of 1998 and continues to monitor and support TCFIDA by providing funding for core costs and supporting an advisor. 3.2.13 Oxfam GB Under Land Study Project of the Sustainable Livelihoods Programme, the forestry component created an era 2001 to corporate with other NGOs who assisted the poor forest dependent communities to manage their forest resources within the Cambodian legal framework. Our goal “Oxfam works with others to overcome poverty and suffering”, forestry component as part of other components that work for better living of Cambodian depends on forest resources, beside of provide funds and non funding support to Cambodian NGOs, the forestry component assisted the former of Department of Forestry and Wildlife in Forestry Law drafting development and provide support to the consultation of the drafted Community Forestry Management Sub-Decree (CFSD). Oxfam GB supported 10 forestry NGOs working on forestry sector, especially community forestry. Now we expand our programme to support a number of NGOs facilitate the community forestry activities, they are totally 7 NGOs based in Kompong Thom, Odor Mean Chhey, K. Chhnang, Pursat, Stoeng Treng, Preash Vihear, Kratie under Programme on Tropical Forests and other Forests in Development Countries in the period of 5 years. Furthermore, Oxfam GB is working with NGOs in Kompong Speu and Rottanakiri provinces on community forestry development. 3.2.14 Southeast Asia Development Program (SADP) The Southeast Asia Development Program (SADP) began CF programming in 1997. SADP now works in 20 communes in Kompong Chhnang, Preah Vihear, Kratie and Kompong Thom provinces. SADP supports Cambodian NGOs to support the establishment of community forests and to link these efforts to commune councils. SADP is also very active in its support for CF network activities. 3.2.15 WCS Since 1999, WCS has been working on wildlife conservation with local partners to develop participatory land use planning project with funding support from USA WCS currently works in Kao Seima biodiversity conservation in Mondulkiri province. WCS partners include Community Forestry Office, Wildlife Protection Office of Forestry Administration and Triage levels. The main concept of the WCS Programme is nature, local communities, and institutional sustainability, including the following: • Stabilize, restore and recover populations of wildlife, maintain quality and cover of forests, ensure the appropriate management of key natural resources. • Customary forest user rights and indigenous land titles defined, local communities no longer dependent on unsustainable use of natural resources and reduce immigration and stabilise human populations. • A relevant government agency is capable of managing the Seima biodiversity conservation Area (SBCA) independently, long-term funding mechanisms in place and framework exists for other stakeholders to take part in management. 25 3.2.16 Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) WWF is one of the world’s largest and most experienced independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in more than 90 countries. WWF expanded its conservation programmes to Cambodia in 1993 and has been working in strong collaboration with various government institutions, including the Forest Administration, MAFF and MoE. As part of WWF's global mission, WWF Cambodia works to ensure that there will be strong participation and support from all people to conserve the country's rich biological diversity. Through the encouragement of sustainable use of natural resources, WWF Cambodia’s work promotes new opportunities for the benefit of all people, enhances local livelihoods and contributes to poverty reduction. For example, the MOSAIC project works in the Eastern Plains of the Dry Forest Ecoregion to link forest and land issues with local livelihood and natural resource management. WWF Cambodia’s project to promote Sustainable Forest Management began in 2003 to raise awareness of forest certification in Cambodia and to ensure that land holders and managers can manage forest resources for the benefit of future generations. Technical supports related to forestry management were provided to provincial and National Forest Administration as well as private state-run forest enterprises. The project also supports legislation and policy developments related to CF at the national level, CF networking, CF data base, forest law extension team and the National Community Forestry Program. 3.3 Support to CF development In addition to projects assisting communities to organise CF, a number of organizations and projects support other efforts that strengthen CF in Cambodia. These efforts range from developing networks for information sharing, to working directly with the FA on the development of enabling legislation. These efforts are described below. 3.3.1 CF Network The Community Forestry Network in Cambodia was established in 1993 by the Cambodia Environment Management Project (CEMP). The main objective of the network was to provide a forum for communities and other community forestry stakeholders to meet and share experiences. Meetings were held on a quarterly basis and newsletters were distributed with information regarding CF programming and the development of legislation. When CEMP was closed in 1997, MoE, the Department of Forests and Wildlife (DoFW), and Concern continued to support and facilitate the CFNC. In 1998 an organising committee was formed to facilitate the CF Network activities. From 1998 through 2004, the organising committee met regularly to organise the network activities. During this time, the organising committee was under the rotating leadership of the MoE and FA with NGO representatives from WWF, Mlup Baitong, Concern and Oxfam GB. In late 2003, the CFSD was passed and provided the legal framework for CF on FA administered State Public lands. As a result, the organising committee changed the name of the CF Network in order to include and distinguish between community 26 management in protected areas under the administration of the Ministry of Environment (MoE) and CF in FA administered lands. The newly named Community Forestry and Communities in Protected Areas (CF/CPA) Network continued to organise quarterly meetings, field trips and newsletters throughout 2004. During this time, the membership of the organising committee expanded to include CFI. In early 2005, the committee under the leadership of the FA, decided to divide the network into two separate entities: the CF Network and the CPA Network. The CF Network is currently seeking funding. The main objective of the CF Network, according to a recent funding proposal, is to build capacity and increase awareness and understanding of CF by contributing information and sharing experiences of CF implementers and stakeholders. Proposed activities include one annual meeting per year; and two regional meetings; follow-up activities to resolve disputes and issues arising in meetings; newsletter development and distribution; and a study tour for committee members to expand their understanding of networks. 3.3.2 Provincial CF Networks Provincial CF networks have been formed in cooperation with the FA cantonment office in five provinces: Kompong Cham, Kompong Chhnang, Kompong Thom, Pursat and Siem Reap. These networks are supported by several organizations and agencies, (see Table 3.1 below). Provincial networks provide opportunities for sub national levels of local government, CF communities and local NGOs to interact and share experiences and also provide a forum to raise awareness of issues related to CF. These meetings are generally held on a quarterly or semi-annual basis and organizers report that participation has generally increased with each meeting. Table 3.1 Provincial Community Forestry Networks Provincial Network Supported by Participants Kompong Cham FA Cantonment, Concern, PLAN, Seila PLG CFMC, Commune Councils, District government offices, Provincial government offices, LNGO Kompong Chhnang FA Cantonment, Concern, CFI/CFAC, LWF CFMC, Commune Councils, District government offices, Provincial government offices, LNGO Kompong Thom FA Cantonment, GTZ Pursat FA Cantonment, Concern Siem Reap FA Cantonment, FAO 3.3.3 CF Database A CF Information Management Project was initiated in 2001 by the GTZ/MRC supported project Sustainable Management of Natural Resources in the Lower Mekong Basin (SMRP). Unfortunately, the development process of CF database was terminated at the end of the SMRP project in early 2004. 27 Recognising the need for CF data management, the CFO re-initiated the development of a CF database in early 2005 and presented a proposal for a CF Information Management Project to WWF, CFI and Concern for funding. Funding was provided and the project is underway with an expected completion date of December 2005. The main objective of the project is to collect and manage information related to community forestry in an information management system that can assist the CFO to analyse, manage and distribute CF information to stakeholders. 3.3.4 CF Prakas Development Between January 2004 and May 2005, the FA internally developed the preliminary drafts of the CF Prakas. Since that time, the CFO has worked with JICA, Concern and CFI to develop a stakeholder comment process that began in June 2005. This comment period gave CF stakeholders an opportunity to comment on the content of the CF Prakas. CFI has also provided legal advice to the FA during the drafting process and Concern has provided support to field test the CF Prakas throughout the country. In addition, both FAO and Concern have provided feedback on the Prakas based on CF implementation experiences. 3.3.5 Forestry and Wildlife Training Center In 2002, the Forestry and Wildlife Training Center was constructed with support from JICA. The facility is located in Phnom Penh approximately four kilometres northeast of the International Airport. The facility has four lecture rooms and has the capacity to hold 250 people. There are six training coordinators at the site, and the FA has assigned 27 staff as trainers on a part-time basis. Since the opening in February 2003, training sessions have been held for government staff on a number of topics including: Forestry Law, Community Forestry, Nursery Management, Silviculture, Forest/Plantation Management, Forest Mensuration, Wildlife Management, Forest Management Planning, Mapping, etc. The facility is also available for NGOs and other organisations to host trainings, workshops and meetings; the training center has been utilised by the International Tropical Timber Organisation, World Bank and several NGOs for these purposes. 28 4 Current CF Locations and Areas 4.1 Overview of CF in Cambodia Since the mid-1990s, Community Forestry (CF) has been gradually developing in Cambodia through small pilot projects supported by government, and international and local NGOs. According to the FA’s CFO, at present 274 CF sites covering 218,647 hectares have been established involving 614 villages8. These early pilot projects have demonstrated that community forestry has considerable potential in Cambodia to protect forests and enhance their productivity and capacity to support rural livelihoods, while stabilizing critical watersheds and ecosystems. The map below provides a visual depiction of the distribution of CF sites throughout the country. Since the CF Prakas have not been approved, there has been no formalized legal framework for the local communities to reach agreement with the Government. From the NCFP regional workshop report and CF Data list of IMU/CFO, 274 community forestry sites have been identified throughout the country. This figure includes community forestry sites which are still in the very early stages of development (Please refer to steps in community forestry establishment above). The only CF lands that have been formally allocated and recognized by the Government are in Takeo province with a total forest area of 500 hectares of degraded land. 8 From Community Forestry Statistics 2004, Forestry Administration 2005. 29 Totally, there are 19 provinces and municipalities, 76 districts, 157 communes and 614 villages involved in CF activities. Number of households involved in CF activities in Cambodia is estimated to be 62,402 as of 2005. These households have access to or are managing about 180,000 hectares of mostly semi-evergreen natural forests. A number of international and local NGOs and projects have been supporting community forestry development in Cambodia. Leading organizations include FAO, Concern Worldwide, IDRC, WWF/CBNRM LI, Oxfam GB, GTZ, CFI, CBFS/JICA, IFAD, CFRP, EPDO, CDA, KAFDOC, Kaksekor Thmey and BFDK. This following information in this chapter provides background and summary information about CF locations and areas in each inspectorate. This information serves as background for the analysis in Chapter 5 and subsequent recommendations and plans in chapters 6 and 7. 4.2 Northern Tonle Sap Inspectorate 4.2.1 Description of Inspectorate Area The Northern Tonle Sap Forestry Administration Inspectorate is located in the Northern plains of the Tonle Sap River bordering the Southern FA Inspectorate and the Mekong FA Inspectorate. The Inspectorate comprises five provinces including Siem Reap, Kampong Thom, Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meancheay and Preah Vihear, and represents 39 districts and 319 communes. The office of the Northern FA Inspectorate is in Siem Reap provincial town. Under the Inspectorate, there are 3 FA Cantonments including Siem Reap Cantonment (Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey and Banteay Meanchey provinces), Preah Vihear Cantonment and Kampong Thom Cantonment. There are 8 Divisions and 25 Triages in Siem Reap Cantonment, 4 Divisions and 10 Triages in Preah Vihear FA Cantonment and 3 Divisions and 9 Triages in Kampong Thom FA Cantonment. The Inspectorate has a total population of 2,030,535. Ecology of the Northern Tonle Sap Inspectorate This extensively forested region has a mostly humid, hot climate with a medium to long dry season in which rainfall decreases significantly from west to east. Extensive humid low elevation dry and semi-evergreen forests occur primarily on old alluvial soils and sub-humid deciduous forests on a range of soils types9 Forest area in the Northern Tonle Sap Inspectorate Table 4.1 summarises the forest area in the Inspectorate by type according to FA records. According to the 2000 FA report on forest statistics, the total forestland in each province is categorized into three conditions; degraded forest, semi-dense forest and dense forest. As indicated in the table below, the dense forest area in Kampong Thom and Preah Vihear remain more intact than in the other three provinces: Siem 9 Description derived from Independent Forest Sector Review, 2004. 30 Reap, Oddar Meancheay and Banteay Meancheay. However, with the exception of Kompong Thom province, the general forest condition in most of the inspectorate is degraded. Table 4.1: Forest Area in Northern Tonle Sap FA Inspectorate Total Forest area by category by province (ha) Northern Tonle Sap FA Inspectorate Degraded Semi-dense Dense Siem Reap 186,315 43,134 121,253 Oddar Meanchey 251,728 71,319 166,935 Banteay Meanchey 100,669 24,680 12,824 Preah Vihear 927,393 156,801 222,424 Kampong Thom 85,141 26,022 348,968 Total forest area within the inspectorate by category 1,551,246 321,956 872,404 Source: Forestry Administration 2002 Concession Forest Area Within the inspectorate, there are two types of concessions; forest and agriculture concessions. Since the logging moratorium put in place as part of the forestry reform process in January 2002, many of the forest concession companies have been cancelled and others are under review by the government for renewal contingent upon approval of management plans and environmental and social impact assessments. These forest concession companies are Kolexim in Kampong Thom, Timas and PTT in Preah Vihear, and Samrong Wood in Siem Reap. 4.2.2 Description of CF Area The total number of CF villages and sites identified in the Workshop can be divided into those where the FA has and has not been involved in development. In the Northern Tonle Sap, the FA has been involved in CF in 85 villages at 46 sites. An additional 15 sites, representing 15 villages were also reported at the workshop. Table 4.2 below identifies the NGO supporting CF by province. Table 4.2: NGOs supporting CF in Northern Tonle Sap Inspectorate by province Province NGOs BPS Preah Vihear WCS Mlup Baitong RPFD or RPDP BFDK GTZ WFD ESSD Kampong Thom WFYD APDO FAO Siem Reap PADEK Banteay Meanchey OKENDEN 31 SEILA RGDEDO CPRO ICF BPS ADESS CDA CF in O’ Pal (Monk’s Forest) Oddar Meanchey BFDK Total 22 Total area covered by CF Siem Reap is the province with the most number of CF sites in comparison to the other four provinces within the Inspectorate. The total forest area covered by CF within the Inspectorate can be divided into the area of existing CF sites and the desired/potential CF sites. The following information is collected from the NCFP regional workshop in 2004 in Siem Reap province. As shown in Table 4.3 below, the total area of desired CF in Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey and Preah Vihear, due to some reasons, has not been identified. Table 4.3: Existing and potential CF area in Northern Tonle Sap Inspectorate Provinces Total existing CF area (ha) Siem Reap 21,965 Oddar Meanchey 14,000 Banteay Meanchey 35,505 Preah Vihear 8,253 (semi-dense) Kampong Thom 41,706 12,158 (degraded) 18,460 (semi-dense) 11,088 (dense) TOTAL 121,429 Source: NCFP report,2005 Kampong Thom FA Cantonment: There are six NGOs working to support 43 CF pilot sites while the FA Cantonment does not have its own CF site yet. However, these NGOs have requested and received technical support from the Cantonment to facilitate and strengthen the existing CF sites. Even though there is no official recognition, the FA officials are informed and involved in some steps of the CF establishment. The immediate task of the FA Cantonment is to help NGOs to strengthen and legalize the existing CF sites by following the 8 steps for CF establishment to enable those CF sites be officially recognized by FA. This should take place once the CF Prakas is enacted by MAFF. Siem Reap FA Cantonment: Within this Cantonment, there are around 50 CF sites (including CF sites in Oddar Meancheay and Banteay Meanchey), and approximately 50% of them have some form of recognition from the FA. The majority of the CF 32 sites are in Siem Reap province, and were originally supported by FAO. The deputy FA Cantonment reports that there are growing requests from local people to establish new CF sites in order to assist in the prevention illegal forest cutting/clearing and encroachment activities. In general, the number of CF sites established in Siem Reap and Kampong Thom has increased remarkably between 2000 and 2005, while the awareness of CF establishment is stronger in Oddar Meancheay. Over the past few years, CF establishment activities were strong in Banteay Meanchey, but the number of sites has decreased recently due to unstable support in the region. 4.3 Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate 4.3.1 Description of Inspectorate Area The Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate is located in the southern plain of the Tonle Sap River and covers 5 provinces/city including Battambang and Pailin, Pursat, Kampong Chhnang, Kandal and Kampong Speu. There are three cantonments within the Inspectorate including Battambang, Pursat and Kampong Chnang. It also has 15 Division and 47 Triages. Ecology of the Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate The Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate includes a diversity of landscapes. The area roughly corresponding to Battambong province is located on the Battambong plain and is an area of fertile soils that supports extensive agriculture and deciduous forest. Within Pursat and Pailin provinces, there are areas of dense evergreen forest at low and medium elevations with less dense population than in other areas of the inspectorate. Kompong Chhnang’s landscape consists of primarily degraded deciduous forests at low and medium elevations. The Mekong Delta (roughly corresponding to Kompong Speu and Kandal provinces) is a densely populated area of extensive agriculture and includes some flooded forests and marsh areas. Forest Area in the Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate Data on the forest condition in the Southern Tonle Sap Inpsectorate is summarised in Table 4.4 below. Table 4.4 Forest Area in Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate Total Forest Area (ha) Provinces Degraded Semi-Dense Dense Pursat 237,058 101,220 469,266 Battambang 151,813 103,489 171,039 Pailin 11,455 13,572 61,280 Kampong Chhnang 150,482 6,219 16,097 Kampong Speu and Kandal 322,770 24,155 75,004 Source: FA 2002 Most of the forestland in the Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate is found in Pursat. The most extensive tracts of dense forestland are also found in Pursat where almost 470,000 hectares of dense forest are reported. Pailin has limited forestland but it is very dense and of high quality. In Kompong Chhnang the forestland is limited and 33 mostly degraded while in Kompong Speu and Kandal provinces, there are vast tracts of degraded forestland with high potential for agriculture or reforestation. Forest Concessions in the Southern Tonle Sap There were some seven forest concessions operating in the Inspectorate prior to the cancellation of forest concessions in 2001. Other concession companies within the Inspectorate continue to manage concession areas as described in the Table 4.5 below. Table 4.5 Concession management summary in Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate Concessionaire Area in hectares Location Date of extension contract Expiry date Purpose *Pheapimex Co., Ltd 176,065 Toek Phos, Samaki Meanchey and Boribo, KOMPONG CHHNANG 8 January 2000 2070 Eucalyptus tree *Pheapimex Co., Ltd 138,963 Krovan, Krakor, Sampov Meas, PURSAT 8 January 2000 2070 Eucalyptus tree Ratana Visal Development Co., Ltd 3,000 Krakor, PURSAT 15 October 99 N/A Cashew nut Hour Hong Co. LTD 2,040 Phnom Srouch, KOMPONG SPEU Not yet contracted Fruit trees, animal Raising *Golden Land Development Co. Ltd. 2,100 increased to 4,900 Phnom Srouch, KOMPONG SPEU 05 March 2004 5 March 2074 Acacia and eucalyptus Source: Land concessions for economic purposes in Cambodia, A human rights perspective UN, 2004 There have been on-going reports of conflict between the Pheapimix concession and local people in Pursat in 2005. The conflict arose from unclear boundary demarcation and is exacerbated by limited community consultation. Major Issues According to the results from the first NCFP regional workshop, legal, technical and organisational issues present challenges to CF implementation. Legal issues include securing community tenure for the medium and short-term and the lack of clear mechanisms and support to complete these processes. Technical and organisational issues primarily concern the need for additional training in order to support CFMC organising and CF management planning. 34 4.3.2 Description of CF Areas In the Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate, 17 NGOs support CF development. Table 4.6 identifies the NGOs supporting CF in the Inspectorate by province. Table 4.6 Organisations supporting CF in Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate Province NGOs FFI KYSD Concern Worldwide KDP SEILA AUSAID CI Pursat EPDO ADESS CARERE Sida/UNDP LWF CBO Battambang CBCDO Pailin AEC Concern Worldwide Kampong Chhnang PNKA (Phnom Neang Kangrey Association), LWF, CFI Mlup Baitong Kampong Speu LWF Kandal (No CF) Total 17 Questionnaires were completed by workshop participants in the Inspectorate. According to responses there are 169 villages in the Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate involved in CF. Of these, 88 sites have received support from the FA for some of the CF activities. All of the CF villages represent more than 127,000 community members and more than 28,000 households. The CF members for all villages equal 48,800 which includes 20,500 women. CFMC have been formed in 119 villages and include 867 men and 208 women. Only 115 of the 169 villages reported in the questionnaire reported the date of establishment. However, of those, the vast majority were established in 2004 (see Figure 4-1 below. This would seem to indicate a growing interest in CF in the inspectorate. 35 Figure 4-1: CF Establishment in the Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate (2000-2004) 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 CF Villages Total area covered by CF The reported total area of forest in the inspectorate currently under community management is estimated at 56,241 hectares, (see Table 4.7 below). This is a very rough estimate based on the volumes reported in the questionnaire and revised in the workshop. Table 4.7: Area of existing CF area in Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate Source: CF Database Province Total number of CF Villages Area of CF (ha) Pursat 39 20,977 Battambang 20 4,772 Pailin 18 2,650 Kampong Chhnang 66 26,212 Kampong Speu 14 1,630 Kandal 0 0 TOTAL 157 56,241 Table 4.8 compares the total area in the Inspectorate by province under CF management. This is based on information from the NCFP workshop and so the totals are not consistent with those reported above. What is evident is that almost all of the CF sites reported are on degraded lands and represent relatively small areas relative to the size of the managing communities. Table 4.8 Total area of CF in different forest types in Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate Province(s) Degraded Semi degraded Well stocked TOTAL Battambang and Pailin 5,592 1,675 - 7,267 K Chnnang 5,863 - - 5,863 K Speu 1,629 - - 1,629 Pursat 4,761 - - 4,761 Source: NCFP workshop report in Pursat, 2005 36 4.4 Mekong Inspectorate 4.4.1 Description of Inspectorate Area The Mekong Forestry Administration Inspectorate is responsible for all of the area in Cambodia east of the Mekong River. This includes seven provinces: Kampong Cham, Kratie, Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, Steng Treng, Prey Veng and Svay Rieng. The office of the Mekong Inspectorate is located in Kompong Cham provincial town. There are 17 Divisions and 54 Triages in 5 Cantonments within the inspectorate. Ecology of the Mekong Inspectorate The Mekong Inspectorate represents a diversity of landscapes. The northeast region including most of Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, Kratie and Steng Treng is much less densely populated than other regions of the country and is extensively forested with a very humid to hot and humid climate. In this area, low to medium elevations support extensive areas of deciduous and semi-evergreen forests while grasslands are found on the Mondulkiri Plateau. Kompong Cham is located in the middle of the Inspectorate Area and is largely deforested with extensive agricultural areas. Forestlands are primarily fragmented remnant evergreen forest and dry dipterocarp forests with some areas of rubber plantation. The southern portion of the Inspectorate includes Prey Veng and Svay Reng provinces which are located on the Mekong delta. The climate in these provinces is dry to hot and humid, and is densely populated with extensive agriculture. Forest area in the Mekong Inspectorate As described above, the majority of the forestland is found in the northeastern provinces of Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, Kratie and Steng Treng, with less extensive areas of forested land located in Kompong Cham province. Table 4.9 summarises the forest area in the Inspectorate by type according to FA records from 2002. According to the Independent Forest Sector review, the northeastern forests of Cambodia have come under some of the most intensive deforestation pressure in the country, so these numbers are estimations at best. Table 4.9: Forest Area in Mekong FA Inspectorate Total Forest area by category by province (ha) Mekong FA Inspectorate Degraded Semi-dense Dense TOTAL Kampong Cham 10,936 12,488 43,111 66,535 Kratie 510,904 140,435 266,476 917,815 Ratanakiri 438,275 228,281 254,111 920,667 Mondulkiri 873,132 178,372 190,707 1,242,211 Steng Treng 459,790 285,668 294,820 1,040,278 Prey Veng 9,384† 9,384 Svay Reng 11,531 536 12,067 TOTAL 2,313,952 845,244 1,049,761 4,208,957 Source: Forestry Administration 2002 † This figure is quoted from the workshop 37 Concession Forest Area Prior to 2003, there were 13 concession areas in the Mekong Inspectorate. A review of the concession system has led to the cancellation of 10 of the concessions with the remaining three under review: Pheapimix Ratanakiri, Casotim, and Samling. Their operations are currently suspended and their management plans are under FA review. These areas represent approximately 3,143,684 hectares of Production Forest within the Permanent Forest Reserve. Major issues In all of the provinces represented in the Mekong Inspectorate, developing and writing management plans for CF was identified as a weakness and an area that was prioritised for strengthening in future. Other major issues among the five weakness identified during the regional workshop included the lack of CF facilitation skill, CF inventory, extension of forestry law and CF Sub-Decree, leadership, forest fire fighting techniques, gender involvement, PRA and PLUP. 4.4.2 Description of CF Areas CF is supported by government and NGOs throughout the country. In the Mekong Inspectorate, 11 NGOs support CF development. Table 4.10 identifies the NGOs supporting CF in the Mekong Inspectorate by province. Table 4.10: NGOs supporting CF in Mekong Inspectorate by province Province NGOs Kompong Cham Concern Kasekor Thmey Ratanakiri Seila Ratanakiri Mondulkiri CIDSE SSP Kratie CED SSP CFI/CFAC RDPC Khmer Association for Rural Development in Cambodia Steung Treng SSP CEPA Svay Rieng Santesena Total 11 According to NCFP Workshop participants, questionnaire responses, there are 97 villages in the Mekong Inspectorate involved in CF and the vast majority (72 villages) have received some assistance from the FA to develop their CFMC. These villages represent nearly 100,000 community members and more than 19,000 households. The CF members for all villages equal 33,075 which includes 17,276 women. CFMC have been formed in 85 villages and include 692 men and 184 women. Only 55 of the 96 villages reported in the questionnaire reported the date of establishment. However, of those, the vast majority were established after 2002, (see Figure 4-2 below. 38 Figure 4-2: CF Establishment in the Mekong Inspectorate (2000-2004) CF Establishment in Mekong Inspectorate 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Year C F V ill ag es Total area covered by CF The reported total area of forest in the inspectorate currently under community management is estimated at 367,124 hectares. This is a very rough estimate based on the volumes reported in the questionnaire and revised in the workshop. However, GPS was only used at one site in Kratie, one site in Ratanakiri, and all 10 sites reported in Kompong Cham. Of the remaining villages, 34 provided CF area estimates. However, the remaining 51 villages, including all of those in Mondulkiri, provided no estimate at all. Newly established villages that were not counted in this assessment have also not been considered in this estimate. Table 4.11: Area of existing CF area in Mekong Inspectorate Provinces Dense Semi dense Degraded TOTAL Kompong Cham n/a 2,918 1,488 4,406 Ratanakiri n/a n/a n/a 196,191* Mondulkiri n/a n/a n/a n/a Steung Treng n/a n/a n/a 20,825* Kratie n/a 20,027 1,461 144,866* Svay Rieng n/a n/a n/a 836* Prey Veng n/a n/a n/a TOTAL 367,124* Source: NCFP report and CF database *estimated value As indicated in Table 4.11 above, the total area of CF in different forest types can only be estimated. However, participants at the workshop reported that most CF was found in degraded or semi-dense forests. The exception to this was in Kratie and Ratanakiri, where communities have established CF without FA coordination. Many 39 of these villages reported areas of CF exceeding 1,000 hectares of well-stocked forestland. Kampong Cham Province All of the sites in Kompong Cham province have been developed in cooperation with the NGO Concern and are recognised by the FA. Since the restructuring of the FA, staff from the Cantonment and Triage offices has worked with Concern to develop CF in these villages. All of the villages have been demarcated and have received other technical support from the FA. Mondulkiri Province Within this province seven CF areas were reported through questionnaire but no data was available regarding the area or forest type. Ratanakiri Province Almost 200,000 hectares of CF were reported by participants although only one CF, facilitated by Ratanikiri Seila provided information through the questionnaire for an area of approximately 2,500 hectares. No information on forest type was available. Kratie Province Forty-four CF areas were identified in Kratie. Of these, only 13 CF reported their area and all were based on estimations. Steung Treng Province Twenty-eight CF were reported in Steung Treng Province. Sixteen CF areas reported estimations of area covering more than 20,000 hectares in various forest types although GPS was not used for boundary demarcation in any cases. Svay Rieng Province Five CF areas were reported covering a total of 836 hectares although GPS was not used for boundary demarcation in any cases. 4.5 Coastal Inspectorate 4.5.1 Description of Inspectorate Area The Coastal Forestry Administration Inspectorate includes the five southern coastal provinces of Takeo, Koh Kong, Kampot, Krong Kep and Krong Preah Sihanouk. Under the Inspectorate, there are 3 FA Cantonments: Kampot (which includes Takeo and Kampot provinces) Sihanoukville, and Koh Kong. There are 8 Divisions and 25 Triage Offices within the inspectorate. Ecology of the Coastal Inspectorate The Coastal Inspectorate represents a diversity of landscapes. Generally, this area receives more rainfall than other parts of the country, has a shorter dry season and has a hot humid climate. In the eastern districts of the inspectorate the population density is high, and extensive agriculture, flooded forest and marshlands dominate the landscape. The remainder of the Coastal Inspectorate is less densely populated and features very humid areas ranging from low to medium elevation evergreen forests and some areas of deciduous forest. 40 Forest area in the Coastal Inspectorate Table 4.12 summarises the forest area in the Inspectorate by type according to FA records from 2004. Most of the forestland in the inspectorate is in Koh Kong (74%) and Kampot (18%) provinces. Takeo forestlands are largely degraded and cover a relatively small area while the forest in Koh Kong province contains vast tracts of dense evergreen forestland. Table 4.12: Forest Area in Coastal FA Inspectorate Total Forest area by category by province (ha) Provinces Degraded Semi-dense Dense TOTAL Sihanoukville 32 10,262 66,698 76,992 Kampot 77,198 8,471 138,262 223,931 Keb 0 580 1,061 1,641 Takeo 8,219 0 1,953 10,172 Koh Kong 30,290 20,013 827,668 877,971 TOTAL 115,739 39,326 1,035,642 1,190,707 Source: Forestry Administration 2002 Concession Forest Area Prior to 2003, there were 8 forest concession areas in the Coastal Inspectorate. A review of the concession system has led to the cancellation of 5 of the concessions with the remaining three under review: SilverRoad Pursat, SilverRoad Koh Kong, and Samling. Their operations are currently suspended and their management plans are under FA review. These areas represent over 500,000 hectares. Major issues In all of the provinces represented in the Coastal Inspectorate, developing and writing management plans for CF, boundary demarcation and legalising CF status were identified as weaknesses and priority areas for strengthening in future. Land encroachment was also identified as a major issue. In Takeo, where CF has been established on degraded forestland, it was noted that on its own, CF made very little contribution to livelihood improvement. 4.5.2 Description of CF Areas CF is supported by government and NGOs throughout the country. In the Coastal Inspectorate, 4 NGOs support CF development. Table 4.13 identifies the NGOs supporting CF in the Coastal Inspectorate by province. Table 4.13: NGOs supporting CF in Coastal Inspectorate by province Province NGOs Kampot CIDSE CFRP Takeo MCC Koh Kong AFSC CFRP TOTAL 4 41 According to NCFP Workshop participants and questionnaire responses, there are 14 villages in the Coastal Inspectorate involved in CF and all have received some assistance from the FA to develop their CFMC. These villages represent nearly 18,000 community members and more than 3,600 households. The CF members for all villages equal 5,062 which includes 2,101 women. CFMC have been formed in 85 villages and include 692 men and 184 women. Total area covered by CF Table 4.14 below, summarises the area of existing CF area in the inspectorate. The total area of community forest as reported by participants in the workshop is 6,575. Area estimates located in different forest types are incomplete, but participants reported that the majority of CF area is located in degraded forestland. Approximately half of the CF area in the inspectorate has been verified using GPS. Table 4.14: Area of existing CF area in Coastal Inspectorate Provinces Dense Semi dense Degraded TOTAL Takeo 500 500 Koh Kong 592 1543 1655 3,790 Kampot 2285 TOTAL 6,575 Source: NCFP report and CF database 42 5 Results of Needs Assessment 5.1 Overview 5.1.1 Workshop A workshop was held in each of the four Inspectorates between September 2004 and January 2005. The RWG assisted the Taskforce to identify participants and to organise the workshops. Participants included representatives from the Inspectorate, Cantonment, Division and Triage levels of FA, district governors, Commune Councils, CFMC representatives and local and international NGO10. Prior to the workshop, a questionnaire was sent to all participants requesting information regarding CF activities, training needs and capacity, and other CF related information 11 . Information gathered from the questionnaire was used as an input in the workshop. The workshop focused on three main activities: a resource needs assessment, a mapping exercise, and identification of community forestry priority activities for the next five years. CF Resource Needs Assessment The objective of the CF resource assessment was to identify the human and capital resources needed for Community Forestry development and expansion in Cambodia; to review information provided in the questionnaire; and to give participants the opportunity to analyse the data collected in their respective provinces. Participants worked in small provincially-based groups and reviewed the results of the questionnaire. Participants were asked to review the results of the questionnaire for accuracy and revise them as appropriate. They were then asked to assess their preparedness in a wide range of CF-related activities. Preparedness was assessed on the basis of the number of people trained and the number of people able to train others. Using this data, participants were then asked to identify the five areas of greatest weakness and greatest strength in their province and what human and capital resources were needed to further support the development of these competencies. It should be noted that most of the technical training has been provided through the FWTC or from NGO supporting CF. Mapping Exercise The objective of the mapping exercise was to identify the location of CF villages, identify areas of deforestation, and areas for potential CF sites. Using the data available in the FA GIS database, maps of each province in the four Inspectorates were created that included information about forest cover and CF locations demarcated. Participants were also asked to identify priority areas for potential CF development. Identification of community forestry priority activities In the final exercise, participants were again divided into groups and asked to review the results from the previous exercises. Based on this analysis, each group was asked to identify the top 5 priorities for their group. 10 Please see Appendix IV for a complete list of participants for each workshop. 11 The questionnaire is found in Appendix II. 43 5.2 Northern Tonle Sap Inspectorate 5.2.1 Description of CF Activities Although the Inspectorate includes 5 provinces, Siem Reap, Oddar Meancheay, Banteay Meanchey, Preah Vihear and Kompong Thom, data regarding CF activities is only available for 65 sites supported by the Siem Reap Cantonment, and 75 sites in Kompong Thom supported by both the Forestry Administration (11 sites) and LNGO (64 sites). These sites represent approximately 63,000 hectares12 and include more than 33,000 CF members including more than 17,000 women. In these two locations, the frequency of CF activities varies considerably as can be seen in Table 5.1 below. Table 5.1 CF activities in the Northern Tonle Sap Inspectorate by province Activities Siem Riep Kompong Thom TOTAL No. w/ FA No. w/ FA No. w/ FA Extension 27 n/a 45 n/a 72 n/a PRA 24 24 49 31 73 55 Organise CFMC 29 29 56 43 85 72 CF By-law 20 20 28 25 48 45 Boundary demarcation 35 35 40 40 75 75 CF regulation 25 25 44 43 69 68 CF agreement 0 0 6 6 Management Plan 21 21 12 7 33 28 Land Use Mapping 29 29 30 24 59 53 The data is incomplete from these villages but available data indicates that there is limited involvement by the FA in CF sites supported by LNGOs. Furthermore, in village sites where the FA is directly involved in implementation, many activities needed to establish well managed and organised CFMCs have not yet been conducted. LNGO supported CF sites in Kompong Thom have received more support from the FA than in Banteay Meanchey where the FA has not been involved. Although management planning activities have begun at a number of sites as indicated by the number of land use maps, PRA and boundary demarcations conducted, most CF sites in the inspectorate lack a management plan. In addition, most CF sites will need to increase cooperation with the FA authorities in order to establish their legal status. 5.2.2 Description of training capacity Data regarding training capacity is only available for Siem Reap and Kompong Thom provinces and is summarised below. Kompong Thom reported higher numbers of trained individuals in various skills than did Siem Reap, while no data was provided from other provinces in the Inspectorate. Overall, the training capacity in the Northern Tonle Sap Inspectorate was extremely limited as can be seen from the table below. In addition, respondents often appeared 12 Workshop participants estimated the total CF area in the Inspectorate at more than 121,000 hectares, but data is not available to verify this report. 44 to equate training and the ability to train so the reported number of available trainers is suspect. Not surprisingly, given the relatively recent introduction of CF in Cambodia, there is more expertise for activities involved in establishing CF, rather than in skills required for more advanced CF management and organising. Table 5.2 Number of trained staff and available trainers in the Northern Tonle Sap Inspectorate Between 6 and 15 Less than 6 No training or expertise Training provided Boundary demarcation GPS Extension Organisational Mgmt Report Writing Forest Inventory Facilitation Gender Conflict Resolution Tree Planting Forest Fire Prevention Monitoring and Evaluation PRA CF Mgmt Plan writing Accounting Coppicing Wildlife protection Forest Fire Fighting Data mgmt Agro-forestry Harvesting Silviculture Charcoal production Resin Tapping Seedling Production Trainer available Boundary demarcation GPS Extension Facilitation Tree Planting PRA CF Mgmt Plan writing Organisational Mgmt Report Writing Accounting Forest Inventory Gender Conflict Resolution Coppicing Technique Wildlife protection Forest Fire fighting Forest Fire prevention Data mgmt Agro-forestry Charcoal Production Resin Tapping Harvesting Seedling Production Silviculture Source: CF Database In the workshop participants were asked to identify the weaknesses and strengths in their province, and the key skills that were a priority for future training. The results are found in table Table 5.3 below. Table 5.3 Key Skills, Strengths and Weakness in the Northern Tonle Sap Inspectorate Provinces 5 Key skills needed 5 Strengths 5 Weakness Siem Reap Oddar Meanchey Banteay Meanchey CF management plan Forest inventory CF Facilitation Concepts and process of CF establishment Techniques for harvesting forest products Conflict resolution Participatory land use Monitoring and evaluation Agro forestry Understanding of Sub decree on CF management Forest fire prevention techniques NTFP processing techniques, Coppice techniques, Leadership 45 Administrative work Preah Vihear Concepts and process of CF development GPS use Boundary demarcation Methods for management plan writing PRA CF extension Forest Inventory Wildlife protection Silviculture Techniques for harvesting NTFP Management CF Facilitation Conflict resolution Data and document management Monitoring and evaluation Kampong Thom CF Facilitation Conflict resolution Leadership PRA Methods for writing management plan Dissemination of law and legislation Action planning Tree planting techniques Report writing techniques Boundary demarcation Methods for management plan writing Silviculture NTFP processing Agro forestry Resin tapping techniques Source: CF Database Although identified strengths varied between provinces, all five provinces felt that extension was a key strength. Weaknesses included conflict resolution, land use planning, monitoring and evaluation and agro-forestry All five provinces identified management planning as an area where further skill needed development and other priorities included PRA, boundary demarcation, conflict resolution and forest inventorying. In a related exercise, participants were asked to prioritise future CF activities. In all provinces, the legalisation of CF through the approval of the CF Prakas and dissemination and enforcement of this and related rules and regulations (such as the CFSD) was seen as essential to the success and future development of CF. 5.3 Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate 5.3.1 Description of CF Activities The FA has identified several key activities involved in CF establishment. The frequency of these activities in the Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate is reported in Table 5.4 below. Included in the table is the number of villages in which the FA has actively assisted the community in these activities. Table 5.4 CF Activities by Province in Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate Activities Pursat K Chhnang Battambang K Speu Pailin TOTAL No. w/ FA No. w/ FA No. w/ FA No. w/ FA No. w/ FA No. w/ FA PRA 30 20 42 15 16 14 14 7 5 5 107 61 Organise CFMC 32 25 42 27 20 18 14 7 9 9 117 86 Boundary demarcation 20 20 40 40 7 7 11 10 0 0 78 77 46 CF By-law 1 0 30 13 3 3 4 0 5 5 43 21 CF agreement 6 1 0 0 0 0 4 0 5 5 43 21 Management Plan 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 1 Land Use Mapping 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 According to the questionnaire responses, there are 167 CF sites in the inspectorate. However, the data from the questionnaire summarised in Table 5.4 covers less than 25% of all of the CF sites in the inspectorate so it is difficult to draw definitive conclusions. However, it may be assumed that the CF sites not reported in the questionnaire have received no assistance from the FA to date. Data above suggests that preliminary CF activities including PRA, boundary demarcation and the formation of the CFMC have begun and that in most cases, the FA has assisted NGOs and communities with these processes. With the exception of six sites in Pursat, there is no management plan in the inspectorate, and the vast majority of sites lack CF agreements. This suggests that there will be future demand for management planning and formalising CF agreements in the Inspectorate. 5.3.2 Description of training capacity The training capacity in the inspectorate as reported in the questionnaire and the workshop is summarised in Table 5.5 below. Overall, the training capacity in the Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate is much greater than in other inspectorates with particularly large numbers of technically skilled staff. Unlike other inspectorates, the number of trained staff and those who are able to train others was decidedly different, suggesting that there is an understanding in the inspectorate that training and being able to train others are distinctly different skills. Furthermore, unlike other inspectorates, training has been provided in every CF skill area to at least 2 people. The reason for this may be the large number of NGOs working in the inspectorate that collaborate with the FA. Table 5.5 Number of trained staff and available trainers in the Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate More than 50 Between 10-49 Less than 10 Training provided Forestry Law Extension Report Writing Planning Forest Inventory Facilitation Tree Planting Forest Fire Fighting Monitoring and Evaluation Agro-forestry Silviculture PRA skills Boundary Demarcation GPS CF Management Plan Writing Conflict Resolution Wildlife Protection NTFP Processing Data Management Harvesting Seedling Production ToT 47 Trainer available Agro-forestry Silviculture Boundary Demarcation GPS CF Management Plan Writing Forestry Law Extension Report Writing Planning Forest Inventory Facilitation Conflict Resolution Tree Planting Wildlife Protection Forest Fire Fighting Data Management Monitoring and Evaluation Harvesting Seedling Production ToT PRA NTFP Processing In the workshop participants were also asked to identify the weaknesses and strengths in their province, and the key skills that were a priority for future training. The results are found in Table 5.3 below. Table 5.6 Key Skills, Strengths and Weakness in the Southern Tonle Sap Inspectorate Provinces 5 Key skills needed 5 Strengths 5 Weakness Pursat PRA Boundary demarcation Forest inventory CF Management plan writing Management skill Management skill CF Concepts and establishment process Use of GPS Boundary demarcation Silviculture NTFP processing Agro-forestry Forest fire fighting technique Forest fire prevention Marketing Battambang Pailin Forestry law extension CF Sub-Decree extension Forest inventory CF Management plan writing Use of GPS Forest inventory Forest law extension CF Sub-Decree extension Use of GPS CF management plan writing PRA Management Action plan development Conflict resolution ToT Kampong Chhnang Charcoal production Leadership Conflict resolution Silviculture CF Management Plan writing CF Management Plan writing PRA Gender issue Use of GPS Facilitation Resin tapping technique Charcoal production Wildlife protection CF Sub-Decree extension Forestry Law extension Kampong Speu and Kandal Use of GP ToT PLUP Boundary demarcation Accounting Forest inventory Forestry law extension Tree planting Nursery PRA Forest fire protection Charcoal production Marketing Resin tapping NTFP processing As identified by participants, the 3 main skills needed include CF Management Plan writing, forest inventory and boundary demarcation. Weaknesses included PRA, forest fire, agro-forestry and action plan development. 48 5.4 Mekong Inspectorate 5.4.1 Description of CF Activities Table 5.7 summarises the completed activities in support of CF that have been conducted in the Mekong Inspectorate by communities and with the support of the FA. Table 5.7 CF Activities by Province in Mekong Inspectorate Activities K Cham Mondulki ri Ratanakir i Kratie Steng Treng Srey Rieng TOTAL No. w/ FA No. w/ FA No. w/ FA No. w/ FA No. w/ FA No. w/ FA No. w/ FA Extension 10 n/a 6 n/a 0 n/a 21 n/a 12 n/a 2 n/a 51 PRA 10 10 6 5 1 1 9 0 2 2 2 0 30 18 Organise CFMC 10 10 6 6 1 1 19 6 15 2 2 0 53 25 Boundary demarcation 10 10 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 12 11 CF regulation 10 10 6 6 1 1 12 0 8 2 2 0 39 19 CF By-law 9 9 6 6 0 0 12 0 9 2 1 0 37 17 CF agreement 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 3 Managemen t Plan 3 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 7 3 Land Use Mapping 10 10 6 6 1 1 20 0 15 0 2 0 54 17 The information in the table above represents less than half of the reported CF sites in the Inspectorate and so definitive conclusions are difficult to draw. However it does seem clear that the main activities to date involve extension, organising CFMC, boundary demarcation and mapping. It is also of interest to note that of these activities, less than half are supported by the FA and CF regulations, by-laws and agreements have been drafted or adopted by very few CFMCs. This may be due in part to the fact that the CF Prakas, which will provide templates and guides for these documents, has not been enacted. However, the lack of these documents may suggest an overall weakness in the organisational and management structure of existing pilot CF within the inspectorate. 5.4.2 Description of training capacity The number of trained staff and available trainers in CF related skill areas is summarised in Table 5.8 below. Table 5.8 Number of trained staff and available trainers in the Mekong Inspectorate Between 6 and 25 Less than 6 No training or expertise Training provided Boundary demarcation CF Concept Legal Extension Report writing Facilitation Gender Conflict Resolution M&E TOT PRA CFMP Agro-forestry Harvesting Silviculture Coppice techniques Charcoal Fire Fighting Resin Tapping NTFP Seedling Production 49 Trainer available Boundary demarcation CF Concept Report writing Facilitation Gender PRA CFMP Legal Extension Conflict Resolution M&E Agro-forestry Harvesting Silviculture TOT Coppice techniques Charcoal Fire Fighting Resin Tapping NTFP Seedling Production From the information provided, it appears that there are a number of people within the inspectorate who have received training on the basic skills needed to begin the CF establishment process. This includes: boundary demarcation, GPS, PRA and CF Concept. Reportedly, many of these people could train or coach others in these skills as well. However, participants may be mistaking training with ability to train. There were also a fair number of staff trained in conflict resolution, and legal extension, however, there were few trainers available in these topic areas. CF management plan writing is a crucial skill for the CF establishment process, but as in other inspectorates, there were very few people (less than 6) that possessed skills in this area. Similarly, technical skills such as silviculture, coppice regeneration and seedling production were limited within the inspectorate even though these are necessary skills for management planning and implementation. In a related exercise, workshop participants were also asked to identify the weaknesses and strengths in their province, and the key skills that were a priority for future training. The results are found in Table 5.9 below. Table 5.9 Key Skills, Strengths and Weakness in the Mekong Inspectorate Provinces 5 Key skills needed 5 Strengths 5 Weakness Kratie Leadership Use of GPS CF Management Plan writing CF Boundary demarcation CF Inventory Conflict resolution Leadership Boundary demarcation CF Inventory Use of GPS CF Management Plan writing Resin tapping Accounting NTFP processing Marketing Steung Treng ToT CF Inventory Planning CF Management Plan writing CF Boundary demarcation Dissemination of Forestry Law Nursery Gender issue Use of GPS Planning NTFP processing, PLUP and ToT CF Management plan writing Facilitation skill Mondulkiri CF Inventory Use of GPS Planning Facilitation skills Concepts and process for establishing CF CF Inventory Use of GPS Wildlife protection Law extension CF Boundary Demarcation Nursery and CF Management Plan writing Gender issue Facilitation skill Management Rattanakiri Planning PRA CF Management Plan writing Management CF Inventory CF boundary Demarcation Facilitation skills Planning Extension of CFSD Monitoring and Evaluation Marketing CF Management Plan writing CF Inventory PRA Forest fire fighting techniques Kampong Conflict resolution PLUP Agro-forestry Forest harvesting techniques NTFP processing technique and report 50 Cham, Svay Rieng and Prey Veng Extension of Forestry Law Concepts and process for CF establishment Extension of CFSD Extension of Forestry Law Conflict resolution Coppice technique writing PLUP Leadership Extension of Forestry Law The information contained in Table 5.9 supports and verifies many of the findings reported in the training needs assessment. For example, the data indicates that CF Management Plan writing is strongly needed in all cantonments and is a recognised weakness and obstacle to CF development in the inspectorate, but that boundary demarcation and legal extension are areas of strength. Interestingly, given the forest ecology of the upper Mekong region and the large contribution that NTFPs make to livelihoods in the region, there are few skilled staff that can support communities in NTFP processing and marketing. 5.5 Coastal Inspectorate 5.5.1 Description of CF Activities Activities to establish CF are summarised by province in Table 5.10 below. Data is derived from the questionnaire and is only available for sites in Koh Kong and Kampot province. According to the findings from the questionnaire, in total there are 14 CF sites, 2 of which are in Koh Kong and the remaining 12 are in Kampot with 9 sites supported by CIDSE, 2 sites supported by the FA Cantonment in Koh Kong, and 3 sites supported by the FA at the national level. These sites represent around 6,516 hectares with approximately 5,290 CF members out of which 1,690 are female CF members. The CF activities at each site are more or less the same as can be seen in Table 5.10. Table 5.10 CF Activities by Province in Coastal Inspectorate Activities Koh Kong Kampot TOTAL No. w/ FA No. w/ FA No. w/ FA Extension 2 1 5 5 7 6 PRA 2 2 5 5 7 7 Organise CFMC 2 2 5 5 7 7 Boundary demarcation 4 4 6 6 10 10 CF regulation 2 2 5 5 7 7 CF By-law 2 2 1 1 3 3 CF agreement 2 2 0 0 2 2 Management Plan 2 2 2 2 4 4 Land Use Mapping 2 2 5 5 7 7 Compared to the other inspectorates, very few CF sites have been established in this inspectorate. However, all reported CF activities have taken place with the support of the FA cantonment, division or triage offices. The table above also indicates that CF activities have focused on the preliminary stages of CF establishment, namely, extension, PRA and boundary demarcation. As in other inspectorates, this probably is a result of the lack of legislation and templates for CF agreements, by-laws, management plans and regulations. 51 5.5.2 Description of training capacity Information collected regarding CF-related training in the inspectorate is summarised in Table 5.11 below. Table 5.11 Number of trained staff and available trainers in the Coastal Inspectorate More than 6 Less than 6 No training or expertise Training provided CF concepts and development process Forest inventory Gender Forest fire fighting Forest fire prevention Monitoring and evaluation Agro-forestry Harvesting Seedling production Silviculture PRA skill TOT Boundary demarcation CF management plan writing Planning Accounting NTFP processing Marketing Planting Coppicing GPS Trainer available Gender Forest fire fighting Forest fire prevention PRA skill Boundary demarcation CF concepts and development process CF management plan writing Accounting Planning Forest inventory Monitoring and evaluation Agro-forestry Harvesting Seedling production Silviculture Marketing TOT Planting Coppicing NTFP processing GPS As can be seen, within the Coastal inspectorate, there are few people that have received training in comparison to other inspectorates. There is a core group of staff that have received training in many aspects of CF but this group represents fewer than six people. Notably, no one in the inspectorate has received training in the use of GPS, a crucial skill needed to officially establish CF boundaries. In the workshop participants were also asked to identify the weaknesses and strengths in their province, and the key skills that were a priority for future training. The results are found in table Table 5.3 below. Table 5.12 Key Skills, Strengths and Weakness in the Coastal Inspectorate Provinces 5 Key skills needed 5 Strengths 5 Weakness Sihanouk Ville 1. CF management 2. Boundary demarcation with GPS 3. Facilitation and conflict resolution 4. Planning 5. Silviculture 1. Management 2. CF Planning 3. Inventory 4. Conflict resolution 5. Silviculture 1. CFSD Extension 2. CFMP writing 3. NTFP processing 4. Charcoal production 5. Gender issues Kampot and Keb 1. Facilitation 2. CF concepts 3. PLUP 4. CF Inventory 1. CFMP writing 1. CF Concepts 2. Facilitation skills 3. Conflict resolution 4. Extension of Forestry Law 1. CF Inventory 2. Use of GPS 3. CFMP writing 4. PLUP 1. Harvesting 52 1. Tree planting and nursery techniques techniques Takeo 1. Extension of Forestry Law 2. Boundary demarcation 3. CFMP writing 4. CF Inventory 1. Use of GPS 1. Nursery 2. Tree planting 3. Silviculture 4. CF Inventory 5. Extension of Forestry Law 1. CFMP writing 2. Monitoring and evaluation 3. CFSD Extension 4. Coppice 5. Marketing Koh Kong 1. Facilitation 2. PRA 3. Boundary demarcation 4. Inventory 5. CFMP writing 1. Wildlife protection 2. Extension of CFSD and FL 3. Tree planting 4. Leadership 5. Boundary demarcation 1. CF Concepts 2. CFMP writing 3. Gender issues 4. NTFP Processing 1. Marketing The strengths and weakness related to CF activities within the Inspectorate varied from province to province. However, technical skills such as silviculture, CF inventory and tree planting techniques were identified as strengths whereas management plan writing, extension and understanding CF concepts were identified as weaknesses. This can be explained by the limited number of CF in the inspectorate; staff simply have not been exposed to or involved in CF. Participants in the Coastal Inspectorate identified legalization of existing CF (formal recognition by the Government) sites as the most important future activity and requested more support and training in extension. 53 6 Community Forestry Strategic Framework and Future Planning Chapters 1 through 6 have provided the background information needed to make management and planning decisions related to CF in Cambodia. The following chapter outlines the major CF issues, presents recommendations for future CF programming, and provides a broad framework for implementation to which further detail (such as specific projects and budgets) can be added. The intention of this chapter is to present a cohesive strategic framework for a national CF programme that donors, government and cooperating organisations can implement together to reach common goals. 6.1 Overview of main CF issues identified from regional workshops The NCFP workshops provided CF practitioners in Cambodia the rare opportunity to come together and discuss the future of CF in Cambodia. In the course of collecting data for this study a number of issues were identified that contribute to and inhibit the growth and development of CF in Cambodia. These issues in brief are: • Lack of knowledge regarding the formally recognized CF concept and development process ; • Lack of technical support to CF stakeholders for implementing formally recognized CF; and • Lack of nation-wide coordination between CF stakeholders. CF concept and development process Understanding and acceptance of CF as an important tool in the sustainable management of forest resources and method for socio-economic development and poverty reduction is growing in Cambodia among the various stakeholders, especially within the FA and amongst local communities. Communities in Cambodia already informally protect and are regenerating between 5 to 10 % of the country’s forest land and around 300 communities are involved in some type of CF activities, involving at least 600 villages. Further, each month additional communities are showing interest in protecting their forests. It is apparent that the fastest expansion of new CF groups may be in high value, non-degraded forest areas in the upper Mekong that are threatened by land speculators, illegal loggers and encroachment. CF provides one of the most effective strategies to protect natural forests, while simultaneously responding to the needs of the rural poor. Unfortunately, there is still a great deal of confusion as to what formally recognized CF is, where it can be implemented, how it is implemented, and who supports its development. This is the result of a number of factors. One of the major factors is that the CFSD, although passed in December 2003, has not been effectively disseminated throughout the FA or to the wider public. In addition, the implementing guidelines, or CF Prakas, are still in draft form so that FA staff and communities do not have a clear process by which to legally establish CF. Until the CF Prakas are enacted, the CFSD cannot be implemented and the formal recognition of CF sites by the FA Cantonment cannot take place.13 Work needs to be done on building capacity 13 The CF Prakas should be enacted by the Minister of MAFF by the end of 2005, thus opening the door for implementation and formal recognition of CF sites in 2006 and beyond. 54 within FA to support the CF process and also to implement effective extension programs in order to educate communities, NGOs and the donor community on how formally recognized CF can be implemented in Cambodia in a successful manner. Reviewing existing practical technical guidelines/manuals and development of necessary new guidelines/manuals for expansion of community forestry were identified as one of the priority activities for the capacity building of FA, according to OCBP. Another factor is that, with the closure of the GTZ Cambodian German Forestry Project (CGFP), the Forest Extension Office in the FA has operated on extremely limited resources and has been unable to keep up with demands for extension materials. As a result, NGOs tend to develop materials for their own projects, but these are not disseminated to other practitioners. In some cases, materials developed by NGOs without FA input are not consistent with the provisions in the Forestry Law and CFSD, which can lead to further confusion. In addition, NGOs and FA have worked, sometimes together and sometimes separately, to develop various CF models over time. As a result, a number of models and methods have been developed while there has been a lack of coordination and cooperation between organisations, communities and the FA so that lessons and experiences can be properly exchanged, shared and learned from. It should also be noted that the FA has recently been restructured in accordance with provisions found in the Forestry Law, and many FA staff with CF implementing experience moved from CF areas and were replaced by staff with little or no CF knowledge or experience. This has meant that support for CF establishment has been inconsistent and capacity must be rebuilt. Now that the new structure is firmly in place, meaningful capacity building for FA local staff in priority areas can take place. A major problem that will continue for the foreseeable future is that CF establishment is continually threatened, particularly in higher value forestlands, by land encroachment and land grabbing, most usually by powerful interests. This is in large part due to a lack of clear demarcation and delineation of the Permanent Forest Reserve and unofficial recognition of existing CF pilot sites. These problems need to be addressed in order to secure CF and ensure communities benefit from management of the forest resource. Implementation of a formal process for CF establishment and management, as outlined in the CFSD and soon to be enacted CF Prakas, will help this situation considerably. The formal CF process will be an important tool in clearly identifying areas of State Public forest lands and providing some sort of meaningful tenure security to the resources for the communities that rely on those resources for their traditional use and livelihoods development. An additional issue is that the process for identifying CF sites is not fully understood or implemented at the cantonment level. Cantonment of the Forestry Administration must study, identify and prioritize potential areas for community forestry development by basing on the criteria in the CF guidelines. As such, capacity building at this level is a key to the success of formally recognized CF through implementation of the CFSD and related rules and regulations. 55 Lack of technical support to CF stakeholders for implementing CF Consistent in all workshops was the need identified by participants to receive additional training to implement CF. CF establishment requires specialised skills in facilitation, organisational development and technical forestry. This has been hampered by a number of factors. As was mentioned above, the restructuring of the FA has meant that many staff skilled in CF implementation were reassigned to areas where there is no CF and have been replaced by those with little experience. This has temporarily hindered the capacity building related to skills needed to support CF. Now that a firm structure is in place, meaningful and well organized capacity building of FA local staff in the concepts of CF can take place. In addition, most training in CF-related skills has been limited to the initial steps in CF establishment, i.e. PRA, boundary demarcation, CFMC organising, etc. While these are important steps, additional support is needed to develop and implement management plans as well as to organise and develop CFMC capacity. Very few NGO or FA personnel are trained in these areas, and with over 300 CF sites requesting formal recognition throughout the country, there will be an increasingly growing demand for these services. Finally, few NGO or FA personnel have advanced skills in CF management planning. NGOs often partner with FA and conduct joint training for staff of both organisations, but rarely are trainings available to other practitioners. In addition, most of the training is not related to the technical aspects of CF management and planning. As a result, there are very few CF practitioners with well developed skills in silviculture, management plan writing, forest inventory, nursery management and seedling production. These advanced technical skills will need to be developed for all stakeholders involved directly in the formally recognized CF process in order to ensure successful implementation of the CFSD. Lack of nation-wide coordination between CF stakeholders As is described in Chapter 3, there are a number of organisations that have and continue to support CF development in Cambodia. The clear demand for CF and the lack of a finalized CF legal framework has led to a situation where CF projects are developed and implemented without any nationwide consistency. As a result, there are a number of different models and examples of CF throughout the country. In the early stages of CF development, this can be a positive situation if communities and organisations share experiences and learn from them. Networks at local, regional and national levels can facilitate this experiential learning. However, this situation has also lead to confusion over how CF is to be developed and implemented. FA officials assisting a community in Siem Reap, may use a very different set of skills to support CF development than their counterparts working with another project in Kompong Chhnang. Enactment of the CF Prakas will help to clarify and formalize the process, thereby making the information sharing aspects of the networks more effective. 56 Another result of this situation is that efforts are often replicated. For example, most organisations supporting CF develop their own extension materials for use in CF villages. While innovative materials are being developed, their use is limited to organisations’ sites. Materials are not disseminated outside of the project area for use by other communities. In addition, the FA Forestry Extension Office, despite 3 years of capacity building with the GTZ programme, is rarely consulted. This has led to an inefficient and uncoordinated use of resources, in addition to the problems related to inconsistent extension materials. Limited Realization of the Full Benefits from Community Forestry Many communities have been protecting nearby forests as CF since the late nineties. Most of these existing pilot sites consisted of degraded forests and are providing protection from further degradation. The condition of the forest resources in these sites has been improving over time. Until now, many communities feel that they are receiving limited benefits from these community forests. The existing benefits include collection of NTFPs and associated environmental benefits. Some communities have expressed concerns that they are not sure when they can receive tangible benefits that will help in their livelihood improvement. They would like to get immediate economic benefit from the commercial harvesting of timber and non timber forest products. There is a need in CF implementation to assist communities in ways to develop commercial activities, establish trade links, assist in understanding indirect environmental benefits, and providing higher value forest resources for future CF sites. If this is done, communities will take a greater interest in CF and managing their forest resources. 6.2 Summary of prioritized CF activities in the next five to ten years In order to develop a long-term plan to strengthen CF in the next five to ten years, a number of activities were collected and analyzed from each regional workshop. Based on compilation of data from the four workshops, as shown in the tables below, prioritized activities have been identified. Within the four FA Inspectorates, the legalization or formal recognition of existing CF sites is the first priority, followed by the development of new CF sites, extension of law and regulations related to CF, capacity building and training for CFMC and local FA, monitoring and evaluation, and improving livelihood development for local communities. Specific CF activities raised by each province in the workshops are available in the following table. CF prioritized activities in the Northern Tonle Sap FA Inspectorate Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey Dissemination of guidelines related to CF CF facilitation CF establishment Legalization of CF according to sub-decree and Prakas Revision of CF management plan 57 Preah Vihear Dissemination of legislation and law related to CF Legalization of CF Establishment of new CF sites Capacity building for CFMC Monitoring and evaluation Kampong Thom Dissemination of legislation and law related to CF Capacity building for CFMC Legalization of CF Establishment of new CF sites Monitoring and evaluation CF prioritized activities in the Southern Tonle Sap FA Inspectorate Pursat Dissemination of law and techniques related to CF Extension of forestry law, sub-decree on CF and other legislation Capacity building for other stakeholders on CF management Planning to grow more trees in the community Battambang and Pailin Legalize existing CF Establish local working group Train government officials, CFMC and local authority on CF Establishing new CF sites in the potential areas Monitoring and evaluation Kampong Chhnang Promote the CF establishment Extension and strengthen the implementation of guideline on CF establishment Capacity building for CFMC Establishment of new CF Improving the livelihood of community people (NTFP processing, marketing and planting more trees) Kampong Speu and Kandal Establish CF team and build their capacity Prepare application for establishing CF Legalize the existing CF establish new CF sites Train CF members to implement plan CF prioritized activities in the Mekong FA Inspectorate Kratie Training and capacity building (CF Committee and stakeholders) Legalization of existing CF Establishing new CF sites Dissemination and research on gender issues Monitoring and evaluation Steung Treng Dissemination and training (human resources) Strengthen the existing CF Legalizing existing CF Establishing new CF Monitoring and evaluation the implementation of CF 58 Mondulkiri Legalizing existing CF Training and capacity building Establishing new CF dissemination of CF Monitoring and Evaluation Rattanakiri Legalizing existing CF Training and capacity building for CF committee and stakeholders Conducting the study to identify the CF potential areas Supporting CF in implementing CF activities (regulation and management plan) Communicating with donor to get support for CF activities Kampong Cham Establishing new CF Building capacity of CF Committee Dissemination Legalizing existing CF, processing NTFP and marketing Monitoring and evaluation Prey Veng and Svay Rieng Legalizing existing CF Establishing new CF Extension of Forestry Law and CFSD Building capacity of CFMC Monitoring and evaluation CF prioritized activities in the Coastal FA Inspectorate Sihanouk Ville Establishing new CF Developing CFMP Legalizing existing CF Develop CF Agreement Promoting PLUP Kampot and Keb Disseminating law and other legislation Resolve land conflict Boundary demarcation and mapping with official recognition Legalizing existing CF and establishing new CF Building capacity of CF members and FA staff Takeo CF Guideline Legalizing existing CF Identifying potential areas for CF establishment Promoting the extension of law and sub-decree on CF Integrating CF into the commune/district development plan Koh Kong Dissemination of legislation related to CF establishment Identifying location for establishing CF PRA Legalizing existing CF Developing CF action plan 59 6.3 Recommendations It is clear from the discussions above that concrete actions must take place to fully develop the potential of formally recognized CF in Cambodia. To this end, and based on data that has been gathered, seven broad recommendations have been developed that provide a framework for future CF development activities. Develop a CF Support Team in each Cantonment Within each cantonment, it is recommended that a CF Support Team is formed. This support team will be coordinated by the CFO of the FA and will be made up of representatives of the cantonment, division and triage level staff of the FA. Representatives from NGOs will also be considered for inclusion in the team. As the name suggests, the CF Support Team and their staff will be responsible for supporting communities and organisations to establish and manage CF within the cantonment. The team will also deal with legal issues such as land encroachment or illegal activities. Communities and organisations will take primary responsibility for CF development, but under the guidance and leadership of the Support Team. Once the CF is established, the CF Support Team will support organisations and communities to manage the CF through monitoring and evaluation, as well as providing technical services. It is suggested that the CF Support Teams be comprised of up to 10 members. The number of members will vary by cantonment and will depend on the number of CF sites within the cantonment but it is suggested that there be at least 1 person per 4 to 8 sites. The CF Support Teams, and other staff members directly involved with CF implementation, will require intensive training on CF support and development, so it is recommended that the teams undergo an intensive CF training course. This will consist of both classroom training and field base learning. The CFO will organise and support this training, supported by FEO and FWTC. The CF support teams’ needs for capacity building can be met through various means. The Forestry Extension Office can be involved in the preparation of training materials and curriculum development, and the CF network mechanism can be utilized by having cross visits where CF support teams from different areas or with different levels of experience can share their knowledge and experience with one another, thereby creating a low cost capacity building synergy that helps to create a culture within FA that truly supports the formally recognized CF process. Introduction of Forest and Non Forest Based Livelihood Support Activities CF support organisations should assist communities to explore forest-based and non forest-based livelihood development activities wherever suitable to satisfy communities short-term livelihood needs which will lead to maintaining their interest in properly managed and sustainable CF. The forest based activities include capacity building of community members in development of Timber and Non Timber Forest Product resources, including processing and marketing of these products, along with developing trade networks for the products. Emphasis should immediately be focused on the commercial potential of harvesting products by focusing on activities that avoid the five years constraints on commercial harvesting of timber written in CFSD. 60 The non forest-based activities include exploring viable income generation activities such as home gardening, animal husbandry activities, cow bank, rice bank, cash crop/vegetable cultivation, etc., in conjunction with developing skills in resource development and marketing. To support such activities, communities will need skill development programmes and financial support to initiate the process and get it off the ground. Develop and Support CF Networks Networks can encourage the exchange of lessons learned and experiences and can be forums for stakeholders to share new ideas and resolve conflicts. To that end, it is recommended that the CF Network should continue to be coordinated through the CFO with support from NGOs on the organising committee. It is recommended that meetings should be held at varying locations throughout the country at least twice a year and that the newsletter should be published quarterly and disseminated to stakeholders at meetings, through post and more widely on the FA website. Provincial level or cantonment level networks should also be encouraged with support from FA and organisations supporting CF. The cantonment-level CF Support Team could take responsibility for leading these meetings with support from other stakeholders including local government. Information Management Information regarding CF is incomplete as a result of the factors discussed in the section above. The CFO will continue to upgrade its information management systems, but several other actions will improve the data collection process and database maintenance. In order to ensure accurate baseline data, more information from existing CF sites needs to be collected. It is recommended that the CFO develop a system for information collection and updating. FA staff and organisations supporting CF will need to be trained in the use of this system. It is recommended that information from the CFO information system is made available on the FA website and upgraded on a quarterly basis. Extension There is a need to coordinate the development and use of extension materials. It is recommended that the Forest Extension Office (FEO) of the FA, working closely and under the direction of the CFO, assist in coordinating the future development of CF extension materials and associated training. Currently, the only funding for the FEO is through the Forestry Law Extension Team, a group that was originally supported by two donor agencies (GTZ & JICA) and four NGOs (Oxfam GB, Concern, WWF & VFI) and led by the FA. It is recommended that this team is reorganised as the Forestry Extension Team (FET) under the leadership of the Forestry Extension Office. It is further recommended that other organisations involved in CF support the Forest Extension Team both financially and through membership on the team. 61 The first order of the FET should be to conduct an assessment of the current CF extension materials being used by organisations and the need for other types of materials. It is recommended that FEO staff and resources are increased in order to provide extension materials and training to CF practitioners in order to ensure consistency in CF throughout the country. CF Research Team The Independent Forest Sector Review recommended that analysis needed to be conducted in order to determine the legal and economic conditions under which CF could be self-financed and sustainable. It is recommended that a research team comprised of representatives from CFO and organisations supporting CF is developed in order to research these and other CF-related issues while simultaneously avoiding the duplication of efforts. Efforts of the FA, NGOs, local government and communities to effectively implement formally recognized CF requires the establishment of mechanisms to monitor, document, analyze and disseminate experiences. The CF research team could facilitate learning from the field that can be used to enable policy and program adjustments so as to enhance the effectiveness of the NCFP program. The CF research team can help to ensure that all available research is made available to the CFO and FA for policy development and implementation purposes. Formal Recognition of Existing CF Sites and Future Expansion Currently, there are over 300 CF sites in Cambodia in varying stages of development. Very few have any form of official recognition by government, either at the national or sub-national level. Fewer still have officially demarcated their forestland, and most do not yet have any type of CF agreements or management plans in place. Initially, the FA at national and local levels will have a big task of investigating these CF sites and going through the process of formally recognizing them through the legal process contained in the CFSD and CF Prakas. As this occurs, additional sites will inevitably be identified by communities, NGOs, donors and the FA as potential CF sites. While the process of formally recognizing existing sites is occurring, activities can simultaneously take place to identify these new areas for CF and begin the initial steps necessary for formal recognition. With this being said, it must be recognized that the capacity and resources of the FA will initially be limited, so how quickly CF can be implemented on a broad scale, both in terms of existing sites and future sites, will largely depend on outside support to the FA from other concerned stakeholders, especially the donor community. In addition, it is unclear at present, what types of conditions need to exist in order for CF to have a positive impact on community livelihoods, socio-economic development and poverty reduction. The CF Research Team (see recommendation above) could begin to make some of these recommendations but research and analysis needs to be conducted first. As a result, it is strongly recommended that until the CF Support Teams are in place, and until such research has been conducted, the pace of identifying and establishing future CF sites is reasonable considering the circumstances. During the process of formally recognizing existing CF sites in the country through the implementation of the CFSD and the CF Prakas, monitoring of the effectiveness 62 of the implementation policies and guidelines can take place and be improved based on both lessons learned and changes in the political, social and ecological context. Over time these lessons can be utilized to modify and improve both the CF Prakas and the NCFP. 6.4 Overview of Roles and Responsibilities 6.4.1 Role of FA staff The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries shall have general jurisdiction over Community Forestry Management and act as the lead authority over Community Forestry. The central and local FA personnel have the roles and duties as follows: Community forestry staff at the central level has the following roles and responsibilities with regard to community forestry development. • Prepare legal document and policy related to community forestry • Develop technical guidelines and Community Forestry Strategic Planning. • Organise national Community Forestry Teams by facilitating, cooperating and seeking support from other national and international organisations • Prepare National Community Forestry Programme and Budget Plan for community forestry implementation. • Establish nursery-planting areas and promote reforestation through public awareness. • Collect, manage and distribute Community Forestry Information. • Provide technical services, facilitate and design and conduct Community Forestry M&E. Community forestry staff at the local level (cantonment, division, triage) has the following roles and responsibilities with regard to community forestry development. Assess and demarcate forest area for establishing Community Forest; Make decision to recognize, reject and terminate CF Communities; Revise and approve Community Forest Agreement with a CF Community Review and approve Community Forest Management Plans; Monitor and evaluate the Community Forestry process; Assist CF Communities in conserving spirit forest and religious forest; Coordinate with government institutions and stakeholders on the establishment and implementation of Community Forest Agreements; Facilitate the resolution of conflict upon request by a CF Community; Establish and manage Community Forestry Central Registry and map of Community Forest; Provide technical support to CF Communities; Promote training to CF Communities to effectively implement Community Forestry activity and enforce the CF Sub-Decree; Provide any information and documentation related to Community Forestry activity at the request of a CF Community; and Enforce the implementation of legislation, including Community Forestry regulations, Community Forestry Management Committee by-laws, Community Forest Agreement and Community Forest Management Plan 63 In addition, local FA staff may act as facilitators in supporting supplemental CF related livelihood activities. 6.4.2 Role of CFMC The primary role of the CFMC is to develop and implement Community Forestry Regulations, Community Forest Agreements and Community Forest Management Plans in compliance with the CF Sub-Decree and CF Prakas. Specific roles include: Forest Resource Management in compliance with Community Forestry Regulation, Community Forestry Management Plan and other legislation related to forestry sector, Managing benefit sharing mechanisms from the community forest, Participate in monitoring the use of CF resources by secondary users, Participate in conserving, protecting and planning the forest to ensure the sustainability of forest resources and the environment, Conserve and protect wildlife within the Community Forest, Develop and implement mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation of CF activities within the community, Open a bank account and manage CF community finances in transparent manner and with responsibility, Seek financial and technical support from Forestry Administration, relevant institutions and other donors to implement the CF community’s operation, Report immediately about any serious forestry offence occurring within a Community Forestry area to the nearest Forestry Administration Official. 6.4.3 Role of NGOs The primary role of NGOs within the NCFP is to provide a variety of support and technical assistance activities to communities and government entities to help facilitate development and implementation of formally recognized CF. The specific roles of NGOs in the Community Forestry Programme include: 1. CF extension and awareness raising at local level as well as grass root level. 2. Support and Facilitate communities in the process of establishing formally recognized CF. 3. Provide Communities assistance in implementing CF programmes according to their regulations, bylaws and forest management plans. 4. Develop the organisational and technical capacity of communities through training and hand on support. 5. Support communities in establishing links between a range of service providers. 6. Assist communities in developing and implementing monitoring and evaluation of their CF activities 7. Support/facilitate networking between and among communities and service providers 8. Support communities during the Community Forest Agreement drafting and approval process. 64 6.4.4 Role of Commune Council It is recognized by the FA and others that Commune Councils will play an important role in the development of formally recognized CF in Cambodia. Without the Commune Council support and active participation in the process, along with other sub-national levels of government, CF development will not be successful. These roles and responsibilities of Commune Councils presented here in this document are based on the Commune Council Administration Law, Forestry Law, CFSD, information gathered from representatives of Commune Councils raised at the Workshop on Decentralization Forum, and the NCFP regional workshops. In terms of Forestry Law enforcement, local authorities at all levels, including the Commune Councils shall facilitate and provide cooperation in investigating, reporting and suppressing forest offences, including temporarily confiscating the evidence of forest offences if there is any request from FA officials. In terms of clarifying the role of the Commune Councils with forestry enforcement, the following points should be understood: The Commune Council shall inform about the offence immediately to the nearest FA officials or FA office; The Commune Council shall detain the offenders and temporarily confiscate the evidence, then send immediately to the FA officials with the authority as judicial police to take legal action; The Commune Council shall not collect fine or confiscate evidence directly; In addition to the enforcement activities mentioned above, Commune Councils can support the development of CF as follows: The Commune Council has the legislative authority in accordance with the Commune Deika to recognize the Community Forestry Management Committee; The Commune Council shall participate in the protection of the environment and natural resources by facilitating the establishment of CF; The Commune Councils shall support and encourage local communities to establish CF; Commune Councils or their staff can attend and support CF community meetings; The Commune Council can provide funds to contribute to the establishment of CF; and, Commune Councils can include CF in their Commune Development Plans. 65 7 Schedule for Implementation and Expansion of CF related activities throughout the country The following is a proposed timeframe for carrying out the broad strategic recommendations of this NCFP document. This timeframe is broken down into two phases, Phase I (2006-2008) and Phase II (2009-2013). Phase I is considered to be short to medium term goals, while Phase II are considered long term goals. It is understood that these timeframes may be adjusted over time as lessons are learned through the continuing NCFP process. A table outlining the contents of this implementation schedule is included 7.1 Phase I: It is envisioned that the following activities can occur during Phase I of the NCFP process with proper commitment and support from all stakeholders involved. Formal Recognition of Existing CF Sites During Phase I, emphasis will be placed on formally recognizing existing CF sites in Cambodia utilizing the eight step process contained in the Forestry Law, CFSD and the CF Prakas. The target for Phase I is to have 200 Community Forestry Agreements signed. During this period of time, there will be ongoing identification of potential new CF sites, with initial steps initiated that would lead to formal CF recognition (CF agreements) during Phase II of the NCFP. Develop the CF Support Teams Nationwide During Phase I, CF Support Team members, as defined in Section 6.3 above, will be identified in priority areas with high CF demand. Training curricula for the support teams will be developed and intensive training will be conducted. The training of these teams fits within the extension and capacity training priorities identified in Section 6.2 above. These teams can support capacity building of FA staff at the local level, CFMCs, and stakeholders. They can also be directly involved in improving capacity of all involved for livelihoods development activities, linking with both the CF Research Team efforts and extension materials development of the FET. Livelihoods Development Implementation of specific trial activities related to livelihoods development in the CF context, both forest and non-forest based activities as outlined in Section 6.3 above. Develop and Support CF Networks During Phase I, the CF support networks, both national and provincial, will be strengthened and funding secured for their ongoing operation, including preparation for and implementing 3 meetings per year. Study tours for organising committee members will be organized, the publication of quarterly newsletters will be implemented, and the potential for website development will be explored. 66 Information Management During Phase I activities, the Information Management Unit (IMU) of the FA will collect and enter all existing baseline data on CF in the country, will develop a nationwide CF data reporting system for local FA offices and other stakeholders, will develop a website for CF related information, develop and implement operating procedures where IMU information is updated quarterly in both the database and the website, and provide training on the IMU data collection procedures for those who should be responsible for submitting relevant information. Extension During Phase I, the FA shall secure funding for and create a Forestry Extension Team (FET) that will work closely with the CFO. The FET’s first task will be to conduct an assessment of current CF extension materials that have been created by the FA and all other stakeholders, including checking these extension materials for accuracy in relation to the Forestry Law, CFSD and CF Prakas. Based on this assessment, the FET will prioritise materials for development and produce priority materials. Existing quality materials that are identified and priority materials that are developed by FET will be integrated into materials for the CF Support Team training. Extension materials should be geared towards building capacity of FA staff, CFMCs and various stakeholders. CF Research Team The CF Research Team identified in Section 6.3 above will be created and begin identifying areas where research is needed, and will also assist in the creation of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) mechanisms for formally recognized CF in Cambodia as identified as a priority item in section 6.2 above. As part of the M&E research, the team could develop criteria for use during Phase II activities, and likewise monitor and evaluate the implementation of the overall NCFP strategic plan. A specific area of research, as identified in Section 6, would be related to livelihoods development and support opportunities within the CF context. National Community Forestry Working Group During Phase I, it is proposed that the FA will also form a National Community Forestry Working Group comprised of senior FA planners, interested donors, and competent NGOs to guide and support the development of the NCFP strategy. 7.2 Phase II: During Phase II, the initial steps of Phase I will be expanded upon and lessons learned will be incorporated. It is difficult to identify precise activities that will take place during this phase, but some general goals can be identified. Formal Recognition of Additional CF Sites During Phase II, emphasis will be placed on expanding the number of formally recognized CF sites in Cambodia utilizing the eight step process contained in the Forestry Law, CFSD and the CF Prakas. The potential target for Phase II is to have an additional 200 to 400 Community Forestry Agreements signed. Meeting this goal 67 is largely dependent upon ongoing support from the RGC and the donor community and success in implementing Phase I activities. CF Support Teams During this phase, CF Support Teams should be operating in every Cantonment where there is existing CF or where it has been identified that there is interest or potential for developing formally recognized CF. Training and capacity building for the CF Support Teams will continue based on actual needs that are identified during Phase I activities. CF support teams should be fully functional in the ability to build capacity of various stakeholders, CFMCs and FA staff within their operational area. CF Networks The CF Networks will continue to meet and share information through publication of newsletters. If found feasible, CF Networks website development will take place, most likely linking with the IMU website development. Livelihoods Development Expand livelihoods development activities based on lessons learned in Phase I, research conducted on the subject, and extension materials that were developed. By this time local FA staff should have working knowledge of livelihoods development concepts that can be passed on to local communities. Information Management During Phase II the IMU will possess all relevant information on formally recognized and potential formal CF sites in Cambodia. Information will be updated on a quarterly basis and a web-site with information on CF status in Cambodia will be operating. FA staff at the national and local level will be fully trained and understand reporting requirements. Extension The FET will continue to work closely with CFO to develop extension materials based on identified needs, and will review all other developed extension materials for accuracy and compliance with the Forestry Law, CFSD and CF Prakas. CF Research Team information can be fed into the development of extension materials, including materials on livelihoods development in the CF context. Monitoring and Evaluation Based partially on CF Research Team results, monitoring and evaluation of the NCFP program will be taking place. The NCFP goals from Phase I will be re-examined, and schedules will be adjusted accordingly. In addition, the effectiveness of the CF Prakas will be re-examined for possible amendment by MAFF. 68 Appendix I: NCFP Taskforce Members Dr. Sokh Heng – Chief of Community Forestry Office Mr. Lao Sethaphal – Deputy Chief of Community Forestry Office Mr. Long Ratanakomar – Deputy Chief of Community Forestry Office Mr. Peak Monau – Community Forestry Office, Information Management Officer Ms. Im Maredi – Community Forestry Office Facilitator Mr. Heng Bunny – World Wide Fund for Nature Programme Coordinator Mr. Toby Carson – Technical Advisor of WWF/CBNRM LI Mr. Yang Phirom – CFI/CFAC’s National Coordinator Mr. Rob Oberndorf – CFI/CFAC Legal and Policy Advisor Mr. Hak Sarom – Forestry Programme Officer of Oxfam Great Britain Mr. Kazuhiro Goseki – CBFS/JICA Chief Technical Advisor Mr. Ouk Thira – Concern Worldwide Policy Officer Ms. Vaneska Litz - Concern Worldwide Programme Advisor 69 Appendix II: Questionnaire Community forestry knowledge assessment Questionnaire Part 1: Contact Information Full Name Position Organization/Project Office Address Formal education Technical expertise Tel./Fax E-mail Number of CF Staff Part 2: Information on current CF status Objective: to collect primary data on CF location and management: If you are working in more than one CF site, please fill out Sections 1 and 2 of the questionnaire for each site. Name of CF: …..…………………………………………………………………… CF location (Please specify all villages if CF comprises more than 1 village) Village…………………………………………………………………………… Commune………………………….District………………………Province…… Date of CF establishment:………………………………. Population number in the village……………. Households………….… Number of females………………. Ethnicity……………………………………..……. Number of CF members ………………… Females………………….. CF area ………………..(Ha) Condition of community forest (Please tick only one) Well stocked slightly degraded forest very degraded forest dry deciduous forest Land Classification of community forest (Please tick only one) Former forest concession Current forest concession Private forest Production forest Rehabilitated forest Reserve forest for reforestation Reserve forest for regeneration Land Concession Number of CFMC members ………………… Females ……………….. Mandate of CFMC ……………(years) Are there any other projects/NGOs supporting CF activities in this region? ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………… 70 Describe CF extension that you have received: CF Sub-decree Forestry law Other extension (please specify): …………………...………………………………………….. Other extension (please specify): …………………...………………………………………….. CF Recognised by Institution: ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………… Please specify which activities your organisation has conducted in the CF areas and if you received technical assistance from the FA or an NGO: Activities Yes / No Technical assistance from FA (yes or no) Technical assistance from NGO (specify the name of NGO) PRA Organization of CFMC Boundary demarcation with GPS Boundary demarcation without GPS CF regulation CF by-law CF agreement CF management plan Land use mapping Participatory mapping GIS map The objectives of CF establishment: …………………………………………………..……………………………………… ……………………………………………………...………………………………… …………………………………………………………...……………………………. ………………………………………………………………..………………………… …………………………………………………………………...……………………. Strategy establishing CFMC ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………… Why you think areas are suitable for potential CF establishment: ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… 71 ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………… Major forestry and land use issues in your area Are there any potential forest areas near your CF site that are suitable for CF? Please describe the location, area (forest type, condition, hectares, etc) and why you think it is suitable: Part 3: Information on Training Needs and Expertise Objective: to assess the capacity of FA, NGOs, commune councils Please tick ( ) to select in the following: Skill/Expertise Check if skill or training needed Specify number of trained staff Specify number of staff able to provide training Boundary Demarcation GPS CF concepts and development process CF management plan writing Forestry Law extension Management skill Report writing Leadership Planning Accounting Administration Community forestry inventory Facilitation skill Gender Conflict resolution Data management and documents Monitoring and evaluation Agro-forestry CF Sub-Decree Harvesting Silviculture TOT Marketing NTFP processing Wildlife protection Fire prevention techniques Fire fighting techniques Resin tapping skill 72 Charcoal production techniques Coppice Regeneration technique PLUP Seedling production Tree planting PRA skill Other Research conducted: Publications/Extension Material: Awareness on Forestry Law Low Medium High Awareness on CF Sub-Decree Low Medium High Part 4: Equipment GPS No Yes Number ……………….. Computer No Yes Number ……………….. Compass No Yes Number ……………….. Digital camera No Yes Number ……………….. 73 Appendix III: Regional Working Group Members Regional Community Forestry Working Group Name Position Other North Tonlesap FA Inspectorate Mr. Prak Marina Deputy Chief of Sieam Reap FA Cantonment Mr. Nheb Nheata Deputy Chief of Kg Thom FA Cantonment Mr. Koung Putthira Deputy Chief of Pravihear FA Cantonment Mekong FA Inspectorate Mr. Prak Nomar Deputy Chief of Kg Cham FA Cantonment Mr. Chiem Yudong Deputy Chief of Steung Treng FA Cantonment Mr. Koul Sovann Deputy Chief of Kratie FA Cantonment Mr. Khorn Sareth Chief of Ratanakiri FA Cantonment Mr. Tim Sovanarith Deputy Chief of Mondulkiri FA Cantonment South Tonlesap FA Inspectorate Mr. Kim Chhantha Deputy Chief of Pursat FA Cantonment Mr. Chea Buntha Deputy Chief of Kg Chhang FA Cantonment Mr. Po Bunleng Deputy Chief of Kandal FA Cantonment Mr. Touch Mony Deputy Chief of Battambong FA Cantonment Coastal FA Inspectorate Mr. Sauth Unn Chief of Sihanouk FA Cantonment Mr. Suon Sum Deputy Chief of Kampot FA Cantonment Mr. Chhai Sarann Deputy Chief of Kohkong FA Cantenment 74 Appendix IV: Workshop Participants List of participant's RWS on the development of the NCFP Siem Reap on 28-29 September, 2004 No Name Sex Institution/Organization Others 1 Ly Khom M BFDK ( Kg Thom) 2 Thong Shopet M RPFD (Kg Thom) 3 Joeurm Sy M CFMC 4 Kung Chamnan M APDO 5 Prak Ken M Chief of Commune 6 Mok Samphea M Sang Kat 7 Van Sophana M North of FA Inspectorate 8 Muny Virack M FA 9 Harb Sakun M Samroung Commune council 10 Chhai Naret M Chief of Chheb FA Division 11 Tong Yei M Deputy Chief of Chheb FA Division 12 Sort Chantha M Samroun FA T 13 Sun Kimkheang M FA Division 14 Ly Kanara M NRM/GTZ 15 Tan Sophanny M FA T 16 Him Visal M Chief of Pravihea Cantonment 17 Sou Hai M FA Division 18 Khe Chanbunarith M FA T 19 Em Mony M FA Division (Siem Reap) 20 Chy Bunret M FA 21 Chea Chuong M Samroung 22 Noung Bunshoun M Ockenden 23 Hun Hart M Commune authority 24 Oun Buntry M FA 25 Phang Por M Commune authority 26 Chhem Khuon M CFMC 27 Kao Vutha M FA (Kg Thom) 28 Soun Vann M PLG/SEILA (Siem Reap) 29 Chea Phally M Chief of Samroung FA Division 30 It Phumara M FA (Kg Thom) 31 Sien Prum M Mlup Baitong Org (Kg Thom) 32 Prak Marina M Deputy chief of Siem Reap Cantonment 33 Suy Soun M Provincial Government 34 Sour Chhoeurm M Leay Bor Commune Council 35 Khun Sokphea M Chief of Samroung FA Division 36 Toby Jakson M FAO Siem Raep 37 Ly Choubeang M Siem Reap Cantonment 38 Niem Pharn M BPS Org (Phras Vihear) 39 Prak Bunny M FA Division (Siem Reap) 40 Kung Chamnann M APDO 41 Sovan Sein M 42 Pil Piseth M Concern worldwide 75 List of participant's RWS on the development of the NCFP Pursat on 4-5 November, 2004 No Name Sex Institution/Organization Others 1 Ing Soungkang M Chief of Ansachambok Triage 2 Chea Huot M Kravanh FA Division 3 Pok Vanna M Chief of Borsep FA Triage 4 Ouk Ry M Chief of Progil Commune 5 Noy Samol M Chief of Boribou Commune 6 Pol Chantha M Chief of Oral FA Division 7 Nem Phoeurn M Chief of Borsep FA Division 8 Hem Sophy M Deputy chief Oral district governor 9 Chheung Sovutha M Director of K.D.P 10 Kuch Veng M CFMC 11 Prum Dara M CBO 12 Orm Virack M Chief of Bavil FA Division 13 Samrith Out M Director of EPDO 14 Laov Bunlieng M Director of DPKS 15 Eum Eila M FA Triage 16 Eum Sokheng M Chief of Achnroung Commune 17 Mao Syreourn M Chief of Tachas Commune 18 Prack Vaun M Chief of Chres Commune 19 Morn Iengly M Deputy chief of Kg leng District 20 Sor Sat F AEC 21 Om Sytha M Deputy chief of Bakan District 22 Suo Bunthoeurn M Office of Phnom Sruoch 23 Tuy Sovannarith M FA Kg Leng 24 Ma Vuthy M Chief of Khekdomrysor Triage 25 Sorm Hong M Rolobie Commune 26 Ben Bolina M Chief of Kg Tralarge Division 27 Lor Seng M CBFS/JICA 28 Ouk Huot M Chief of Oral District 29 Chea Buntha M Deputy chief of Kg Chhnang Cantonment 30 Kao Phal M Director of RFCD 31 Ra Chhanrath M KYSD 32 Chhav Kimeng M Director of WACD (Pailin) 33 Meas Samsocheat M Mlup Baitong 34 Po Bunleng M Deputy chief of Kandal Cantonment 35 Peut Pirack M Deputy chief of Battambong Division 36 Un Aun M Chief of Ratanakmodul Division 37 Thol Phaun M ADESS Tattambong 38 Pauch Phieng M Chief of Sdav Commune 39 Men Choeurn M Chief of Phnom Sruoch Commune 40 Kaov Somet M Director of CBCDO (Pailin) 41 Touch Mony M Deputy chief of Battambong Cantonment 42 Kuok Thoeurn M Concern Staff 43 Sorn Sopheap M PNKA Staff 44 Muong Chhannisai F Concern Staff 45 Kim Chhantha M Deputy chief of Pursat Cantonment 46 Oum Sopha M Chief of Krakor Division 47 Ke Savanna M Concern Staff Chhan Phanda F DPKS Staff 76 List of participant's RWS on the development of the NCFP Kratie on 13-14 December, 2004 No Name Sex Institution/Organization Others 1 Sin Samnang M Chief of Ansachambok Triage 2 Leng yuk M Chief of Ratanakiri FA Division 3 Ly Korn M Deputy Chief of Borsep FA Triage 4 Chiem Yudong M Deputy Chief of Kratie Cantonment 5 Pove Phallin F SSP Staff 6 Kuntho Eimarith M PLG Ratanakiri 7 Pet Phatra M FA/WCS 8 Bou Savuth M Deputy chief of Modulkiri Cantonment 9 Chay Sokkhar M Deputy Chief of Semonorom FA Triage 10 Pich Neroun M Chief of Kaoseimar FA Division 11 Khleng Narath M Chief of FA Triage 12 Thoeurn Setha M Santacina 13 Chhan Sarun M Chief of Batie Commune 14 Bien Choeurn M Chief of Auchom District 15 Thong Nioeut M First of assistant to the chief of a commune 16 Teang Daveth M Chief of Thalaborivath FA Division 17 Hy Tampa M Chief of Memuth FA Division 18 Sreng Sokkheng M Chief of Prey Veng FA Division 19 Ieve Saphum M Chief of Snuol District 20 Tuoch Thea M Deputy chief of Mekong Inspectorate 21 Chea Thavrith M Deputy chief of Thalaborivath District 22 Chhuon Chhanvuthy M Chief of Svay Reng FA Division 23 Thorn Vannviravuthy M Chief of Chhloung FA Division 24 Sorm Ty M Second of assistant to the chief of a commune 25 Chhon Run M Staff of CEPA Org Steung Treng 26 Prak Nomar M Deputy chief of Kampong Cham Cantonment 27 Im Phorn M Chief of commune 28 Nied Ravuth M Deputy chief of Domber District 29 Hy Sakun M Director of CCD Kratie 30 Peng Lengsry M Staff of CBO 31 Kruch Thong M Staff of RDPC Kratie 32 Ouch Sangsaven M Staff of CCD Kratie 33 Nguon Sophary M Director of KAFDOC Kratie 34 On Chhansocheat M CFO/FA 35 Pak Vongsomethy M Chief of Borkao FA Division (Ratanakiri) 36 Mom Sakim F Staff of SSP Kratie 37 Van Savun F Staff of SSP Kratie 38 Sam Chhay M KT Kampong Cham 39 Yu Tanvemean M Deputy chief of Ratanakiri Commune 40 Yoem La M Chief of Kampong Cham FA Triage 41 Chhieng Tola M Chief of Kratie Cantonment 42 Phan Kamnap M Deputy chief of CFRP/FA 43 Chreb Chantwo M Kampongkor CFMP 44 Chhin Rith M KAFDOC 45 Iev Saphom M KAFDOC 77 List of participant's RWS on the development of the NCFP Sihanouk Ville, 05-06 January 2005 No Name Sex Institution/Organization Others 1 Kim Chhunly M Chief of Kampongbay Triage 2 Heng Da M GTZ/RDP Kampot 3 Sauth Unn M Chief of Sihanouk Cantonment 4 Chhai Sarann M Deputy chief of Kohkong FA Cantenment 5 Net Nivin M Chief of Sreambil Triage 6 Im Savrith M Chief of Dorngpeng Triage 8 Meng Yuy M Chief of Dorngpeng Commune 9 Em Sam art M Chief of Kisakor Triage 10 Top Meng guon M CBFS/JICA/FA 11 Hao Samoeun M Chief of Kirivong FA Triage 12 Kao Than M Takao 13 Laueh Samon M Chief of Prey Thom District 14 Say Sorath M Chief of Kampong Trach District 15 Khem Pann M Chief of Chumkiri District 16 Heng Sokla M CIDSE Kampot 17 Nhek Sunnary M Chief of Takao FA Division 18 Tom Phuong M Chief of Taken Commune 19 Im Phan M Kampot of Agriculture department 20 Sengieng Samrang M CFRP 21 Chan Rachta M Chief of Mitapheap District 22 Yoem Pann M Chief of Sre Cheng Commune 23 Klok Siphan M Chief of Tatailoru District 24 Soi Sovath M Chief of Kampong Trach District 25 Em Sam ol M Deputy chief of CIDSE Chumkiri 26 Toch Sa morn M Chief of Chry Thom District 27 Song Kheang M AFSC Kohkong 28 Ouk Ly M Deputy chief of Chhumkiri FA Division 29 Sdeung Nhor M CFMC 30 Kao Thorn M Chief of Otreng Commune 31 Tun Than M Chief of Kampot Division 32 Tum Phuong M Chief of Taken commune 33 Chin Dara M Deputy Chief of Dorng Tong Division 34 Suon Sum M Deputy chief of Kampot FA Cantonment 35 Phan Kamnap M CFRP/FA 36 Cheng Ratha M Chief of Andoung Tek Division 37 Bun Ret M Chief of Dorng Tong Division 38 Nup Phien M Deputy Chief of Prey Nup Khan 39 Kim Bunsim M Chief of Orchres District 40 Chuon Sara M Chief of Srere Ambil Division 41 Phuong Picpunareay M CFI/CFAC 42 Seng Muny M Chief of FA Triage 43 Kep Sophy F CFRP/FA 44 Dy Sophy M Chief of Division 45 Net Nivin M FA Srere Ambil Kohkong 46 Horng Phoeurng M Deputy Chief of Kampong Trach FA Triage 47 Yeum Pann M Chief of Srere Cheng commune 48 Oeng Savrith M Chief of Srere Ambil FA Triage 49 Huot Punleu M Chief of Coastal FA Inspectorate 50 Nguon Thien M Chief of Choeun Kok District 78 79 Appendix V: SCHEDULE FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PHASE I & PHASE II ACTIVITIES PHASE & TIME FRAME ACTIVITIES Phase I (2006-2008) Short to Medium Term Actions Formal Recognition of Existing CF Sites • 200 CF Agreements Signed • Ongoing identification of potential new sites with initial steps initiated for formalized agreements in Phase II Develop CF Support Teams • Canton, Division & Triage FA Staff • Priority Cantonments for Phase I • Develop & Deliver CF Training to Teams • Building Capacity of Local FA Staff, CFMCs, and Stakeholders Livelihoods Development • Initiate trials on livelihoods development • Train FA local staff and stakeholders on CF concepts Develop & Support CF Networks • Funding Secured for National & Provincial Networks • Links Established with Other NRM Networks • 3 Meetings Per Year • Newsletters • Web-Site Development (IMU) • Sharing Information/Building Capacity CF Database Fully Operational • Baseline CF Data Entered • Reporting System Created • Web Site with CF Data Created • Operating Procedures Created • Website is operational Extension Materials for CF • Assessment of FA and NGO CF Materials • Identify CF Extension Material Needs • Develop Priority Materials • Deliver to CF Support Teams and Stakeholders CF Research Team • Identify Areas of Needed Research • Assist in Creating M&E criteria for CF in Phase II • Research on Livelihoods Development in CF Context National CF Working Group Created 80 • FA, Donors, Competent NGOs & Other Stakeholders Phase II (2009-2013) Long Term Actions Formal Recognition of Additional CF Sites • 200-400 CF Agreements Signed CF Support Teams • Teams Exist in All Cantonments • Needs Based Training & Capacity Delivered • Provide Training on Livelihoods Development in CF Context CF Networks • Fully Functional • Web-Site Development and Update Through IMU Information Management Unit • All CF Data Recorded and Updated Quarterly • Website Maintained • FA National & Local Staff Fully Trained on Reporting Extension • Continued Development of CF Materials • Materials on Livelihoods Development CF Research Team • Continued Targeted Research on CF implementation as Identified Monitoring & Evaluation • Based on Information From Research Team • Evaluation of NCFP Activities • Review and Modification of CF Prakas if necessary National CF Working Group • Providing Ongoing Input on NCFP Implementation • Open and Transparent Process 81