Main contextual information:
Historical presence of the project holder in the area
Poh Kao and NTFP in collaboration with Ministry of Environment (MoE) and local communities has been
working to protect VSSP NP and its biodiversity for nearly 12years. Those conservation activities include law
enforcement, local communities and authorities’ awareness, capacity building, indigenous Community
Protected Areas titling, and local livelihood improvements.
Significant results were reached: the site was registered as a National Park; rampant illagal logging was
tackkled, communities and authorities are fully working every month together to protect the site ; 2
Community Protected Areas were demarcated and recognized by provincial authorities ; dense forests recovery
for 3,300 ha totalysing 83.30% of the site, 160 patrols (1 332 km) conducted by commnunity wardens jointly
with rangers have secured the site from loggers and poachers, as results, densities of endangered wildlife have
visibly increased.
Finally, the transfer of technical capacities to a local based NGO (NTFP) was fully accomplished. NTFP is the only
one local conservation NGO based in Ratanakiri Province.
Main problem identified
Delay in assessing ecotourism opportunities to set up a sustainable system to finance community patrols.
During the past 24 months, we had to adapt to changes (The national park authorities was shifted to Ministry
of Environment from Ministry of Agriculture in 2017), which resulted in delays cooperation agreement with
MoE, DoE and increased work tasks for the team. The schedule was very busy and the team had to visit the site
and the districts and provinces several times a month to coordinate work with authorities. There was no time
slot to conduct the assessment for ecotourism opportunity as scheduled in early 2017. However all the tools to
conduct this study were prepared. This year 2018, we would be able to lead it with confidence to communities,
authorities and private partners.
Veun Sai Siem Pang Holds a high Potential for Responsible Ecotourism Development and we are operational to implement it.
At this stage of the conservation actions ran at the site, Responsible Ecotourism is the most relevant activity to
find a sustainaible system to continue conservation action at VSSP national park over the end of the project.
VSSP has great potential for ecotourism development that will generate funding to support conservation and
local livelihoods in the future:
The site is home to more than 60 species of animal and plants on the global Red List that are
threatened with extinction, according to the criteria of IUCN. The area is of international importance
for the conservation of primates (including the world’s largest known populations of black-shanked
douc and southern yellow-cheeked crested gibbons), wild cats, Asian elephants, wild cattle and several
species of birds.
More than 5 million of tourists are visiting Cambodia every year, 66 000 visiting ecotourism areas.
Among them, 4,000 are visiting the province where the area is located. All to looking for jungle
trekking and sharing experience with Indigenous people. Currenlty, only 2 options are available; both
are selective and expensive (>200 dollars per person). Majority of visitors cannot afford these
expenses , and are disappointed because the main purpose of their visit to Ratanakiri was to see the
jungle.
Ecotourism development is a long lasting demand of the 5 communities.
The proposed project will link these 2 groups to set up a system (i) to generate income for communities and a
sustainable system to finance the community patrols and (ii) to respond to the high demand of tourists to
actively participate into conservation actions in an hotspot of biodiversity.
Beneficiaries of the project:
Ecosystem of the VSSPCA : 57,469 ha of evergreen forest (including Spirit Forest) & deciduous forest;
Red list wildlife species (5 primates species; 7 large carnivores, 3 species of birds, elephant and siamese
crocodile. Northern buffed-cheeked gibbon, Nomascus annamensis – new taxon recently discovered.
2,820 indigenous people (5 villages), income < $1/day
5 CBOs (in total 45 members elected)
5 community wardens group (30 community rangers 30% of women)
30 officials actively involved in conservation and recognition of IP forest management(Ministry of
Environment, 2 Provincial Departments of environment, District Governors, Communes chief, 5
villages chief, police and gendarmerie).
Project Main objective:
Support to Veun Sai Siem Pang National Park protection through Responsible Entrepreneurship Ecoutourism to
generate income to finance community patrols to mitigate biodiversity loss with a special focus on gibbon
protection.
Project Secondary objective(s):
Component 1: Protection of VSSPCA and new gibbon (Nomascus annammensis) is enhanced through
engaging the community in patrolling the forest and biodiversity
Component 2: Sustainable support to conservation, community patrols and local livelihoods through
income generated by Responsible Ecotourism development.
Summary of planned activities according to objectives to be reached
Component 1:
Capacity building through coaching to CW by NTFP staffs.
Conduct the community wardens patrol on gibbon protection and forest patrols.
Conduct the quarterly reflection meeting with community wardens (working groups meeting).
Component 2:
Conduct an assesseement of the opportunities for ecotourism through FPIC (define tours, trekking
routes, home stay, fees, etc) with CBOS, rangers groups, villages chief, and local authorities.
Fondation Ensemble – Concept Note 2018 – NTFP, Cambodia. 5
Create a Community Based Organisation for Ecotourism, elected by villagers.
Participatory making rules and regulations agreements.
Establish ecotourism strategy and business plan which participated by CBOs.
Conduct consultation meeting between NTFP and private tour companies to present business strategy.
Identify potential private tour in Banlung to link with CBO Ecoutourism.
Create a private structure in Banlung town (headoffice) to link with CBOs and conduct tourists to
villages for trekking tour or participatory community patrol.
Partners on the ground: Ministry of Environment, 2 Provincial Departements of Environment.
Please download PDF file:
2018_VSSP Cambodia Ecotourism project_Final_NTFP-Fondation Ensemble_2Feb2018