"Massive forest clearing found in Koh Kong province", 07 May 2020

The Wildlife Alliance ... discovered over 200 hectares of mangrove forests within Koh Kong province’s Peam Krasaop Wildlife Sanctuary were illegally cleared.

In a press release ..., the wildlife and forest conservation NGO said the discovery of the forestry crime was made following a routine forest canopy disturbance monitoring conducted by the organisation.

“It showed a large-scale, systematic and complete removal of mangrove forest at an industrial scale by heavy machinery. Some locations inside the sanctuary with large-scale mangrove removal are already being filled up with quarry soil, seemingly in preparation for construction,” the statement read.

The Wildlife Alliance said mangroves are vital for Cambodia’s resilience to climate change and serve as a physical barrier along the coast against high storms and sea-level rises, which are now occurring at a much faster pace than was previously seen.

Wildlife Alliance founder and CEO Suwanna Gauntlett said ... she called on urgent action to stop the clearing of mangrove forests, noting approximately 227 hectares have been cleared in the sanctuary located at the province’s Khemara Phoumin city...

“It is heartbreaking to see this devastation. The livelihoods of fishermen are at stake, given the vital role of mangroves as nurseries for coastal fish, shrimp and crab. Urgent action is needed to stop this,” Ms Gauntlett said.

... Mon Phalla, director of the provincial environment department, ... denied the Wildlife Alliance’s claim on the massive deforestation, ...

Neth Pheaktra, spokesman of the Environment Ministry, ... warned the public from occupying any land within the Peam Krasaop Wildlife Sanctuary as it had already been registered as state land...