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Biodiversity Conservation On The Tonle Sap Great Lake
Heng Sokrith Tonle Sap Program Coordinator, May 2011
Overview•The Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.
• In October 1997, the lake was nominated as a biosphere reserve under the Man and Biosphere Program of the UNESCO.
• 3.6 million people live in the Tonle Sap basin.
• 2,500–3,000 Km2 in the dry season and 10,000–16,000 km2 in the wet season.
• 1–2 meters above mean sea level in the dry season and 8–12 meters in the wet season.
• 20% of the Mekong River's floodwaters are absorbed by the Tonle Sap
Biodiversity Conservation On The Tonle Sap Great Lake
Biodiversity Conservation On The Tonle Sap Great Lake
•The flooded forest contains about 200 plant species.
•The Tonle Sap contains at least 200 species of fish, 42 species of reptiles, 225 species of birds, and 46 species of mammals.
•Of the 500 fish species once found in Cambodia's wetlands, as many as 300 are now thought to have disappeared.
•The Tonle Sap yields about 230,000 tons of fish each year (about 50% of Cambodia's total freshwater capture fisheries production)
•Rice production in the Tonle Sap's floodplains makes up about 12% of Cambodia's total.
• Deforestation in the watershed, agriculture expansion, Conversion of flooded forest to agriculture
• Overexploitation of fisheries and wildlife resources
• Habitat fragmentation
• Collection of Fuel Wood from the flooded forest
• Introduction of non-native species
What are the problems?
Project Area
Overall Aim: To help restore the Tonle Sap Lake’s valuable and unique ecosystem by working with the local community, the Cambodian government, and local non-governmental organizations to create alternatives to overfishing and flooded habitat destruction, and to conserve critical tracts of flooded habitats to ensure food security for people, while also conserving key endangered species.
Objectives:• To prepare an effective management plan with participation from stakeholders.
• To improve management of protected Kampong Prak fish sanctuary and associated ecosystems through regular patrols within the area, determination of important resources to be protected, and law enforcement.
• To increase fishermen’s awareness of the critical importance of the fish sanctuary, flooded forests, and fish protected areas.
• To monitor the biological, social and economic effects within the fish sanctuary flooded forest and floating villages of the project targeted areas.
Goals
Project Inputs Law Enforcement
Artificial reefs have been sunk into the Sanctuary to provide a refuge for fish and to prevent illegal fishing
Fish Sanctuary
Reforestation: we re-plant cleared areas of the flooded forest
Demarcation of the Fish Sanctuary
Illegal Fish Gear have been confiscated and destroyed
Project Inputs Law Enforcement
We are engaging local community in flooded forest management through community ranger patrol team, (6 CRs and 4 FiAs, 2 MP) and we are supporting fisheries-led protection of flooded forest in the focal area.
Project Inputs Law Enforcement
Project Inputs Wildlife Monitoring- Otter
Project Outcomes Wildlife Monitoring-Birds
Painted Stork flock Black-headed Ibis flock
Glossy Ibis flock Grey-headed fish eagle
Spot-billed PelicanLesser Adjutant
Project Activities
• Fuel-efficient cook stove project. • Research the possibility for harvesting and selling branches from mimosa pigra plants • Prepare a series of awareness and education sessions for both patrol teams and
communities in aspects such as Tonle Sap ecosystem, use of natural resources, threats to resources, relevant laws and human health.
• Develop alternative livelihood activities such as fish processing, livestock raising and production of crafts from water hyacinth fibers. If suitable activities are identified we will establish a project to implement the idea.
• Undertake monitoring and evaluation strategies focus on forest cover change, water volume, and water level will be monitored annually
• Constant surveys of key species such as otter, fishing cat and birds, and identify the areas where key bird breeding colonies are located.
