Photo credit: Wildlife Alliance, a non-profit that runs eco-tourism activities in the area
CAMBODIA’s eco-tourism industry looks set to receive a boost after the Cardamom Mountains were granted National Park status.
The move will see the 1.1 million-acre mountain range – traditionally rife with illegal logging and poaching activity – receive special legal protection, such as having more park rangers in place and the power to prevent private companies from land-grabbing and setting slash-and-burn forest fires.
“The Cardamoms has become a popular, off-the-beaten track destination for eco-tourism in Cambodia, and this status will help to preserve the area,” said Socheat Sen, spokesperson of tour operator Discover the Mekong Travel.
With this also comes the hope that the eco-tourism industry in the Cardamoms, which serve as one of Asia’s remaining elephant corridors and South-east Asia’s largest continuous rainforests, will flourish.
Yulia Khouri, ambassador for NGO Wildlife Alliance, said: “Eco-tourism is the only way to ensure people visit the protected forest, witness its beauty and not leave the damaging human print on the environment. National park status will help to protect this.”
Brahm Dhammajat, spokesperson of Metta Nature, which operates treks through the Aral mountain area of the Cardamoms, added: “The status will help create more eco-tours and eco-treks, which will provide more sustainable income for communities. It also makes the world realise the importance of this beautiful place.”
