For the past three years, Ly Senserey has not yet made a profit from his Koh Kong province eco-tourism business. However, what he has gained goes beyond money — it includes contributing to the protection of natural resources and providing job opportunities to the local community, helping them reduce their heavy dependence on forest resources.

Located in Russey Chrum commune, in Thma Bang district, Krâvanh La Vallée Eco Resort is a 70-hectare site. Established through the Cambodia Sustainable Landscape and Ecotourism Project (CSLEP), it aims to improve the management of protected natural areas and promote eco-tourism in the Cardamom Mountains-Tonle Sap (CMTS) landscape.

“In terms of money, I have not make a profit, but I felt that I made more of something than the money I received, that I could take care of the natural resources and I could help people here to have jobs,”Senserey said, as he welcomed a tour group to the resort last week.

Krâvanh La Vallée was the first eco-tourism site in Thma Bang district. It has put the district into the spotlight, as previously, most people only knew of the Areng area.

“I opened it before others because of love. I wanted to take care of the rare natural resources that can be found here, as well as have the opportunity to help the community,” he explained.

“Today, almost everyone living here comes to work for me. This is what makes me the most happy about this project,” he added.

Senserey provides employment to about 200 local people each month, reducing migration, illegal logging and wildlife poaching.

“When people have a legitimate livelihood, they don’t destroy the forest or kill wildlife animals. Now, no one dares to carry a homemade rifle to hunt anymore. Even if a tree is no larger than a person’s leg – no one will cut it without my permission,” he said.

He emphasised that hunting or serving wild animal meat is strictly prohibited within the resort grounds.

Senserey invested in 40 hectares of natural forest land through a 50-year lease from the Ministry of Environment, plus 30 hectares of his own land to establish the resort, which began taking shape three years ago. To date, only around 10 per cent of his master plan has been completed, with assistance from foreign experts.

No trees were felled during the construction of the resort, with most furniture and decorations made from left over timber.

With its rich natural assets — dense forests, diverse wildlife, waterfalls and streams — the area enjoys cool weather almost year-round and fertile soil. This supports the cultivation of various fruits within the resort.

Tourists can enjoy the vegetables and free-range chicken which is produced on-site.

A lush natural landscape surrounded by white clouds in the Cardamom Mountains in Thma Bang district, it is part of the Cambodia Sustainable Landscape and Ecotourism Project (CSLEP) project. Supplied

Ministry working with communities

Khin Meng Kheang, director of the environment ministry’s ecotourism department and CSLEP project manager, explained that the project — backed by the World Bank — aims to protect natural areas and promote eco-tourism development in two distinct areas: The Cardamom Mountains and the Tonle Sap, across six provinces: Koh Kong, Kampong Speu, Kampong Chhnang, Pursat, Battambang and Siem Reap.

He said that initially, the project was to be implemented for only six years, from 2020 to 2025. However, due to the Covid-19 crisis, it was extended until December 2027.

The project is jointly managed by the ministry and the Ministry of Rural Development, to support Cambodia’s sustainable development goals. It uses nature-based tourism to boost the rural economy and improve natural resource management in the Cardamom-Tonle Sap region.

Key protected areas include the Phnom Kulen and Cardamom National Parks, as well as the Peam Krasop, Tatai, Oral and Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuaries. The CMTS landscape covers over 3.8 million hectares, including some of the world’s most productive freshwater ecosystems and the largest remaining forest in Indochina.

During a visit to the project last week, Meng Kheang explained to reporters that the project requires the participation of both the private and local sectors, as development must be balanced with conservation work.

“Our landscapes are important green destinations. Thus, the first thing we need to ensure is that these areas are protected and will not be lost. The second is to take advantage of the opportunity to develop green ecotourism, and the third is other support related to protections, law enforcement and connectivity,” he said.

The project will also strengthen the value chain of non-timber forest products, increasing rural incomes by improving the efficiency of ecotourism and non-timber product collection.

Meng Kheang noted that in the first phase of the project, 90 kilometres of roads will connect target areas to one another. Offices for park rangers were also built, and the rangers the necessary received training and equipment.

He said the 11 ecotourism destinations were selected for the project, including the well-known Stung Areng community.

The ministry described Krâvanh La Vallée Eco Resort as a model for active eco-tourism operators.

So far, it has supported about 400 small-scale ecotourism projects nationwide, including 30 to 40 in the Cardamom Mountains. Some are still at the planning stage, while some have mapped out land and applied for contracts, while others have begun operations.

Pak Sokharavuth, ministry undersecretary of state, believed that the well thought out implementation of the resort demonstrated the success of the project, and would lead to people wanting to visit similar sites.

He believed that sharing the potential of Cambodia’s ecotourism sites helped to protect forests and wildlife more effectively. In addition, improving the livelihoods of local communities encourages them to prevent deforestation. Both of these goals align with the government’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

Sokharavuth explained that by connecting each of the sites, people can visit more than one in a day, thus spreading the potential for ecotourism income among the local communities.

Long Koy, chief of the Stung Areng ecotourism community, noted that in addition to roads in the community, the project helped to build sanitation blocks and clean cooking facilities for the Chong indigenous community.

“There are better roads, and lately, there have been more bookings. Since the beginning of the year, we have seen Cambodian and foreign visitors, although there are more foreigners,” he said.

He explained that the Areng community earn between $500 and just over $1,000 a month from tourism. These funds are improving their lives, with 80 per cent of the income distributed to the 170 families in the community.

The Areng community has 35 guides, but only nine are English-speaking, which he admitted presents a challenge.

Khin Meng Kheang, director of the environment ministry’s ecotourism department and ministry undersecretary of state Pak Sokharavuth speak with journalists during a recent visit. Phak Seangly

A province with newfound desirability

Deputy provincial governor Orn Sothearith urged the private sector to work hand in hand with ecotourism communities.

“We all need to cooperate and work together. If we create jobs for local people – like tour guides – they will keep away from deforestation or hunting and trapping animals. The most important thing is to create alternatives to illegal activities,” he said.

Senserey, owner of the Krâvanh La Vallée Eco Resort, is playing his part. Step by step, he plans to complete the remaining 90 per cent of his master plan.

Koh Kong province used to be a place that tourists passed through on their way to elsewhere, but it is rapidly becoming a destination all of its own.