Over 100 leaders and officials from the Forestry Administration (FA) have been replanting trees since the morning of August 8 in Phnom Tamao forest area, where 500ha was cleared for development.

This followed soon after Prime Minister Hun Sen’s order to cancel all recent land swap deals, and to reforest the affected site immediately.

More than 7,000 saplings provided by the FA have been planted along with 8,000 saplings that were contributed by the private sector.

FA deputy director Suon Sovann told the Post on August 8 that the affected area needs more than 100,000 saplings.

The first saplings to be planted are those which are luxury timber trees, such as kranhoung (Dalbergia cochinchinensis), beng (Afzelia xylocarpa) and thnong (Pterocarpus macrocarpus).

“[Apart from] 7,000 saplings, 2,000 saplings were donated by [tycoons] Mong Reththy, who will [ensure] continuous supply. In addition, [real estate developer] Leng Navattra will donate some saplings,” he said.

Meanwhile, tycoon Reththy, the chairman of Mong Reththy Group, informed people on his Facebook page on August 7 that Hun Sen had given him permission to replant luxury trees on the cleared area in Phnom Tamao.

He said 1,000 Beng tree and Thnong tree saplings each, were transported on a truck to the site on August 8 while another 5,000 of both the tree saplings will be sent on August 9.

He plans to supply up to 102,000 saplings to ensure the cleared area is reforested.

In the social media post, Reththy said he and Lok Chumteav Prahok are leading a group of technicians and agricultural workers from his company to help replant trees in Phnom Tamao, and welcomed others to join them.

Separately, prominent Cambodian singer Khemarak Sereymon expressed interest to join Leng Navattra in contributing 1,000 thnong saplings for replanting.

Another donor, the University of Indrawichea, said it would contribute 5,555 saplings, an effort that would be participated by its rector, professors and students.