the Cardamom forest in danger

His name in Europe is unknown. Yet it is one of the largest tropical forests in Asia. The Cardamom massif in Cambodia absorbs hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon each year and is home to one of the richest ecosystems on the planet. But this green Eden is threatened by massive deforestation. In recent years, it has lost nearly 10% of its tree area. The government has ceded thousands of hectares of land to private companies for agricultural purposes, notably for rubber and sugar cane plantations.

Deforestation, poaching, intensive agriculture

“It makes me sad. This forest that surrounded my house before brought humidity. We didn’t need to water here before”, testifies Say Savuth, resident of the Cardamom forest. Object of many desires, the Cardamoms also attract traffickers of wood, sought after for furnishing. In this forest, illegal loggers penetrate daily. To protect it from this threat, a hundred armed guards patrol night and day in small groups. In Cambodia, the Cardamom forest is not the only one threatened by deforestation, poaching and intensive agriculture. All of the country’s forests and more broadly those of the Southeast Asian region are now in danger.