CHAMBOK CBET

1
Best Practices of the Chambok Community-Based
Ecotourism Project in Phnom Sruich District,
Kampong Speu Province, Cambodia
by Mr. Va Moeurn Executive Director Mlup
Baitong 28 September 2007
2
PROJECT BACKGROUND

• Low agricultural yields (1t/ha) and limited farm
  land (0.5 ha/ family), Most Chamboks community
  (94) depend on forest resources for their
  livelihood (forest extraction activities).
• These activities include felling trees for
  timber, charcoal and fuel wood production,
  non-timber forest product collection and wildlife
  hunting.
• These activities have been unmanaged
  uncontrolled and have led to deforestation and
  severe degradation of wildlife resources.
• In 2002 Mlup Baitong Green Shade established
  Chambok CBET Project capitalizing the existing
  natural resources including a 30 meter waterfall
  and a beautiful forest landscape for tourist
  attraction.
• The project is to empower communities to manage
  more than 1100 hectares of forest land through
  CBET approach, which benefited 500 households of
  9 villages of Chambok Commune.

3
PROJECT DESCRIPTION

• Agreement was signed between Mlup Baitong and MoE
  to official grant the forest land (800 ha) in a
  Protected Area.
• Training on environmental topics provided and
  introduction of idea of an ecotourism project
  promoted.
• A CBET Management Committee and its bylaw, rules,
  and regulation for governing the site
  established.
• Goal and objectives of Chambok CBET defined
• Once the site declared safe from landmines, the
  construction of all necessary infrastructures and
  facilities began,
• Training on relevant basic skills provided.
• The project was officially opened to the public
  in 2003.

4
PROJECT GOAL AND OBJECTIVES

• Project goal To empower the people of Chambok to
  actively participate in sustainable management of
  natural resources in the site for their
  livelihood development and poverty reduction.
• Project Objectives
• Protect forests and natural resources of Chambok,
  
• Provide income generating alternatives to poor
  and forest-products-dependent families in the
  community.
• Educate the local people and visitors about
  environmental conservation.

5
KEY ELEMENT OF THE PROJECT

• The Chambok CBET Project are divided into five
  main components
• Construction, renovation and maintenance of
  infrastructure and facilities.
• Building the capacity of the CBET Management
  Committee (MC) members and service providers.
• Establishment and marketing of income generation
  services
• Keeping the eco-tourism site environmentally
  friendly
• Formation of Women SHG and the development of
  micro-businesses.

6
PROJECT DURATION AND COST

• The project has been implemented for a nine-year
  period from 2002 to 2009.
• The total project investment was 226,000.
• All project costs have been funded by foreign
  donors including Oxfam Novib, SCIAF, OGB, KNCF,
  ADB, Blacksmith Institute, Canada Fund, McKnight
  Foundation, UNDP/EC SGP, and other donations.
• However, the government contributed some support
  to the building of roads and landmine clearance,
  while tour companies assisted with advertisement.

7
PROJECT OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS

• The project has achieved a number of major
  outcomes in terms of biodiversity conservation,
  livelihood development and project
  sustainability.
• More than 1,100 ha of forest, with an estimated
  economic value of more than 1 million USD, is now
  properly managed and protected.
• Elimination of 72 charcoal kilns has given the
  forest a proper chance to regenerate.
• Illegal forest activities were reported that have
  been reduced considerably.
• Many villagers previously involved in logging or
  hunting have become forest protector, permanent
  farmers, tour guides or tourism service
  providers.

8
PROJECT OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS (cont)

• Non-timber forest resources have become more
  abundant benefiting the 500 households
• The villagers were able to gain income from
  selling agricultural and other local products.
• 300 people (200 are women representing 66 ) have
  been employed on a rotational basis which provide
  additional incomes of around 40USD/family/ year
  (nearly to 10 of yearly income).
• By taking on the responsibilities of project
  activities, women become more empowered.
• In 2006, the total revenue generated is more than
  10,000.
• Many intangible values developed
• Chambok CBET is recognized by the Ministry of
  Tourism as a unique example in Cambodia.
• 47 national and international delegations visited
  the site between January 2006 and June 2007.

9
CHALLENGES

• Low level of education among villagers is a major
  obstacle for project implementation. MB spent a
  significant amount of time building capacities of
  the MC members. Sometimes, training sessions
  delivered repeatedly.
• Difficult to persuade villagers, MC members and
  local authorities and tourists to adapt to the
  innovative approaches and procedures.
• Difficult to protect the forest in and around the
  site from logging, hunting, forest fires,
  forestland encroachment, and clearance.
• But owing persistent effort of MB to raise
  awareness of nature conservation through
  cooperation with all stakeholders, effective
  mechanisms were established.

10
LESSONS LEARNED

• An effective CBET MC and appropriate bylaws, and
  regulation for governing the project need to be
  clearly established through a participatory
  approach to ensure the ownership of the project.
• Capacity building for MC and tourism service
  providers has to be done repeatedly if necessary
  to ensure the sustainability of the project.
• Equal opportunity for involvement and equitable
  sharing of benefits among community members have
  to be carefully taken into account during project
  implementation in order to avoid internal
  conflict.

11
CONCLUSION

• Chambok CBET is generally viewed as a model of
  best practices for Community Based Eco-tourism in
  Cambodia.
• The concept of CBET developed in Chambok has
  already been an example for many other
  organizations for similar project.
• MB itself has started to replicate the concept in
  other places of Cambodia.