The Prey Lang Forest (; km, ព្រៃឡង់, ) is a

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

in Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear, Kratie and Stung Treng Provinces in Northern

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand ...

. The forest covers an estimated 3,600 square kilometres (1,390 square miles). It is one of Southeast Asia's last remaining lowland evergreen woodlands. It is the largest remaining lowland evergreen forest on the

Indochinese peninsula Mainland Southeast Asia, also known as the Indochinese Peninsula or Indochina, is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the west an ...

and approximately 200,000 members of ethnic minorities live in or around the Prey Lang.

Protected area

Part of the Prey Lang Forest is covered by Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary, first created in 2016.

Indigenous communities

Prey Lang plays a central role in the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in Cambodia. Around 200,000 people, mostly members of the indigenous Kuy people, live in districts surrounding Prey Lang, a name which means "Our Forest" in the

Kuy language Kuy, also known as Kui, Suay or Kuay ( th, ภาษากูย; km, ភាសាកួយ), is a Katuic language, part of the larger Austroasiatic family spoken by the Kuy people of Southeast Asia. Kuy is one of the Katuic languages with ...

. Prey Lang is an intricate part of their culture and spiritual life and they have depended upon it for generations, collecting resin, building materials, medicine, and food from the forest. Another 700,000 people live within 10 kilometers from Prey Lang, also for whom the forest is essential.

Deforestation

Prey Lang is under threat from a variety of sources which have put short-sighted economic interests ahead of a nation's long-term well-being. Agribusiness plantations and mining operations are cutting away at the forest, including sensitive core areas.

Illegal logging Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission, or from a ...

for timber, including luxury wood, is rampant, depriving communities of the resin trees they depend on. It is estimated that up to 250,000 resin trees have been lost to chainsaws.

Illegal mining Illegal mining is mining activity that is undertaken without state permission, in particular in absence of land rights, mining licenses, and exploration or mineral transportation permits. Illegal mining can be a subsistence activity, as is the c ...

for precious metals and iron ore has also been on the increase, displacing artisanal, environmentally friendly operations. Toxic chemicals are being dumped into Prey Lang waterways, upsetting the area's delicate ecological balance and endangering downstream communities. In addition, new roads are cutting into important and sensitive areas of the forest, and making it easier for unscrupulous actors to illegally clear forest, transport timber, and engage in poaching.Illegal logging persists in Cambodia's Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary: Report
/ref>

Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary

References

External links

{{National parks of Cambodia Wildlife sanctuaries of Cambodia Protected areas of Cambodia Forests of Cambodia Rainforests Old-growth forests Geography of Kampong Thom province Environmental justice