Community Protected Area Guidelines

The Ministry of Environment has been piloting the Community Protected Area (CPA) concept since 1997 in Peam Krasaop Wildlife Sanctuary with support from the International Development Research Center. The Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management Project has been working on the development of Community Protected Areas in Virachey National Park since 2000. Additional initiatives started in 2005, lead by Flora and Fauna International in Aural and Samkos Wildlife Sanctuaries and by Save Cambodia’s Wildlife in Bokor National Park. Recently, several Provincial Departments of Environment have also started working towards establishment of Community Protected Areas.

Since March 2005, BPAMP has been supporting the Department of Nature Conservation and Protection of the Ministry of Environment with the development of the legal framework (Prakas) for establishing Community Protected Areas in Cambodia and the Technical Guidelines for implementing what is described in the Prakas.

A working group was established consisting of technical staff from the Community Protected Area Development Office, field experts from NGOs and representatives of the Ministry of the Environment and the Department of Nature Conservation and Protection. The working group was supported by a legal consultant from Community Forestry International.

Three provincial consultative workshops and a national workshop were used to revise the CPA guidelines and Prakas. Both documents have been completed and awaiting final approval by the Minister.