Title
Grassland conservation supports threatened birds and local people’s livelihoods
Author(s)
Hong, C.
Published
2015
Publisher
Cambodian Journal of Natural History
Abstract
Grassland is typically neglected in the protected area networks of Southeast Asia. The grasslands of the Tonle Sap fl oodplain in Cambodia support about 70% of the global population of the Critically Endangered Bengal fl orican Houbaropsis bengalensis, which only occurs in three countries: Cambodia, India and Nepal. The grassland is important not only for the florican but also for local livelihoods. However, there are a lot of ongoing challenges to protecting the grassland from such development activities as dry season rice farming and degradation. To address these problems, the government’s Forestry Administration has cooperated with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) since 2006 to manage and conserve these important grasslands. Six Bengal Florican Conservation Areas were established in 2006. The project has set up an education programme, research and monitoring, law enforcement, and a community management committ ee (CMC) at each site. The CMCs play a very important role in management because they are recognised by the local authorities and help to monitor and investigate any activities inside the project area; reporting any illegal activities to the project team to take action quickly and prevent any development activities inside the conservation areas. Protecting these grasslands, which fl ood in the wet season, also contributes to local livelihoods through protecting fish habitat, providing areas for grazing cattle, deep-water rice farming and collecting thatching materials and crickets. Moreover the project has developed ecotourism based on the floricans and wildlife-friendly rice, which provides an income for community development. As a result the Bengal florican population is stable.
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PUB15535