Commodity Frontiers an Ethnographic Study of Social-Environmental
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Commodity Frontiers An ethnographic study of social-environmental interaction of Upper Stung Prek Thnot River Catchment, Eastern Cardamom Mountains By Sopheak Chann and Tim Frewer July 2017 1 Contents 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Background ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.2. Research objectives ................................................................................................................ 1 1.3. Upper Prek Thnot Ecology ...................................................................................................... 2 1.4. Land and resource administration and demography.............................................................. 3 1.5. A brief history .......................................................................................................................... 5 1.6. Commodity Frontiers .............................................................................................................. 7 1.6.1. Livelihoods overview ....................................................................................................... 9 1.6.2. Logging .......................................................................................................................... 10 1.6.3. Charcoal production ...................................................................................................... 11 1.6.4. Land ............................................................................................................................... 15 1.6.5. Labour ........................................................................................................................... 18 1.6.6. Summary ....................................................................................................................... 21 2. Research Methods ........................................................................................................................ 22 2.1. Interview and observation .................................................................................................... 22 2.2. Mapping and landscape observations .................................................................................. 22 2.3. Site selection ......................................................................................................................... 23 3. Roleak Kong Chueng region of Tasal Commune – Northwestern Upper Prek Thnot Catchment 25 3.1. A brief history ........................................................................................................................ 25 3.2. Geographical overview and land restriction ......................................................................... 26 3.3. Subsistent farming practice .................................................................................................. 29 3.4. Charcoal and wood collection ............................................................................................... 31 3.5. The cnvironmental cost ........................................................................................................ 36 3.6. The Poor and Non-timber Forest Products (NTFP) ............................................................... 37 3.7. Community Forestry ............................................................................................................. 39 3.8. The myth of land claims and territories ................................................................................ 42 4. Northern Upper Stung Prek Thnot – Trapeang Chour Commune ................................................ 44 4.1. General geography and ecology ........................................................................................... 44 4.2. Demographics and history of settlement ............................................................................. 45 4.3. Livelihoods ............................................................................................................................ 48 4.4. Timber collection .................................................................................................................. 50 2 4.5. Charcoal production.............................................................................................................. 59 4.6. Land ....................................................................................................................................... 64 4.7. Labour ................................................................................................................................... 68 4.8. Case study conclusion ........................................................................................................... 71 5. South-western Prek Thnot Catchment - Chambak and Traeng Trayoueng communes ............... 73 5.1. General geographical context ............................................................................................... 73 5.2. History ................................................................................................................................... 76 5.3. Forest Production.................................................................................................................. 77 5.4. From charcoal to mango plantation ..................................................................................... 80 5.5. Land and local farming .......................................................................................................... 83 5.6. Labouring and source livelihood ........................................................................................... 86 5.7. Community-based eco-tourism and local livelihood ............................................................ 88 6. Central-west Upper Stung Prek Thnot - Kreung Dai Wai Commune, Phnom Sruoch District ...... 90 6.1. General Geography and Ecology ........................................................................................... 90 6.2. Demographics and History of Settlement ............................................................................. 92 6.3. Livelihoods ............................................................................................................................ 93 6.4. Timber harvesting ................................................................................................................. 93 6.5. Charcoal ................................................................................................................................ 95 6.6. Land ..................................................................................................................................... 100 6.7. Community Forests ............................................................................................................. 105 6.8. Labour ................................................................................................................................. 110 7. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 114 References: ......................................................................................................................................... 115 3 1. Introduction 1.1. Background Stung Prek Thnot is one of the most important watersheds in Cambodia supporting livelihoods throughout the catchment as well as contributing to economic growth in south- western Cambodia. However, over the last three decades, deforestation and changes in land use have posed major challenges to sustaining the watershed’s ecosystem health. Particularly in the upper section of the catchment – the southern Cardamom mountain range, patterns of land and resources have altered dramatically with major effects for the downstream area. More than 20% of land area in the two districts that covering the upper part of the catchment (Aoral and Phnom Sruoch) have been reserved for economic land concessions and more than 45% is located within protected areas. However, not many studies have of yet explored how the relationship between local communities and the landscape have changed over the last three decades. Such changes determine social-environmental interactions which is crucial to long term sustainability of the Stung Prek Thnot watershed. The Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fishery of Cambodia (MAFF) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) have attempted to establish a sustainable watershed management program, which aims to ensure the ongoing health of the upper watershed and improve local livelihoods. However, the project requires nuanced and detailed information on the interactions between local livelihoods and the landscape in terms of how land and resources are being used. Understanding social-environmental interaction is critical for the sustainable management of the watershed. Therefore, this research aims to provide nuanced knowledge on the relationship between local communities, land and resources within the Upper Stung Prek Thnot Catchment focusing on two districts, Aoral and Phnom Sruoch. 1.2. Research objectives - To gain insights into how people in the project site use water, land and natural resources. - To gain insights into current patterns of land and water usage and their drivers. - To understand the effects these changes are having