Page 1 of 13 Regional Environmental Technical Assistance 5771 Poverty Reduction & Environmental Management in Remote Greater Mekong Subregion Watersheds Project (Phase I) RRA REPORT ON WATERSHEDS IN PURSAT AND KAMPONG CHHNANG PROVINCES Watershed Profile By Ieng Sovannora 1.0 Introduction, Rationale and Objectives 1.1 Introduction Pursat province (previously called Potisat), approximately 200 km from Phnom Penh and close to Tonle Sap, has one of Cambodia’s prime watersheds. Its protection would contribute to the protection of two wildlife sanctuaries in the area – Orall Mountain and Sam Kos. Prior to the field survey, the Study Team met the Minister of Environment, responsible for watershed management (a high priority) and wildlife sanctuaries, e.g., Orall National Park, and the Director of the Forestry Department. The Minister recommended a focus on Orall mountain. The Forestry Department, which works closely with the Ministry of Environment and other agencies, such as: CONCERN, WORLDWIDE, UNDP/CARE, and MCC, supports development of forest communities, e.g., in community forestry training and reforestation. Key Forest Department strategies are to: Eliminate "anarchic" deforestation, particularly by large-scale logging; Strengthen sustainable forest management practices; Manage forest resources and promote reforestation. Three big forest concession companies operate in Pursat: Superwood (94,499 Ha), Youri Sakor (196,310 Ha), and Great International (163,200 Ha), however, of these only the Superwood Forest Concession Company is more or less permanent and is constructing a wood processing factory. 1.2 Rationale for the study Pursat province watershed with an area of 2,423 sq. km, supports a population of 357,172, mostly poor people, 70% of whom (80% women) are considered to be at or below the poverty line. Poverty and environmental Page 2 of 13 degradation are working together to worsen the environmental and social situations. Both require specific strategies to address them. This study attempts to understand the factors linking poverty and environmental degradation. 1.3 Objectives There are five objectives, namely, to: Identify key issues on environmental aspects of forestry; Identify forest cover, forest quality and forest type; Identify the causes of deforestation, soil erosion, reduction in fresh-water volumes and fish production, and other resource loss within the watershed area; Assess the relative importance of the different causes of environmental degradation; Determine the severity of natural resources management issues, such as: land-use, slash and burn cultivation, other dry-season fires, livestock raising, water use (e.g., volume and efficiency), and the types of forest and environmental information required to address these issues. 2.0 Methodology During March, 1999, data was gathered in selected villages of two districts of Pursat province: Sompou Meas, and Phnom Krovanh, and Toek Phas district of Kampong Chhnang province. The Team met the Governor of Pursat Province, and a selection of provincial officials, NGOs, district officials, commune chiefs and villagers in both provinces (Exhibit 1) Primary data was gathered via discussions, questionnaire guided interviews and direct observation. Because of the limited time, only some officials and NGOs were met. Secondary data was gathered from the Provincial Statistics office, National Statistics centre, Department of Geographic Information and other sources. All selected villages were located along the Pursat River and its tributaries (Santrae and Arail rivers) where villagers where villagers have experience of environmental degradation. Exhibit 1: Responses to the Field Survey (March 99) Respondents No. Resp. Commune District Province Commune Chief 1 Santre Phnom Krovanh Pursat Village chiefs 5 Villagers 4 Samrong Commune Chief 1 Villagers 4 Rokat Ethnic minority 4 Commune Chief 1 Prongil Commune Secry. 1 Leach Page 3 of 13 Villagers 4 Monk 1 Phast Prey Villagers 2 District Governor 2 Commune Chief 2 Chief Forest Off. 1 Kbal Toek Samphou Meas Prov. Governor 1 K Chhnang District Governor 1 Prov. Env’t Dep’t 2 State Plann Office 2 Toek Phas Samaki Thor NGOs 3 Kampong Chhnang Commune Chief 1 Villagers 6 District Governor 2 Env’t Dep’t Officer 1 Total : 52 8 3 2 3.0 Introduction to Pursat Province Pursat Province of 12,692 sq. Km, in the West of Cambodia, is remote and scarcely populated. The province is divided into six districts, 49 communes and 495 villages with a total population of 357,172. Population data are presented in Exhibit 2. It is politically and economically important for Cambodia because of its rich natural resources. For example, its watershed was chosen by the MoE to be first priority among the 3 watersheds assessed in Cambodia: Pursat, Sen and Sesan. The districts and villages for which information is reported are highlighted in the tables below. Exhibit 2: Population of Pursat by District District Communes Villages Families Population Male Female Total Bakan 10 150 22,379 57,264 62,777 120,041 Kandieng 9 112 10,242 25,423 28,195 53,618 Krakor 11 100 14,427 34,804 38,609 73,413 Phnom 7 50 10,206 25,359 27,259 52,618 Krovanh Page 4 of 13 Sompou 7 63 10,817 27,128 30,354 57,482 Meas 5 20 n/a n/a n/a n/a Veal Veng Total (note) 49 495 86,071 169,978 187,194 357,172 Note: Veal Veng was established as a separate commune under the Khmer Rouge just 2-years ago, hence, records and documents are lacking. Pursat River originates in Phnom Khmoch at Inset: Pursat River an elevation of 1,425m. Its tributaries, Santrae and Arai rivers originate on Orall Mountain at 1,813m, the highest mountain in Cambodia. The watershed has high priority as many different interests are vying to use its natural resources. Five hydro-electric dams are proposed to have a combined installed capacity of 92 MW and to provide irrigation water to 65,000 ha of land but there is no data regarding population displacement. 3.1 Information on Selected Districts and Communes Sompou Meas District, Pursat Sampou Meas, 186 km from Phnom Penh, covers 43,900 ha and has a total population of 53,591 people, 28,400 of whom are female. The district has 7 communes and 63 villages with 9,493 families (Exhibit 3). Exhibit 3: Sampou Meas District: Population, Land Use and Poverty Level Commune Families Population Land Use (Ha) Poverty Male Female Rice Forest Other Level (% pop) Lo lork sar 1,162 8,164 4,870 1,760 1900 100 40 Svay Ath 709 3,987 2,195 700 360 10 50 Phtah Prey 2,748 15,868 8,276 900 190 10 30 Koh Chhun 1,104 5,939 3,156 4,500 10,108 90 70 Roleap 1,186 9,880 5,209 2,000 7,250 250 40 Chomreun Fhal 836 4,876 2,462 3,500 9,450 200 50 Prey Nhy 848 4,877 2581 440 190 10 40 Total 9,493 53,591 28,141 13,800 29,320 720 45 Many local and international NGOs conduct projects mostly to promote compost-making and fish farming, e.g., CARE has its "Seila project" in Pursat and also in Battambong and Banteay Meanchey provinces, and the Environmental Protection and Development Organisation (EPDO) trained 11 Prey Nhy families in fish farming in October 1998. Page 5 of 13 Phnom Krovanh District Leach Commune , situated on Road No. 56, is 28 Km from Pursat provincial town. The people are farmers, collectors of sandalwood, loggers, hunters and fishermen. Domestic animals include: cattle, buffalo, pigs, chickens and ducks; vets work in each village. Wildlife hunting and trafficking activities are low. The commune covers an area of 516,691 ha but has only 13,085 ha in cultivation, 9,500 ha in rice fields. The rest is forest and abandoned land. Forest now covers 90% of the area, down slightly from 95% in 1970. Population and other data are shown in Exhibit 4. Exhibit 4: Phnom Krovanh District: Population and Poverty Level Communes Villages Families Population Poverty Total Female Male Level (% pop) Leach 8 1,711 8,890 4,305 4,585 81 Prongil 7 1,562 7,960 3,874 4,086 65 Samrong 9 1,592 7,925 3,815 4,110 70 Rokat 4 856 4,282 2,058 2,224 75 Santrae 4 727 3,624 1,757 1,867 80 Bac Chenchhean 6 1,198 6,400 3,063 3,377 70 Phtas Rong 12 2,560 13,497 6,487 7,010 80 Total 50 10,206 52,618 25,359 27,259 75 The commune has 8 villages of 1,711 families (8,890 people - 4,305 female). There are two schools and one Junior high school and refineries to extract sandalwood oil from the sandalwood. Sandalwood, called "Klem Chan", is now largely logged out. The buyers of sandal wood oil order the village suppliers to cut the trees and pull out the roots and then grind them and steam them to get the sap. A litter of sap fetches Baht 30.000 - 40.000 (Thai currency). It is sold secretly. Inset: Sandalwood in the drums is ready to be "refined" Pro-Ngil commune, located on Road No. 56 and Pursat River, has an economy based on rice and crop cultivation watered by abundant water from the river. Some families produce cane sugar. The people depend less on forest products as a source of income than other villages. The farmers of Leach and Prongil, located along the road, sell produce in the market. In Prongil, they are slightly better off and have a recreation centre at Bactra Mountain, and both communes provide a good example of community forestry where the forest is protected and managed by/for local people. However, the average standard of living is still very low and the people of both communes require training in forestry, agriculture and health care.