When Wildlife Alliance began working in the Cardamom Mountains of Cambodia two decades ago, the remote commune of Chi Phat was known as a hub of wildlife smuggling and illegal logging. An appraisal of the region’s resources and economic development options spotlighted tourism as the best opportunity to preserve the vulnerable ecosystem and partner with communities to provide a better livelihood. The project has since worked with local communities to help develop successful and award-winning community-based ecotourism projects which have welcomed nearly 23,000 tourists from 2017-2021, earning over $1 million in revenue over that period for the 1100 participating families*.
*Verified 2015-2021 Climate. Community and Biodiversity (CCB) reports.