The Cardamom mountains have long suffered from a hunting and poaching crisis, alongside habitat destruction due to slash-and-burn agriculture and land speculation. The REDD+ project established an award-winning conservation model centered around effective boots-on-the-ground protection of this highly threatened forest area. Since 2006, the project has achieved zero poaching of Asian elephants and supported significant recovery of ungulates and carnivore populations. As a result of the effective forest defense in Southern Cardamom, 352 CFPP members are employed and have undertaken nearly 25,000 patrols, resulting in the removal of >175,000 snares, and confiscation of >27,000 logs and >5600 chainsaws as well as the rescue and rehabilitation of >3000 live animals*.
*Verified 2015-2021 Climate. Community and Biodiversity (CCB) reports.