Reimagining Sustainable, Community-Engaged Protected Area Management in Cambodia

Cambodia is a country with rich natural resources which are critical for local communities who depend on them for their livelihoods. However, these resources have been threatened by extensive deforestation and inadequate management. In order to strengthen the protection of its natural resources and habitat, the Cambodian government established Community Protected Areas and Community Forests, two collaborative management programs that engage local communities in their efforts to more carefully manage these areas. In collaboration with Green Equity Asia, a project of East-West Management Institute, and Community Empowerment and Development Team, a Cambodian NGO that aims to preserve community protected areas and accelerate collaborative management approaches to decision-making, the student team analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of the current community protected area system using SWOT and PEST analysis, and developed a number of case studies to provide recommendations on how the system can be improved going forward.