[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]From July 4-7 2017, 140 people traveled deep into the Prey Lang forest for the third annual tree planting and awareness event hosted by Peace Bridges Organization and the Kbal Khlaa forest community. The 140 participants included Cambodian students, NGO staff, Christian pastors, Buddhist monks, journalists, government officials, international visitors, Prey Lang communities and other forest-lovers from Phnom Penh and various provinces. Participants planted 1,400 saplings of beng, kranhoung, chheuh tiel, and thnong trees in honor of national arbor day in order to restore several cleared areas.
Prey Lang is a valuable resource to approximately 200,000 people who live in and around the forest, many of whom are indigenous Kuy. The name Prey Lang means “Our forest” in the Kuy language—an appropriate name given its crucial role in protecting the local watershed, sustaining the livelihoods of rural communities, harboring plant and animal species, as well as sequestering carbon from the atmosphere.
Cambodia has seen a 33% decrease in its forested land from 1970 to 2014 and has recently clocked the fastest rate of deforestation in the world. This annual event is an important part of national and international campaigns to respond to climate change and restore local forest habitats. To date, Peace Bridges, the Kbal Khlaa community, and event participants have planted 6,400 in this part of Prey Lang.
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