Monks Community Forest is an 18,261-hectare evergreen forest in northwest Cambodia in which a unique approach to law enforcement based on Buddhist principles demonstrates the power of linking conservation with traditional customs and beliefs.

Nature-based Intervention:

In response to widespread deforestation, the monks of Samraong Pagoda acquired the legal right to protect the surrounding forest, established patrol teams, demarcated the forest’s boundaries, and raised environmental awareness among local communities. Now Cambodia’s largest community forest, it is co-managed by a committee of diverse stakeholders and, while logging and hunting are prohibited, villagers may use traditional fishing methods, collect fallen timber for construction, and harvest non-timber forest products (NTFPs). Moreover, villagers are encouraged to fish, collect materials for their shelters, and harvest non-timber forest products such as bamboo, wild ginger, fruit and mushrooms for subsistence use and for traditional medicines, as well as to sell in local markets.

Overview of context and outcomes:

Because of their role in Khmer society as moral and spiritual leaders, the involvement of monks in the management and patrolling of the Monks Community Forest brings legitimacy to forest protection efforts and has reportedly served as a powerful deterrent to forest crimes including illegal logging and hunting. The monks have been able to cultivate a conservation ethic among villagers living near the MCF by explicitly linking nature conservation to the life of the Buddha, and to Buddhist principles such as karma and living a moral life. As a result of awareness-raising efforts, the mostly Buddhist villagers see forest protection as benefiting them spiritually.