Presented By:

1. Initiatives for Biodiversity ConservationCommunity Based Ecotourism inChi Phat Commune, CambodiaWorkshop on Biodiversity Conservation and Tourism Development in the GMS17- 18 September 2008 Siam City Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand Presented By:

2. Outline • The Cardamom Mountains • Problem Analysis • Background of the Chi Phat CBET Project • Capacity Building Activities • Description of Ecotourism Activities • Role of Stakeholders • Lessons Learned • Challenges

3. The Cardamom Mountains • The Cardamom Mountain Range of Southwest Cambodia is the second largest intact rainforest in Southeast Asia and one of the last seven remaining elephant corridors and large predator ranges in the region. • The Cardamoms’ 1,916,350 hectares of continuous forest cover includes a vast rainforest ecosystem with sixteen different vegetation types, ranging from the dense evergreen rainforest to lowland swamp forests to coastal mangrove ecosystems. • The Cardamoms and their rivers and estuaries host fourteen globally endangered and threatened species, among them the Asian Elephant, Indochinese tiger, Malayan sun bear, Pileated gibbon, Siamese Crocodiles, and many of Cambodia’s bird species.

6. Problem Analysis • In 2003, Wildlife Alliance conducted a twelve month Threat and Needs Assessment in the Cardamoms. • Approximately 10,000 people living in the Coastal Cardamoms depend either directly or indirectly on the biodiversity of the area for food security and other needs. • Wildlife Alliance was able to identify three communities where hunting and logging were at their worst: Chi Phat, Araing Valley, and Talam. • In Chi Phat Commune alone, farmers had burned over 50 square kilometers of tropical forest in the middle of one of the last 7 elephant corridors and the largest tiger range in Southeast Asia. • The main threats are as follows: • Illegal logging, • Land Encroachment, • Illegal Wildlife Trade

9. Background of the Chi Phat CBET Project • In 2005-2006, a feasibility study was conducted by Tourism Development International (TDI); this study determined that ecotourism in the Cardamom region offered the greatest potential for providing alternative livelihoods. • Acting upon this study Wildlife Alliance, initiated the Chi Phat Community Based Ecotourism (CBET) Program in January 2007 to sustainably improve livelihoods within Chi Phat Commune while preventing further illegal wildlife trade and destruction of the surrounding rainforest. • The program is based upon APPA (Appreciative Participatory Planning and Action), a comprehensive community ecotourism strategy developed by The Mountain Institute. • The four phases in APPA are the “4Ds” of Discovery, Dream, Design and Delivery. • These phases form the process of participatory Community-based Ecotourism planning that builds upon local or regional tourism assets to develop a collective vision and empowers communities with skills to achieve it.

10. Capacity Building Activities • In 2007, the CBET program was able to implement the first three phases of the APPA process (Discovery, Dream, and Design) in the Chi Phat Commune which included: • A series of Introductory CBET workshops with the community • Approval of CBET development in Chi Phat commune by local authorities • Election of the CBET committee’s 16 members (civilians and local authorities) • Awareness raising and a feasibility study to identify potential CBET resources, and local commitment to CBET development • Regular workshops, training and consultation sessions with the CBET committee and villagers • Development of CBET guidelines in Chi Phat Commune: • Goal; Objectives; Keys for success; program vision; CBET products, activities and pricing; management and monitoring strategies; joining criteria and rules and regulations.

11. Capacity Building Activities • As a result of this progress made by the community members in Chi Phat Commune in 2007, it is now essential that Wildlife Alliance continues to support the newly elected CBET Committee in 2008 to reach the Delivery Phase of the APPA process. • The 2008 CBET Program Plan created by the Chi Phat CBET Committee in a participatory manner, sets out how the identified CBET development objectives will be implemented and managed in Chi Phat Commune throughout the year. • The development objectives identified by the CBET Committee are divided into: • training • attractions and outdoor materials • infrastructure and sanitation

12. Ecotourism Activities Attractions and Outdoor Materials: • Chi Phat’s surrounding environment is suitable for a range of outdoor activities. The CBET Committee intends to focus on the following outdoor and ecotourism opportunities: • Trekking – trail development • Cycling – trail development and bicycle purchase • Traditional boat trips • Wildlife viewing and bird watching • Waterfalls - site improvements • Ancient burial jar - site improvements • Jungle camp sites – to allow multi-day hikes and rides • Wildlife blinds – to allow viewing of wildlife in the nature • These activities and sites will require the following developments and procedures: • Safety procedures • Protection against vandalism and pollution • Interpretive signs

14. Ecotourism Activities Infrastructure and Sanitation: • Infrastructure improvement in and around Chi Phat commune is key to increasing the range and quality of services offered to tourists. A range of improvements have been identified, as well as a waste management system to reduce the level of solid waste in the commune, especially in the market area. Infrastructure will include: • CBET office construction/improvement – for tour/accommodation bookings & information • Communal restaurant construction/improvement – to provide meals for tourists • Communal guest house construction/improvement – to provide accommodation for tourists • Home stay development – to provide alternative accommodation for tourists • Improved vending stalls – for supplies and community handicrafts • Waste collection facilities – to reduce solid waste

16. Role of Stakeholders • The 2008 CBET Development Plan strategy is following the fourth stage of APPA: “Delivery” to be facilitated by Wildlife Alliance and implemented by the Chi Phat CBET Committee. CBET Committee: • The CBET Committee is overseeing the general implementation of the CBET development plan through regular meetings and with support from Wildlife Alliance. The Committee are: • Overseeing attraction development • Overseeing infrastructure development • Evaluating villagers’ capacity to join CBET based on agreed criteria • Managing and coordinating training plan in coordination with Wildlife Alliance • Promoting the CBET project in coordination with Wildlife Alliance

17. Role of Stakeholders Tourism Management: • The CBET Committee is acting as a central coordinating point for the management of all CBET activities. The CBET Committee and Office are: • Providing information on activities to tourists • Arranging all bookings for tours and accommodation will be through the CBET office, managed by the CBET Committee • Ensuring realistic pricing for tourism services (based on a market survey of 500 foreign and Khmer people) • Ensuring that all CBET participants adhere to the benefit sharing system • The CBET Advisory Board will meet once per quarter to evaluate the CBET development process. The CBET Advisory Board’s main duties are to: • Advise and support decision regarding CBET development • Facilitate and help CBET committee to solve problems if required • Monitor the use of CBET funding, and ensure that funds are used according to agreed rules and regulations

18. Role of Stakeholders Benefit Sharing: • CBET as an activity can benefit the community as a whole, if correctly managed. The CBET Committee and villagers have developed and agreed to a system of benefit sharing to ensure that tourism revenue benefits the entire community in the long-term. Under this system of benefit sharing: • Revenue from tourists will be shared between the service providers (for example, community guides, or home stay operators) and the CBET Fund, based on a benefit sharing agreement • The CBET Fund will be managed by the CBET Committee, and will be used for CBET maintenance and operation and agreed community improvements (training, infrastructure, materials and events). • The villagers and CBET committee will reach agreement on benefit share portions.

19. Lessons Learned • Empowerment of community is a key factor for CBET success and sustainability and the CBET Committee plays an important role to achieve it. • Increase in CBET Committee individual’s motivation, confidence and pride that resulted with the raise of leaders, the courage and ability to identify needs or obstacles then decide on suitable action plan and finely bring the topic to the relevant target group. • By observing villagers reactions over time we have noticed better understanding that was reflected in increase in trust and willingness as well as in increase in individual house hold participation in CBET activities like meetings, cleaning events, workshops, etc’. • Another key factor is the participation of stakeholders like; relevant authorities, outside trainers, similar enterprises from around the country throughout the country.

20. Challenges • Linkages of the Chi Phat CBET Project to livelihoods activities throughout Koh Kong Province • Promotion of responsible tourism throughout Koh Kong Province • Launch of Wildlife Alliance’s Southern Cardamoms Conservation for Development Program (SCCD) • 5 year eco-tourism development plan • Private Tourism Development in Botum Sakor National Park • Beach Resorts • Tourism infrastructure development within Koh Kong Town • Resorts and Casinos • Community Land vs. Protected Areas • Planned Hydro Dam Projects throughout the Cardamoms • Industrial Development in Koh Kong Province

21. Thank You www.wildlifealliance.org