ABSTRACT
The Mondulkiri Protected Forest (MPF) is distinctive in its dual role of providing local communities with vital forest resources while providing refuge for Cambodia’s diverse and threatened flora and fauna species and, in the process, conserving one of the last remaining tropical dry forests in South-East Asia. The biodiversity within the MPF is such that in 2002 the Royal Government of Cambodia declared it a Protected Forest to conserve Cambodia’s plant and wildlife genetic resources. The MPF is also habitat for charismatic species such as the Indo-Chinese tiger, clouded leopard, Asian elephant, Malayan sun bear, primate and bird species and some of the last populations of wild cattle species in Cambodia. 1 The isolated wilderness landscape of the MPF, along with surrounding traditional villages and the flagship species already mentioned, creates a significant opportunity for the area to generate income through ecotourism and other development projects such as non-timber forest product (NTFP) harvesting. These economic activities have the potential to provide income for protected area conservation and support alternative livelihoods for community members surrounding the forest. Ultimately, proper management of the MPF is essential in ensuring resource availability for these communities into the future.
