Who Wants to Save the Forest? Characterizing Community-Led Monitoring in Prey Lang, Cambodia

Abstract

Community monitoring is believed to be successful only where there is sustained funding, legislation for communities to enforce rules, clear tenure rights, and an enabling environment created by the state. Against this backdrop, we present the case of an autonomous grassroots-monitoring network that took the initiative to protect their forest, in a context, where no external incentives and rule enforcement power were provided. The aim was to analyze the socio-demographic and economic backgrounds, motivations and achievements of forest monitors, compared to non-monitors in the same communities. A total of 137 interviews were conducted in four villages bordering Prey Lang forest in Cambodia. We used binary logit models to identify the factors that influenced the likelihood of being a monitor. Results show that there were few (22%, n = 30) active monitors. Active monitors were intrinsically motivated forest-users, and not specifically associated with a particular gender, ethnicity, or residence-time in that area. The most common interventions were with illegal loggers, and the monitors had a general feeling of success in stopping the illegal activities. Most (73%, n = 22) of them had been threatened by higher authorities and loggers. Our results show that despite the lack of power to enforce rules, absence of external funding and land-ownership rights, and enduring threats of violence and conflicts, autonomous community monitoring may take place when community members are sufficiently motivated by the risk of losing their resources.

The Concept, Practice, Application, and Results of Locally Based Monitoring of the Environment

“…Following our exploration of the link from local monitoring to decision-making, we investigated the potential to empower local people in natural resource management. We know of only three studies of the local perceptions of monitoring and the factors promoting local uptake of monitoring (Turreira-García et al 2018 ). The first one, in Tanzania, provides preliminary evidence of political, social, and economic empowerment.…”

Geographic citizen science design:

“…The predominant ethnic groups are Kuy (indigenous) and Khmer. In Prey Lang, both ethnic groups practice animism and are culturally and spiritually linked to their forests (Turreira-García et al 2018).…”

Engaging local communities in tackling illegal wildlife trade: A synthesis of approaches and lessons for best practice

“…These included direct financial rewards but also other nonfinancial incentives including mobile phone airtime credit (Linkie, Sloan, Kasia, Kiswayadi, & Azmi, ). For one case, the Prey Lang Community Network, community members had autonomously established their own community patrols, motivated by the risk of losing their resources to illegal loggers (Turreira‐García, Meilby, Brofeldt, Argyriou, & Theilade, ).…”