Location: Tabous village, Sdao commune, Sangkom Thmey district, Prah Vihea Province.
Language: Cambodian
Duration: 00:06:38
Source: A24
Restrictions: A24 Subscribers
Dateline: 11-02-2022
Storyline:
In their bid to save their environment, residents of the Tabous village in the Prah Vihea province have turned to ecotourism to provide an alternative way of making money, as many of the villagers had relied heavily on logging. Ben Davis, the founder of the BeTreed ecotourism project, said BeTreed is a nature tourism site and that it is run and maintained by environmentalists and the local communities. It seeks the conservation of wildlife and forests. Davis leads the residents of the village to protect the surrounding forests and wildlife, as the area now is transformed into an eco-tourist site where local and international tourists come for adventure, surrounded by a beautiful forest and mountain. This also provides a way whereby villagers can work as tour guides and stop illegally cutting down trees and hunting animals to generate income.
Shot list:
(SOUNDBITE) Mr.Veasna (Content creator/vlogger from Phnom Penh):
Yesterday, it took me about 6 – 7 hours to travel from Phnom Penh. After lunch at the community house, I rode to Kor Yon for more than two hours and walked again to see the mountain called Phnom Phnak. Let me say it is not too difficult, or maybe it is, but it is not difficult because our community tour guide helps us to carry some heavy luggage on our motorbikes; but for us, we have to walk on foot.
(SOUNDBITE) Mr. Soem Thoury (community representative):
“Long ago when we walked in the woods, the animals were not easy to hear. Now, most of the time we walk, we have the opportunity to hear birds chirping, we could see animals and so on. Previously there was none. Whenever we walk, sleep, we would hear the sound of sawing machines. Now, when we go to sleep, we would not hear anything like before.”
(SOUNDBITE) Mr.Veasna (Content creator/vlogger from Phnom Penh):
“At that time, I was really tired, thinking of wanting to give up, almost fainting. However, when we get to the top, I could see the beautiful scenery, so that feeling of exhaustion faded away. Then we started to set up our tent, prepare food to eat. Our community tour guide who brought us up started to grill chicken. We had fun at night, got together around the fire, played games, got up early in the morning to watch the sunrise and had porridge and coffee. Such awesome memories and experiences. I think I would never have regrets.”
(SOUNDBITE) Mr. Soem Thoury, eco- tour guide and community representative:
“Tabous Ecotourism Community is not just founded for eco-tour guides. We have another role, to help patrol the community forest trees. Therefore, some of us who used to enjoy logging, especially the youth, turned from logging to take the role of tour guides, show eco-tourists the way in the forest and they become rangers who plant seedlings. Our project started in 2019, but because of the last two years, COVID, we could not work on eco-tourism. And so, we started working with Ben Davis because he has collaboration with his rangers so we patrol with them.”
(SOUNDBITE) Ms.Vicheta (Program organizer from Solo Landscape):
“All I can do for them, community rangers, is gather eco-tourists to support their community. Because now he has established the Betreed Ecotourism and Tabous community, a new camping site that we just returned from.”
(SOUNDBITE) Mr. Ben Davis (Founder of Betreed eco tour and Prey Lang protector):
“We created this place called Betreed as a nature tourism site and we work with environmentalists and communities to conserve wildlife and especially forests. And we also receive tourists.”
(SOUNDBITE) Ms.Vicheta (Program organizer from Solo Landscape):
“Beautiful. Arriving there, we see a sea of trees. Lots of forest to look at. And I want to say that the place for camping is also comfortable, as if there is no weeds growing messy, because our eco-tour guides in the community, make a place for us to pitch a tent. So, if we go to an ecotourism site, we will help the people in the community to earn more money than logging and cutting down trees. Now, after loggers see how the beautiful place brings in tourists, they would see the full picture and send their children to school instead of going logging.”
(SOUNDBITE) Mr. Soem Thoury, eco- tour guide and community representative:
‘The more tourists come to this area, the more we earn. When there is income, we would have a good budget. We deduct part of it for conservation. This means that in case tourists stop coming here, the money we had saved could still provide us with enough money to support our conservation efforts and patrolling the forest. We deduct $2 from each guest to pay for community conservation. So, when there is a lot, we add up the money and in case there is no guests, we give rangers up to $7.4 a day for them to patrol.”
(SOUNDBITE) Mr. Ben Davis (Founder of Betreed eco tour and Prey Lang protector):
“Yes, we, sometimes, hesitate to educate people. But most of them would understand. We should also remember that we only have one earth. And there are very few tree forests left, and the signs of climate change are beyond clear.”
(SOUNDBITE) Mr. Ben Davis (Founder of Betreed eco tour and Prey Lang protector):
“On this side, we see large trees growing, 100 – 200 year-old trees, many of which are dying due to drought. On this mountain, about 50% to 70%, of trees die in just two to three years. This is a very serious problem; we should all think about this and challenge logging companies and loggers. If all those trees were broken down, it would be too late to grow them back. They will not grow like the big trees that I mentioned. They would not grow again, even throughout our lifespan or that of our children. So, help everyone think about this and consider the future of your own children.”.
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