Benefits of Ecotourism

Well at Tmatboey paid from Conservation Contribution

Ecotourism is more than simply taking tours to view wildlife in a natural habitat; it is also a mechanism for protecting their environment. Sam Veasna Center for Wildlife Conservation and Wildlife Conservation Society Cambodia are dedicated to fulfilling the aims of ecotourism: long-term environmental, socio-cultural and economic sustainability. Using best practices, our ecotourist activity supports local conservation, educational and development projects, and raises the standard of living for the local community. Specifically, our programs:

Ensure support for Community Funds: Visitors who come to see the birds leave a conservation contribution which goes into a local development fund for projects such as community development, agricultural assistance and fish ponds.

• School extension at Tmatboey

  At Tmatboey and all WCS project sites fund dispersements are subject to villagers abiding by an agreement not to hunt wildlife species and to follow land-use plans
• At Florican sites, Integrated Farming Biodiversity Areas (IFBA's) the contribution helps support nest protection. Villagers are paid for each nest found and additionally for successful hatchings.
• At Ang Trapeang Thmor, the contribution supports local livelihood development initiatives (such as rice banks).

Provide economic incentives for conservation: Villagers directly benefit in Tmatboey: we use their services as local guides, cooks, and housekeepers. The villagers have set up a committee to manage the ecotourism, including

Photo of English teaching at Tmatboey

allocation of benefits and tourism income between individual households and encouragment of local responsibility both for the environment and community development.

Sustain a local non-profit organization’s conservation efforts: A portion of the income from tours helps support Sam Veasna Center, which provides a conduit between foreign tourists eager to see the protected species and their remote habitats. SVC has a village development schedule in the rainy non tourist season when we work with the local communities. Training them to provide accommodation, food and local guiding. SVC also works to promote ecotourism internationally, handling communications with foreign visitors, providing logistics and the essential English-speaking bird guides.

Good conservation practices cannot exist without sound local development. Visitors to these sensitive and unique areas contribute to sustaining both the environment and the local communities. We also run a program of environmental education in conjunction with local schools and universities.

Villagers turn from hunting to eco-tourism" Phnom Penh Post 22/3/10