The cameras will capture examples of the wildlife which is present in the project area. - NLC via PPP/ANN
PHNOM PENH: An additional 34 camera traps are being installed by the end of the year within the Lomphat REDD+ Project area, to expand the scope of biodiversity and wildlife monitoring in the project area.
(REDD+ is a United Nations framework to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation by providing financial incentives to developing countries for conservation, sustainable forest management, and increasing forest carbon stocks.)
The installation is being carried out by a NatureLife Cambodia (NLC) team, in cooperation with the Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary under the Ministry of Environment, with the aim of gaining a clearer understanding of the diversity and presence of key wildlife species in the area.
Bou Vorsak, NLC director, said that the purpose of installing the cameras is to monitor important flagship species and assess how the REDD+ project is impacting biodiversity.
“The objective of installing the cameras is because some important mammal species, such as banteng, are considered key flagship species that need to be monitored to see whether their populations are increasing or declining,” he explained.
Flagship species are commonly used by conservation organisations to raise public awareness and support for conservation efforts, and they often represent broader ecosystems.
According to NLC, in April 2025, its team deployed 11 camera traps, in accordance with standard survey protocols.
Data retrieved in the first quarter of 2025 recorded 15 wildlife species. This include mammals: Gaur, douc langur, pig-tailed macaque, long-tailed macaque, deer, wild boar, yellow-throated marten, small Indian civet, porcupine, Burmese hare and grey-bellied squirrel, as well as birds: The lesser adjutant, junglefowl, Chinese francolin and the oriental magpie-robin.
The Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary covers a total area of 356,087 hectares, spanning four provinces—Ratanakkiri, Mondulkiri, Kratie and Stung Treng. Communities living in and around the sanctuary are mostly indigenous peoples who rely heavily on forest products for their livelihoods.
However, the area eligible for REDD+ implementation covers only about 130,000 hectares, located in Koh Nhek district of Mondulkiri, and the Kon Mom and Lomphat districts of Ratanakkiri.
The forest within this project has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 252,319 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) annually.
NLC has been working with the environment ministry and the provincial environment departments of Mondulkiri and Ratanakkiri to implement the Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary REDD+ Project since late 2023.
The project is currently in its final validation stage. It is being audited by SCS Global Services, an independent auditing firm. After the audit, the report will be submitted to the VERRA Carbon Credit Registry — an international, independent body authorised to register, validate, verify and issue carbon credits for trading in international markets.
More than 16 local communities depend on these forests for their daily livelihoods. According to NLC, the upcoming generation of carbon credits will help protect biodiversity, support local communities and contribute to climate change mitigation.
Vorsak expected that the project will be able to issue its first batch of carbon credits in 2026. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
