Empowering local communities for marine & coastal conservation in Cambodia
On March 6-7, 2025, IUCN and Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment organised a 2-day training on community-based marine and coastal ecosystem conservation in Koh Kong Province. The training brought together more than 40 people including 10 women from six Community Protected Areas (CPAs) in the Dong Peng Multiple-Use Area, Koh Kong Province.
Photo: Group discussion at the training © IUCN Cambodia
Photo: Community best practices sharing session at the training © IUCN Cambodia
Photo: Participants took group photo at the training © IUCN Cambodia
This is a part of the IUCN-led Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Conservation and Management Project funded by Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Republic of Korea in 2021-2025. The project aims to address the urgent threats facing Asia’s marine ecosystems by increasing MPA coverage and management effectiveness in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The training aimed to enhance co-management effectiveness of marine and coastal resources by empowering the CPA communities to exercise their rights in co-management and protection of Dong Peng Multiple-Use Area and six CPAs, covering 38,628 hectares. It focused on CPA management and governance, ecosystem protection and restoration, patrol tactics, and law enforcement.
Best practices from Toul Neangsav Phlov Long CPA and Trapaing Sangke Community Fisheries were shared, highlighting the importance of women and youth involvement, biodiversity protection, mangrove restoration, and ecotourism. These experiences demonstrated effective strategies in sustainable resource management and community engagement.
During the training, the representatives of the six CPAs were divided into their respective CPA community groups. They discussed best practice experiences and developed action plans to strengthen CPA management. The training provided them with new knowledge, valuable experiences, and concrete action plans to improve their performance.
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