Illegal Logging Flattens Cambodian National Park

[hatrack]

PHNOM PENH-"World Bank and Cambodian officials have discovered rampant illegal logging in a protected Cambodian national park that the World Bank and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) have spent millions of dollars to preserve, RFA's Khmer service reports. The team of World Bank representatives and northern Rattanakiri and Stung Trang provincial authorities discovered the illegal logging after it conducted a fly-over inspection May 11-12.

They documented large piles of logs and truck tracks in the "Dragon's Tail" region of Virachey National Park in Rattanakiri Province. The park is one of Asia's largest protected areas and encompasses 10,800 hectares.

The World Bank and WWF gave Cambodia's Environment Ministry nearly U.S. $5 million to manage and protect Virachey National Park from 2000-2005. Specifically, the money is earmarked for preserving forest communities in the park, paying forestry guards to manage the area, planting border markers, and protecting medicinal trees.

The fly-over inspection followed a report last month by the Cambodian Environment Ministry. It said the logs were transported to Vietnamacross the Cambodian-Lao border and heading toward Route 18 in Vietnam. It also cited multiple border officials and park ran gers who it said were directly involved in the illegal operation."

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