At present, the alarming rate of environmental degradation experienced throughout the world has become a very urgent problem that must be addressed by governments of each and every nation. Mainly, environmental degradation is due to the high demands of a growing global population as well the byproducts created by this population. Specifically, environmental degradation may come in the form of greenhouse gas emissions from factories and vehicles, oil spills, denuded forests, poaching of animals, and so on. Typically, these have large-scale effects that require the cooperation of many nations, organizations, and groups, such as those behind the Cardamom Project (cardamom.org).
The Cardamom Region Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains, widely considered as the last wilderness in Southeast Asia, is considered an important natural resource throughout the world mainly due to the fact that it boasts of a high degree of biological and ecological diversity, including near extinct species, such as the Asian elephant, the Siamese crocodile, and the Indochinese tiger. The Cardamom region in Cambodia also plays a key role in the lives of fishermen and farmers living in the lowlands surrounding the mountains. Its rich natural resources have provided livelihood to these people for thousands of years. Located in southwest Cambodia, the region boasts of 2.5 million acres of land. It has Mount Aural, which is the highest peak in Cambodia at almost 6,000 ft. Populated by almost 25,000 people, the region also has five main rivers and two wildlife sanctuaries. Unfortunately, the region has, throughout the years, suffered from specific environmental problems, such as deforestation, land clearing, poaching, and so on, that threaten the natural resources found in the Cardamom region.
The Main Objectives of the Cardamom Project The Cardamom Project, a nonprofit organization based in New York, has ceaselessly campaigned to preserve the region in accordance with its main objectives. First, the group aims to safeguard the natural resources of the Cardamom region through various activities that raise public awareness. It also holds fundraising activities, the results of which are directly channeled to ongoing conservation efforts within the region itself. Second, the group works in partnership with the Cardamoms, empowering them through various environmental education programs that educate them about the different aspects of living in or near the region.
Overcoming a Dark Past Toward a Brighter Future One of the more important tasks of the Cardamom Project is that it allows Cambodians to overcome their dark past, which is intertwined with the region. At the height of the Khmer Rouge's power, thousands of Cambodians bravely fled to the mountains to escape the so-called killing fields. Then, in 1979, when the Khmer Rouge regime lost power, the remaining guerrillas retreated to the Cardamoms, creating a hostile environment that has since been a source of fear for the locals. With the help of the Cardamom Project, locals are now rediscovering the importance of this vital watershed, not just in terms of economic opportunities but also in terms of preserving Cambodia's natural and cultural heritage.
Today, the locals have reclaimed the Cardamom region for themselves, and with the help of the Cardamom Project, this shall be an easier experience for them.
The Cardamom Region Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains, widely considered as the last wilderness in Southeast Asia, is considered an important natural resource throughout the world mainly due to the fact that it boasts of a high degree of biological and ecological diversity, including near extinct species, such as the Asian elephant, the Siamese crocodile, and the Indochinese tiger. The Cardamom region in Cambodia also plays a key role in the lives of fishermen and farmers living in the lowlands surrounding the mountains. Its rich natural resources have provided livelihood to these people for thousands of years. Located in southwest Cambodia, the region boasts of 2.5 million acres of land. It has Mount Aural, which is the highest peak in Cambodia at almost 6,000 ft. Populated by almost 25,000 people, the region also has five main rivers and two wildlife sanctuaries. Unfortunately, the region has, throughout the years, suffered from specific environmental problems, such as deforestation, land clearing, poaching, and so on, that threaten the natural resources found in the Cardamom region.
The Main Objectives of the Cardamom Project The Cardamom Project, a nonprofit organization based in New York, has ceaselessly campaigned to preserve the region in accordance with its main objectives. First, the group aims to safeguard the natural resources of the Cardamom region through various activities that raise public awareness. It also holds fundraising activities, the results of which are directly channeled to ongoing conservation efforts within the region itself. Second, the group works in partnership with the Cardamoms, empowering them through various environmental education programs that educate them about the different aspects of living in or near the region.
Overcoming a Dark Past Toward a Brighter Future One of the more important tasks of the Cardamom Project is that it allows Cambodians to overcome their dark past, which is intertwined with the region. At the height of the Khmer Rouge's power, thousands of Cambodians bravely fled to the mountains to escape the so-called killing fields. Then, in 1979, when the Khmer Rouge regime lost power, the remaining guerrillas retreated to the Cardamoms, creating a hostile environment that has since been a source of fear for the locals. With the help of the Cardamom Project, locals are now rediscovering the importance of this vital watershed, not just in terms of economic opportunities but also in terms of preserving Cambodia's natural and cultural heritage.
Today, the locals have reclaimed the Cardamom region for themselves, and with the help of the Cardamom Project, this shall be an easier experience for them.
