Supporting Forests and Biodiversity: Quarterly Report No. 6, January 1, 2014 – March 31, 2014

The project aims to support the conservation and sustainable management of forests and biodiversity in Cambodia. The project's geographic focus is on the Eastern Plains Landscape (Mondulkiri province) and the Prey Lang Landscape (Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear, Stung Treng, and Kratie provinces). The project's objectives are threefold: to strengthen the capacity of local communities and government agencies to manage and conserve forests and biodiversity, to promote sustainable livelihoods for local communities, and to support the development of policies and laws that promote forest conservation and sustainable development. The project is implemented by Winrock International in partnership with several local and international organizations, including the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), and the Center for People and Forests (RECOFTC). During the reporting period of January 1, 2014, to March 31, 2014, the project made significant progress in achieving its objectives. Community Conservation Forest (CCF) and Community Protected Area (CPA) establishment activities were implemented in several communes, with a total area of 12,000 hectares designated for conservation. The project also supported the development of Commune Investment Plans (CIPs) and Community Protected Area Management Plans (CPAMPs) in several communes. In addition, the project implemented several activities to promote sustainable livelihoods for local communities, including the establishment of sustainable agriculture practices, the promotion of non-timber forest products (NTFPs), and the development of ecotourism initiatives. The project also supported the development of policies and laws that promote forest conservation and sustainable development, including the development of a national forest policy and the revision of the Forestry Law. The project's monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system was also strengthened during the reporting period, with the implementation of the Management Oriented Monitoring System (MOMS) and the Spatial Monitoring and Report Tool (SMART). The project's M&E system is designed to track progress towards the project's objectives and to identify areas for improvement. Overall, the project's progress during the reporting period was satisfactory, with significant achievements in community conservation forest and community protected area establishment, sustainable livelihoods promotion, and policy and law development. However, the project also faced several challenges, including limited resources, inadequate infrastructure, and resistance from local communities to project activities. The project's planned activities for the next quarter include the continuation of community conservation forest and community protected area establishment activities, the promotion of sustainable livelihoods for local communities, and the development of policies and laws that promote forest conservation and sustainable development. The project also plans to strengthen its M&E system and to address the challenges faced during the reporting period. The project's stakeholders, including local communities, government agencies, and international organizations, were actively involved in the project's implementation during the reporting period. The project's management and administrative issues were also addressed during the reporting period, with the implementation of several measures to improve project management and administration. The project's lessons learned during the reporting period include the importance of community engagement and participation in project activities, the need for adequate resources and infrastructure to support project implementation, and the importance of strengthening the project's M&E system to track progress towards the project's objectives.