Plant a Rainforest in Southeast Asia

Sokharith is the field manager of the Tropical Reforestation project, which aims to reconnect fragmented rainforest in order to strengthen and increase continuous forest cover in Koh Kong province. It is his job to implement the planting and maintenance activities of the project, making sure the 733,000 trees that have been planted are well cared for.

Sokharith cares passionately about environmental conservation and is proud that his work contributes to the regeneration of a degraded forest that is critical to the region’s water supply and wildlife habitat. In 2008 he received his degree in Natural Resource Managements from Maharishi Vedic University in Prey Veng province. Even before his graduation, he was hired by Wildlife Alliance as a field technician in the Community Agriculture Development Project in Sovanna Baitong. For 2 years, he assisted families in improving agricultural productivity.

In 2010, he became Field Manager of the Tropical Reforestation project. This was an incredible opportunity for him to expand his practical knowledge of natural resource management, as well as work directly in forest restoration and preservation. It can be very challenging working in the forest; living conditions are extremely basic and Sokharith often goes long stretches of time without seeing his family. However, the energy and enthusiasm he shows for his work is unparalleled. Sokharith is a dedicated leader with excellent organizational and management skills. Through fair judgment and compassion, he has earned the respect and admiration of his staff. He treats them like family, listening to their problems and helping them in any way he can.

Sokharith and his team help maintain 733 hectares (1,811 acres) of reforested land. This is no easy feat: they spend long days in the sun enriching the soil, growing fibrous grass to prevent erosion, removing weeds, and replacing damaged saplings. To Sokharith these trees represent more than a new forest, they represent hope. What inspires Sokharith, is seeing firsthand people’s attitudes change. One day, a field worker confessed to Sokharith that he used to cut trees in the forest near Chi Phat, but after working with the Reforestation project and realizing how much time and energy goes into growing a tree, he felt great remorse. This confession made Sokharith happy, discovering that his work makes a direct impact on the environment while also changing minds and hearts.

Help Sokarith continue and his team by supporting our Tropical Reforestation Project today!

Forest loss threatens the existence of thousands of species that live in the forest, including those on the brink of extinction. Continuous forest cover is critical to protecting large mammal ranges and migration routes and safeguarding the biological integrity of the forest's many different ecosystems. Research published in Nature magazine concluded that deforestation represents roughly 10 percent of gross carbon emissions.  Not only does deforestation directly contribute to global climate change, but it also jeopardizes water security by causing severe drought that further diminishes rainfall, humidity, and soil quality thereby threatening communities’ livelihoods.

Tropical belt deforestation has ripple effects across the planet. However, people living in rural rainforest communities feel the effects of deforestation and climate change first and most acutely – and to potentially devastating outcomes. In Cambodia, where Wildlife Alliance focuses its current fieldwork, almost 80% of the population lives in rural areas, nearly all of whom work as subsistence farmers, making their food security dependent on natural resources and weather patterns. It is vital that these natural resources be managed sustainably and fairly.

Since 2001, Wildlife Alliance has preserved 1.7 million acres of forestland and planted over 770,000 trees. The seeds of indigenous trees are collected from “mother trees” in the surrounding forest, sewn and cultivated at the nursery and replanted in several depressed forest areas throughout the Southern Cardamoms. The soil is first enriched to compensate for the lack of organic content and low pH. Indigenous trees are then planted using a unique method that recreates forest diversity by taking into account tree varieties and sizes. The project also maintains 1,811 acres of planted trees, by removing invasive weeds, and planting fibrous grass to provide soil coverage and prevent erosion during heavy rains. By using a system that mimics natural growth through current agricultural methods, the Tropical Reforestation Project provides critical ecosystem services such as water storage, carbon absorption, ground cover, erosion prevention, and a variety of habitats for birds, mammals, and other wildlife.

Be part of the movement, and help Wildlife Alliance reconnect fragmented habitat, mitigate climate change and preserve an important watershed.

Links:

• Wildlife Alliance Page
• Tropical Reforestation Project