Posted on August, 08 2025

In the early morning mist of Kratie province, the sound of birdsong still lingers soft, hopeful and defiant in the air. For the people of Veal Kansaeng, every note is a sign that their long, quiet fight for the forest is paying off. 

This fight began over two decades ago, not with weapons or protest signs, but with a shared decision: to protect what was left. Trees were falling. Wildlife was disappearing. And the future felt uncertain. 

“We saw our forest fading before our eyes,” recalls Sum Saray, now the leader of Veal Kansaeng Community Forestry. “Hunting was increasing. Land was being grabbed. If we didn’t act, our children would have nothing.” 

In 2001, Saray and his neighbors came together with one goal: to save their forest. They started by designating the unofficial boundaries of the forest with wooden poles, marking the community’s enduring ties to the area. The lines were drawn not just on a map, but in their hearts. 

Read the rest of this story to learn about the impact of WWF-Cambodia’s SCALE-UP II project by downloading the PDF below.