The Jesuit Service Cambodia (JSC) Ecology Program in Phnom Penh joined local civil society organizations, Prey Lang communities, and the Cambodia Youth Network to promote environmental protection ahead of World Environment Day on 5 June.
The celebration carries the theme, “Promoting Environmental Protection for the Sustainability of Natural Resources and Human Welfare”. Due to the commune election, which falls on World Environment Day itself, the Cambodian celebration is being held earlier, from 10 May to 3 June, with three components: a cycling campaign, an online campaign, and a full day workshop.
On 14-17 May, the JSC Ecology Program brought 200 seedlings from its nursery to plant in various areas. The nursery is named after Chut Wutty, an environmental activist who was killed in 2012 while investigating a logging site in Koh Kong Province.
Of the 200, 100 seedlings were planted in Wat Satta Sovannaram in Siem Bok District, Stung Treng Province, 50 seedlings were planted in Ind Chey Commune, Kratie Province, and the remaining 50 seedlings were planted in Kbal Khla Community, Kampong Thom Province.
The tree planting in Stung Treng Province was done right after the JSC team participated in the cycling event from Stung Treng to Kartie. They travelled a distance of 63 kilometres, cycling through forest roads and even crossing streams.
Panh Chanda, 28, a member of the JSC Ecology team, sees participating in the celebration as part of her responsibility as a young person. “Is our home healthy?” she asked. “Without nature we cannot survive. World Environment Day is very meaningful in making us aware of what is happening to our common home. We need to act to save our common home for the next generation.”
