Background
The Ministry of Environment conducts technical reviews of provincial submissions when evaluating proposals to establish or expand protected areas under national conservation governance. The Ministry of Environment has reviewed a proposal from Banteay Meanchey provincial administration to establish nine mountain sites as protected areas, including four proposed natural heritage sites and five proposed landscape protection zones.
Cambodia’s protected area network comprises 73 sites covering more than 7 million hectares, equivalent to about 41% of the country’s land area. The national protected-area system is organised into categories that include national parks, marine national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, landscape protection areas, multiple-use zones, Ramsar sites and natural heritage sites, with counts published by the Ministry of Environment.
Scope of Application
The proposal under review covers nine mountain sites within Banteay Meanchey province. The provincial submission identifies four sites proposed as natural heritage areas: Phnom Kong Va (50.00 ha), Phnom Chruap (58.51 ha), Phnom Toch (52.80 ha) and Phnom Sreh (22.00 ha). The same submission lists five sites proposed as landscape protection areas: Phnom Veang (270.00 ha), Phnom Malay (108.00 ha), Phnom Tuek Chenh (262.316 ha), Phnom Klakoun (68.00 ha) and Phnom Pongra (17.00 ha).
Key Provisions or Decisions
During a technical meeting at the Ministry’s headquarters on 23 June 2026, the Ministry organised a working review to assess the provincial request and to consider support for establishing the indicated protection statuses. A technical working group comprising specialists from the Ministry’s Directorate of Natural Heritage, General Departments, Banteay Meanchey provincial authorities, partner organisations and local community representatives carried out supplementary data collection where information gaps remained.
Implications for Investors, Businesses, or Compliance
The provincial dossier compiled information on socio-economic conditions, cultural and tourism values, and biodiversity data for the proposed sites; these datasets were submitted to the Ministry as part of the review process. Entities engaged in land-use planning, tourism development or resource use in the affected localities should note that provincial proposals for protected-area designation require technical assessment and data submission to the Ministry of Environment.
Official Source
Ministry of Environment Facebook post, 23 June 2026: https://www.facebook.com/MinistryOfEnvironmentCambodia/posts/pfbid02sQoDohz4zqW8nmATEwavr4wzM63AmQyqoxCrtSSBS65BFCKkmbxewNfYU7ErH5zLl
