The Tonle Sap Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Southeast Asia, located in the central floodplain of Cambodia territory. It appears that the Lake originated about 5,000 years ago. The unique hydrological regime of Tonle Sap Lake is characterized by the annual flow of the Mekong waters into the Lake basin during the wet season, which changes the Lake’s water level a great deal from about 1m to 8-9m. Consequently, the Lake’s area increases from 2,500 km2 to about 10,000 km2, with the water volume varying from 1.3 billion m3 to 70 billion m3 respectively. This hydrological cycle support and maintain high productivity of biodiversity, particularly fish, plant communities, and wildlife, which are the resources base for national economy. Nearly half of Cambodia population depends on the Lake’s resources, about one million of which is fish dependent community. Tonle Sap Lake plays a vital role in Khmer cultural identity, which is reflected in the traditions, livelihood, festivals, and taste. It is believed that the Khmer Angkor civilization and many temples could not prosper without the rich natural resources of Tonle Sap Lake as sources of wealth. Evidence of cultural influence of Tonle Sap Lake can be found in the bas-relief of Bayon temple.
Recognizing the ecological, economical, and socio-cultural value of the Lake, the Royal Government of Cambodia decided to designate the whole Tonle Sap Lake as Biosphere Reserve under the Man and Biosphere Programme of UNESCO in October 1997. The Lake is divided into three zones, namely three core areas, a buffer zone, and a transition zone. The three core areas are unique ecosystem of high conservation value. The buffer zone is covered by flooded forest, where fishery activities are dominant. The transition zone is the farmland, where rain-fed rice and floating rice are cultivated.
Management of Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve is a great challenge for Cambodian government, because the success of its management do not depend only on the national capacity and institution, it depends also on the international cooperation of Mekong riparian countries. Cambodia needs to improve the legal and institutional framework, to strengthen law enforcement, to build consensus among responsible agencies in integrated management, to empower community in resources development, to build up knowledge on Tonle Sap ecology…etc. In the international context, cooperation and political consensus over water development in the Mekong basin are crucial to ensure the minimal impact on the Lake’s integrity.
2. Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve Nomination
According to statutory framework of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, general criteria for an area to be qualified for designation as a biosphere reserve should be the following:
· It should encompass a mosaic of ecological systems representative of major bio-geographical regions,
· It should be significance for biodiversity conservation
· It should provide opportunity to explore and demonstrate approaches to sustainable development on a regional scale,
· It should have an appropriate size to serve the three functions of biosphere reserves,
· It should include these functions through appropriate zonation to core area, buffer zone and transition zones, where the core area should be legally constituted and devoted to long term protection according to the conservation objectives of a biosphere reserve,
· Organizational arrangement should be provided for the involvement and participation of a suitable range of public authorities, local communities, and private groups in the design and carrying out the functions of biosphere reserve. In addition, provisions should be made for:
- mechanism to manage human use and activities in the buffer zone
- a management policy or plan for area as a biosphere reserve
- a designated policy or mechanism to implement the policy
- programmes for research, monitoring, education, and training.
2.1 Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve Zoning
Based on present land use, vegetation cover and biological hotspots, the Tonle Sap Lake is divided into three core areas, a buffer zone and transition zone.
Core areas: are located in Prek Toal, Boeng Tonle Chhmar, and Stoeng Sen. The three core areas are characterized by preserved flooded forests, rich river system and biodiversity. Nearly one hundred waterbird species are found in the areas, a dozen of which is considered as of international significance. Besides rich fish stock, the areas are known for other wildlife species such as crocodile, turtle, macaque,capped languor, otter, water snakes (including python and king cobra). The areas are currently used mainly for fish production, wildlife hunting, and firewood collection. Total population living inside the three core areas is about 2,000, mainly in Boeng Chhmar core area.
Buffer zone: is covered largely by flooded forest with high productivity of biodiversity, especially fish. The area is divided into fishing concessions, which are auctioned for every two years to the private businessmen. The area is also competed by other land use practices such as agriculture encroachment, human settlement, navigation, firewood production, aquaculture. The population is about 100,000.
Transition zone: is the agricultural belt surrounding the Lake, where a variety of rice farming is practiced. The rapid urban and agricultural development with the increased use of pesticide and fertilizer in the area pose a threat to the flooded forest and water quality.
Recognizing the ecological, economical, and socio-cultural value of the Lake, the Royal Government of Cambodia decided to designate the whole Tonle Sap Lake as Biosphere Reserve under the Man and Biosphere Programme of UNESCO in October 1997. The Lake is divided into three zones, namely three core areas, a buffer zone, and a transition zone. The three core areas are unique ecosystem of high conservation value. The buffer zone is covered by flooded forest, where fishery activities are dominant. The transition zone is the farmland, where rain-fed rice and floating rice are cultivated.
Management of Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve is a great challenge for Cambodian government, because the success of its management do not depend only on the national capacity and institution, it depends also on the international cooperation of Mekong riparian countries. Cambodia needs to improve the legal and institutional framework, to strengthen law enforcement, to build consensus among responsible agencies in integrated management, to empower community in resources development, to build up knowledge on Tonle Sap ecology…etc. In the international context, cooperation and political consensus over water development in the Mekong basin are crucial to ensure the minimal impact on the Lake’s integrity.
2. Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve Nomination
According to statutory framework of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, general criteria for an area to be qualified for designation as a biosphere reserve should be the following:
· It should encompass a mosaic of ecological systems representative of major bio-geographical regions,
· It should be significance for biodiversity conservation
· It should provide opportunity to explore and demonstrate approaches to sustainable development on a regional scale,
· It should have an appropriate size to serve the three functions of biosphere reserves,
· It should include these functions through appropriate zonation to core area, buffer zone and transition zones, where the core area should be legally constituted and devoted to long term protection according to the conservation objectives of a biosphere reserve,
· Organizational arrangement should be provided for the involvement and participation of a suitable range of public authorities, local communities, and private groups in the design and carrying out the functions of biosphere reserve. In addition, provisions should be made for:
- mechanism to manage human use and activities in the buffer zone
- a management policy or plan for area as a biosphere reserve
- a designated policy or mechanism to implement the policy
- programmes for research, monitoring, education, and training.
2.1 Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve Zoning
Based on present land use, vegetation cover and biological hotspots, the Tonle Sap Lake is divided into three core areas, a buffer zone and transition zone.
Core areas: are located in Prek Toal, Boeng Tonle Chhmar, and Stoeng Sen. The three core areas are characterized by preserved flooded forests, rich river system and biodiversity. Nearly one hundred waterbird species are found in the areas, a dozen of which is considered as of international significance. Besides rich fish stock, the areas are known for other wildlife species such as crocodile, turtle, macaque,capped languor, otter, water snakes (including python and king cobra). The areas are currently used mainly for fish production, wildlife hunting, and firewood collection. Total population living inside the three core areas is about 2,000, mainly in Boeng Chhmar core area.
Buffer zone: is covered largely by flooded forest with high productivity of biodiversity, especially fish. The area is divided into fishing concessions, which are auctioned for every two years to the private businessmen. The area is also competed by other land use practices such as agriculture encroachment, human settlement, navigation, firewood production, aquaculture. The population is about 100,000.
Transition zone: is the agricultural belt surrounding the Lake, where a variety of rice farming is practiced. The rapid urban and agricultural development with the increased use of pesticide and fertilizer in the area pose a threat to the flooded forest and water quality.
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