By the Phnom Penn Post

The extent of the devastation of Cambodia’s forests was brought into sharp relief as 2013 drew to a close, with a series of detailed maps and satellite data released by NGOs showing the drastic depletion of the Kingdom’s woodland ecosystems.

Images released by Open Development Cambodia (ODC) earlier this month showed that the ratio of forest cover has fallen from about 72 percent in 1973 to only 46 per cent this year.

National Public Radio's All Things Considered is running a two-part series on the relationship between China’s need for raw materials and the exploitation of Cambodia’s resources, specifically destruction of its forests. The first part of the program, which is set in Prey Lang, can be heard here: http://www.npr.org/2013/01/29/170580214/as-china-builds-cambodias-forests-fall

Cambodian human rights activists showed once again that they are on cutting edge of pop culture by performing a choreographed dance to a land rights themed version of the viral video "Gangnam Style" in Phnom Penn. 

Activists in Cambodia are feeling the heavy hand of the government. Threats, intimidation and, in extreme cases, even murder have been occurring in the country.

In a great victory, four Economic Land concessions that had been authorized in the Prey Lang forest of Cambodia have been cancelled.  The concessions, totaling 40,618 hectares, would have allowed for the clear-cutting of pristine primary forests in order to grow rubber plantations, adding to a long list of other concessions that threaten the Prey Lang forest.

A member of the Prey Lang Network of Cambodia traveled to Rio last month to participate in the CSO Green Development Conference, running alongside the RIO+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil from June 20-22. Sok Heng made three presentations about Cambodia’s land and forest situation, the implementation of REDD+, and social movement in Cambodia.

A 15 year old girl was killed while taking part in a demonstration against the development of a rubber plantation on farmland on May 16th in eastern Kratie province. Authorities say the land in question is owned by the government, but activists argue villagers have been farming the land for many years and have nowhere else to go if it is developed by a private company.