https://cambodia.wcs.org RSS feeds for WCS Cambodia 60 https://cambodia.wcs.org/about-us/latest-features/id/15925/measuring-deforestation-in-the-northern-plains.aspx#Comments 0 https://cambodia.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=8535&ModuleID=46005&ArticleID=15925 https://cambodia.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15925&PortalID=133&TabID=8535 https://cambodia.wcs.org/about-us/latest-features/id/15925/measuring-deforestation-in-the-northern-plains.aspx A new study released by the Wildlife Conservation Society reveals that the annual rate of deforestation in the Northern Plains 'conservation landscape' is significantly lower than deforestation rate in those parts of the landscape that are not the focus of conservation activities. The annual rate of forest loss for the conservation area was 0.19% between 2002 and 2010, compared to a figure almost ten times higher for the surrounding Buffer Area (1.67%).Seven main landscape features associated with deforestation were identified from a qualitative analysis: towns; existing villages; new villages created by immigrants; military concessions and bases; roads; forest and soil type; and agro-industrial concessions. Remoteness of each landscape sector appears to be a key characteristic, which limits the rate of deforestation. Adequate finance for management is also a necessary characteristic to control deforestation. As a whole, the landscape is becoming less and less remote due to road improvements, leading to increased levels of deforestation over time. Buffer Areas in the Northern Plains landscape may continue to suffer high rates of deforestation in future years.Improving motivation for maintaining the integrity of conservation areas by generating revenue from sales of carbon credits from such sites may be an effective tool for limiting future deforestation. Fri, 01 Apr 2011 03:36:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15925 https://cambodia.wcs.org/about-us/latest-features/id/15937/the-history-of-the-kouprey.aspx#Comments 0 https://cambodia.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=8535&ModuleID=46005&ArticleID=15937 https://cambodia.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15937&PortalID=133&TabID=8535 https://cambodia.wcs.org/about-us/latest-features/id/15937/the-history-of-the-kouprey.aspx The extraordinary history of the Kouprey (Bos sauveli), a species of wild cattle, has left it as one of the most enigmatic large mammals in Asia. There was surprise in the scientific community that such a large mammal should be described as late as 1937 from Cambodia, a relatively accessible country. Very little scientific information was available on this species until the mid 1950s when Charles Wharton organized an expedition to study and capture the species in Preah Vihear, northern Cambodia. Wharton's report contains almost the sole ecological data for the species.Wharton was unsuccessful in his attempt to capture the Kouprey and the species disappeared into the fog of war and military occupation which devastated Cambodia for so many years. Uncertainty continued to surround the Kouprey, despite its absence from the scientific record. In the 21st century debate arose over its status as species with some authors considering it a hybrid between domestic cattle and Banteng (Bos javanicus) (Galbreath et al. 2006). This debate was terminated upon discovery of a skull of Kouprey from the Pleistocene (pre-dating domestication) (Vithayanon & Bhumpakphan 2004) and from genetic analysis (Hassanin & Ropiquet 2007).WCS is currently conducting surveys to ascertain whether the species is still present in the Northern Plains of Cambodia. Thu, 25 Feb 2010 06:13:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15937