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Examination of Environmental Education Initiatives in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor Villages in Cambodia
Angela Hessenius
University of San Diego
San Diego, California, United States
Center for Mekong Studies, The School for Field Studies
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Research Advisor: Georgina Lloyd Rivera, Ph.D.
5 May 2015
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Table of ContentsTables............................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Figures.............................................................................................................................................................................. 3
Abbreviations and Terminology.......................................................................................................................................3
Abbreviations.............................................................................................................................................................. 3
Terminology................................................................................................................................................................. 4
Acknowledgements..........................................................................................................................................................4
Declaration....................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Abstract............................................................................................................................................................................ 5
1. Introduction................................................................................................................................................................. 5
1.1 Scope of Environmental Education........................................................................................................................5
1.1.1. Global Context of Environmental Education.................................................................................................5
1.1.2. Regional Scope of Environmental Education................................................................................................7
1.1.3. Environmental Education in Cambodia.........................................................................................................8
1.2 Environmental and Social Context of Prek Toal and Anlong Taor Villages..........................................................12
1.3 Aims and Objectives of Study..............................................................................................................................13
2. Methods..................................................................................................................................................................... 14
2.1 Study Period and Location...................................................................................................................................14
2.2 Data Collection Methods.....................................................................................................................................14
2.3 Data Analysis Tools..............................................................................................................................................16
2.4 Limitations of Study.............................................................................................................................................16
3. Results........................................................................................................................................................................16
3.1 Osmose................................................................................................................................................................16
3.2 Public School........................................................................................................................................................18
3.3 Ministry of Environment......................................................................................................................................19
3.4 Community Fishery Committees.........................................................................................................................20
3.5 Other stakeholders..............................................................................................................................................22
3.6 Community Environmental Awareness and Perceptions....................................................................................24
4. Discussion...................................................................................................................................................................26
4.1 Access to Education and Dissemination of Conservation Results Information...................................................27
4.2 Focus on Education for Children and Gap in Adult EE.........................................................................................29
4.3 Deferment of Responsibility to Other Stakeholders............................................................................................30
4.4 Potential Benefits of Bottom-Up and Community-Based EE...............................................................................31
4.5 Shifting Focus from Awareness to Behavior Change...........................................................................................32
4.6 Importance of Integrating Education with Livelihood Improvement..................................................................33
5. Conclusion..................................................................................................................................................................35
References..................................................................................................................................................................... 37
Appendix 1..................................................................................................................................................................... 40
Appendix 2..................................................................................................................................................................... 41
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TablesTable 1: List of Opportunities and Challenges Identified for EE Stakeholders in Prek Toal and Anlong
Taor Villages, Cambodia, 2016............................................................................................................27
Table 2: Full List of Interviews Conducted During Data Collection Period, April 2016.........................40
FiguresFigure 1: Map of Prek Toal Core Area, Osmose 2015..........................................................................14
Figure 2: Pie Chart of Stakeholder Groups Interviewed during Data Collection Period in Prek Toal and
Anlong Taor villages in April 2016........................................................................................................15
Figure 3: Pictures of Exterior and Interior of Osmose Floating Classroom in Prek Toal village,
Cambodia, taken April 2016................................................................................................................17
Figure 4: Responses from Community and Other Stakeholder Groups (including MoE Rangers,
Osmose Teachers, Public School Teachers, Community Fishery Committee Members, and Public
Officials) on Level of Knowledge and Interest in Learning about the Environment among Local
Community Members in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor Villages, Cambodia, in 2016..............................25
Abbreviations and TerminologyAbbreviationsABE: Association of Buddhists for the Environment
ADB: Asian Development Bank
ASEAN: Association of Southeast Asian Nations
CFi: Community Fishery
DESD: Decade of Education for Sustainable Development
EE: Environmental Education
FCA: Fish Conservation Area
GEF: Global Environment Fund
JEEF: Japan Environmental Education Forum
MoE: Ministry of Environment
MOEYS: Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport
NGO: non-governmental organization
OHCHR: Office of High Commission on Human Rights
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RSIS: Ramsar Sites Information Service
SSI: Semi-structured interview
TSCP: Tonle Sap Conservation Project
TSEMP: Tonle Sap Environmental Management Project
UN: United Nations
UNEP: United Nations Environment Programme
UN FAO: United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
UNESCO: United Nations Education, Social, and Cultural Organization
USAID: United States Agency for International Development
WCS: Wildlife Conservation Society
TerminologyMey kum: Commune chief
Mey phum: Village chief
Sangha: Community of Buddhist monks and nuns
AcknowledgementsThere are several people without whom it would not have been possible to complete this
study, and I would like to thank them deeply and genuinely. First, I would like to thank Dr. Georgina
Lloyd-Rivera, for her indispensable guidance throughout the entire process of research, data
collection, and writing, and her confidence in me to gather and interpret our findings. Samrith Vichet
was also a vital part of my success, not only as an extremely proficient translator, but also as the
supportive teammate who was always by my side. I would also like to thank my parents, for their
constant support and also their confidence and trust in me, and for giving me more opportunities
than I could ever deserve. I would also like to thank my home school, the University of San Diego, for
their financial support through the Alcalá Scholarship that has helped make by education possible,
and also for the many members of the USD community who have helped nurture my love of
learning, my passions, and helped make USD a place I not only learn at by where I feel a sense of
home and belonging. I would like to acknowledge and thank the Ministry of Environment of the
Royal Government of Cambodia for granting us permission to do research and collect the data that
formed the basis of this study. Finally, I would like to express my deep and sincere gratitude for all
the people who were the subjects of this study, who let me take the time to interview them, who
often graciously and generously opened their homes to me, and provided me with an invaluable
glimpse into their lives.
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DeclarationI, Angela Hessenius, acknowledge that the research embodied in this paper is entirely my own work,
that where the ideas of others have been used, the sources have been acknowledged, and that no
portion of this research has been previously submitted for grading at The School for Field Studies or
the University of San Diego.
Signed: __________________________________ Date: ___5 May 2015____
Angela Hessenius
Abstract Environmental education (EE) is fundamental in achieving sustainable development and
environmental conservation goals, and evaluation of EE initiatives is necessary to improve their
effectiveness. This study provides an examination of EE initiatives in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor
villages, as few formal evaluations have been completed. Semi-structured interviews (SSIs) were
conducted with key informants from stakeholder groups involved in EE and local community
members in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor villages on the Tonle Sap in Cambodia. It was found that EE
has had substantial positive impacts in the community, yet also faces significant challenges and is
currently limited by a number of factors. These included limited access to education for adults, a lack
of dissemination of information on successful conservation initiatives, and a need for integration of
EE with improving livelihoods and building capacity for behavior changes that support conservation
and ecological sustainability. The exploration of these challenges is essential to be able to reframe
such obstacles as opportunities, because once they are recognized, such impediments can
transformed into targets for improvement to EE in the community.
Keywords: Environmental education; Tonle Sap; Education for sustainable development;
Conservation; Environment; Access to education; Adult Education; Behavior change; Livelihood
Improvement
1. Introduction 1.1 Scope of Environmental Education
1.1.1. Global Context of Environmental EducationEnvironmental education (EE) is a broad concept without a universally accepted definition
(Smith & Keat 2006). The definition included within the Tbilisi Declaration, the product of the first
Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education in 1977, may serve as a foundation:
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Environmental education is a learning process that increases people’s knowledge and
awareness about the environment and associated challenges, develops the necessary skills
and expertise to address the challenges, and fosters attitudes, motivations, and
commitments to make informed decisions and take responsible action (UNESCO-UNEP 1977)
This definition clearly identifies that EE entails more than merely an increase in knowledge and
awareness about the environment and global environmental issues. It also mobilizes people to
transform this knowledge into practice and action. Minimizing environmental harm caused by
human activities and working towards the creation of solutions and the path of sustainable
development are seen as essential components of EE (Smith & Keat 2006). Springing from this broad
scope of environmental education, many have also recognized the link between poverty reduction
and EE, and acknowledge that people need to be equipped with the capabilities and environmental
assets to meet their needs in a sustainable way, otherwise people will continue to pursue livelihood
activities that cause environmental degradation (Smith & Keat 2006, Ardoin, Clark, & Kelsey 2013,
Khieu 2002, ADB 2011)
These lofty and diverse goals of EE have increasingly been cited as a necessary component of
improving global environmental management and incorporated into goals and objectives of
organizations at many different scales (Smith & Keat 2006, UNESCO 2006, ASEAN 2013). EE was first
codified as an international priority in Principle 19 of the Declaration of the United Nations
Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm in 1972, which declared environmental
education as essential (UNEP 1972). Recommendation 96 of the Declaration also called for the
establishment of an international program on EE (UNEP 1972). In 1975, an International
Environmental Workshop in Belgrade addressed this recommendation and outlined a global
framework for environmental education. The Belgrade Charter of 1975 identified the goal of EE as
follows:
To develop a world population that is aware of, and concerned about, the environment and
its associated problems, and which has the knowledge, skills, attitudes, motivations and
commitment to work individually and collectively toward solutions of current problems and
the prevention of new ones (UNESCO 1975).
The Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education, held in 1977, expanded upon the
goals, objectives, and guiding principles for EE expressed in the Belgrade Charter, and included the
following goals for EE:
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1. to foster clear awareness of, and concern about, economic, social, political, and ecological
interdependence in urban and rural areas;
2. to provide every person with opportunities to acquire the knowledge, values, attitudes,
commitment, and skills needed to protect and improve the environment;
3. to create new patterns of behavior of individuals, groups, and society as a whole towards
the environment (UNESCO-UNEP 1977).
The importance of education for achieving sustainable development and the need to integrate EE
into education for all levels of society was also recognized within Chapter 36 of Agenda 21, the
product of the UN Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 (UNEP 1992a). Most
recently, this link between EE and sustainable development was promoted on the international level
through the designation of 2005-2014 as the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development
(DESD) by the United Nations General Assembly in 2002 (Smith & Keat 2006). The DESD was a broad
and ambitious plan to incorporate the inherent values of sustainability in all forms of learning in
order to encourage and empower individuals and society to undergo a transformation towards the
security of a just and sustainable future (UNESCO 2006). The DESD envisions “a world where
everyone has the opportunity to benefit from education and learn the values, behaviour and
lifestyles required for a sustainable future and for positive societal transformation” (UNESCO 2006,
pg. 4). The goals of the DESD thus situate EE within the broader social, cultural, economic, and
political context of sustainable development, and acknowledge the necessity of EE to continue
focusing on the relationship between humankind and the natural world and strategies for the
preservation and sustainable use of its resources (UNESCO 2006).
1.1.2. Regional Scope of Environmental EducationIn response to this push from international organizations such as United Nations
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) promoting EE and education as a strategy for sustainable development, regional
efforts to expand EE have also been formulated. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
adopted the ASEAN Environmental Education Action Plan for 2000-2005 and successor plans for
2008-2012 and 2014-2018, which incorporated the goals the DESD. The ASEAN Environmental
Education Action Plans articulated the fundamental importance of EE for the achievement of
sustainable development goals:
EE is key to the overall ESD strategy since humanity's value for and understanding of nature,
and its sustainable use and management of natural resources form the basis for sustainable
economies, harmonious societies and healthy people (ASEAN 2006).
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The ASEAN Environmental Education Action Plans established a strategic collaborative framework to
“accelerate the development and advancement of environmental education” with specific objectives
in four target areas: formal education, non-formal education, human resource capacity building, and
networking, collaboration, and communication (ASEAN 2013). While the ASEAN member countries
have made progress in active engagement in EE across multiple sectors of society, substantial
challenges remain, including the need for more teachers well-trained and knowledgeable in EE, for
more instructional materials, and more funds allocated from the government to support EE
initiatives (Smith & Keat 2006).
1.1.3. Environmental Education in CambodiaThe impetus for the development of EE from international and regional policies have
contributed to developments of EE from a wide range of stakeholders in Cambodia, though there
remain significant limitations and room for growth. Due to Cambodia’s history of more than twenty
years of conflict, which coincided with the developing awareness of environmental problems and
prioritization of sustainable development and EE among the international community, EE has had a
relatively short history in Cambodia compared to many other nations and is still in an initial phase
(Smith & Keat 2006). However, since the mid-1990s, EE has increasingly been administered by both
government and NGO stakeholders (Smith & Keat 2006). The MoE has made important progress in
implementing EE on a national level, including collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth
and Sport (MOEYS) to train primary school teachers, building human resource capacity by
conducting trainings for provincial environment department employees, and public environmental
awareness-raising campaigns through media, such as national television and radio broadcasts, and
events such as National and World Environment Day (Smith & Keat 2006). Despite these
accomplishments, the MoE still faces significant challenges to the implementation of EE, including
limited human resources, materials, financial support, planning, and collaboration among
stakeholders (Smith & Keat 2006).
A representative, but not exhaustive, list of NGOs focused on EE in Cambodia include Live
and Learn Environmental Education, Mlup Baitong, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
in Siem Reap, Save Cambodia’s Wildlife, Osmose, Wildlife Alliance, the Association of Buddhists for
the Environment (ABE), the Culture and Environment Preservation Association, and more (Smith &
Keat 2006, Japan Environmental Education Forum (JEEF) 2007, Wildlife Alliance 2015). Organizations
such as the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Sam Veasna Center, and Conservation International
are also involved in projects to improve livelihoods in local communities by generating alternative
sources of income and to build capacity by providing technical training for biodiversity monitoring
and protection of conservation areas, to achieve results in enhancing sustainable management of
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resources and protecting key species and their habitats (WCS 2016, Conservation International 2016,
Sam Veasna Center n.d.).
These NGOs and others have made significant progress in collaboration with the
government to extend EE in Cambodia within a variety of sectors. In the formal sector, activities
have mainly focused on integrating EE into school and university curriculums, including the
development of materials such as training manuals and guides for teachers and student clubs, and
technical training and capacity building in environmentally sound practices for both government
employees and civil society (Smith & Keat 2006). However, there is a lack of assessment of the
quality of these trainings and a critical need to evaluate the quality of environmental training being
administered by many different providers to ensure that accurate information and best practices are
being taught (Smith & Keat 2006).
In spite of these pushes for EE development in the formal sector, the majority of EE in
Cambodia occurs in the non-formal sector. Activities carried out in the non-formal sector fall under a
very broad range and include radio and television broadcasts, speeches, posters, and special events
(Smith & Keat 2006). Monks have also played an important role in the dissemination of EE in
Cambodia through activities such as speeches and community-based environmental learning
activities carried out by pagodas (Smith & Keat 2006). For example, Mlup Baitong, supported by the
World Bank and Alliance of Religions and Conservation, developed a program that provided
education and training for monks in 14 rural pagodas, who became able to provide education on
Buddhism and the environment to their local communities through events and activities such as
lectures, workshops, radio programs and events on Buddhist holy days, and seedling ordination
ceremonies at tree nurseries that are now well-established at these pagodas (Awoyemi et al 2012).
ABE is another organization that works to strengthen the capacity of the sangha, the community of
Buddhist monks and nuns, in Cambodia to promote environmental education and protection (JEEF
2007, Berkley Center n.d.). Examples of their major projects completed so far include the
development of a documentary video on monks and Community Forestry, and providing training in
environmental outreach to monks and disseminating environmental education materials, such as
audio materials that are broadcasted at target pagodas on Buddhist holy days in Bokor National Park
in Kampot province and Kampong Leng district in Kampong Chhnang provice (JEEF 2007). In
Kampong Leng, ABE has also implemented community livelihood projects, including improving local
water supply management; establishing compost heaps, vegetable gardens, and tree nurseries; and
organizing tree planting events and tree ordination ceremonies at pagodas (JEEF 2007, Berkley
Center n.d.). These initiatives are consistent with the global movement to bridge religion and
conservation, and specifically in Buddhist countries to utilize Buddhist principles and teachings as a
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base for establishing an environmental ethic and motivating people to protect the environment
(Awoyemi et al 2012, Chim 2012).
1.1.4. Environmental Education in the Tonle Sap Many EE projects within Cambodia have focused specifically on the region of the Tonle Sap,
the great lake in the center of Cambodia and the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Some of
the NGOs involved in EE in the Tonle Sap include Live and Learn Environmental Education, Mlup
Baitong, the UN FAO in Siem Reap (who established the GECKO center for EE in a floating village on
the Tonle Sap in 1999), Save Cambodia’s Wildlife, and Osmose (Smith & Keat 2006). EE projects
along the Tonle Sap have typically been implemented on a small scale in local communities, with a
focus on primary school students and teachers (Smith & Keat 2006). One major accomplishment was
the collaborative preparation of an Environmental Education Training Manual that is currently being
used by the Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Mlup Baitong, Save Cambodia’s Wildlife &
Osmose and to aid in the integration of EE into the public school curriculum (Smith & Keat 2006).
Due to the international recognition of the environmental, social, and cultural significance of
the Tonle Sap, there have been internationally and regionally driven EE efforts in focused on this
region as well. As a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve, part of UNESCO’s mission is to build
capacity and promote EE in the region (UNESCO 2016). One important project that has been carried
out is the Tonle Sap Conservation Project (TSCP). The TSCP was developed from the third component
of the Tonle Sap Environmental Management Project (TSEMP), the first major project of the Asian
Development Bank-funded Tonle Sap Initiative (Asian Development Bank (ADB) 2010, ADB 2011,
Global Environment Facility 2011). The ultimate objective of the TSEMP was to improve “the
sustainable management and conservation of natural resources and biodiversity in the Tonle Sap
Basin” (ADB 2011). To achieve this goal, Component 3 aimed to build capacity for management and
conservation of biodiversity, and specifically identifies the promotion of “biodiversity conservation
awareness, education, and outreach” as one of its strategies to achieve this objective (ADB 2010,
ADB 2011). The TSCP was a separate project to implement Component 3, funded by the Global
Environment Facility and the UNEP and implemented by the Cambodia National Mekong Committee
and the Ministry of Environment, and extended from 2004 to 2011 (ADB 2011, GEF 2011).
The third expected outcome of the TSCP was to promote awareness, education and
outreach on biodiversity conservation in the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve, through the development
and implementation of an environmental awareness and outreach program to be delivered through
the school system and environmental educational centers in villages throughout the Tonle Sap (GEF
2011). Training activity for provincial government staff engaged in protected areas management and
biodiversity monitoring was another important target of the TSCP (GEF 2011). Project results for the
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environmental awareness and outreach program included the country’s first environmental
education curriculum, development of EE teaching materials for students from grades 4-9, training
of 255 teachers from 65 schools around the lake in using the environmental manual and teaching
materials, and the initiation of eco-clubs in schools with the establishment of nine eco-clubs in target
schools (GEF 2011). The environmental manual for teachers contains 14 environmental themes and
is specifically focused on the resources of the Tonle Sap, and was developed in partnership by the
MOEYS and the FAO, Mlup Baitong, Save Cambodia’s Wildlife, and Osmose, and reviewed in 2004
based on teacher feedback (GEF 2011, Smith & Keat 2006). These are significant achievements of the
project, and the teacher’s guide for EE will have a lasting benefit in Cambodia (GEF 2011). However,
one limitation of the EE and environmental awareness and outreach initiatives of the TSCP is a lack
of sustainability, since the terminal evaluation of the TSCP concluded that although individual
teachers expressed the commitment to continued use of the educational materials and skills
acquired, a lack of funding meant that sustainment of the program was unlikely (GEF 2011).
A national environmental education and awareness campaign was also planned as one of
the outputs under Component 1 of the TSEMP in order to strengthen natural resource management
coordination and planning through the dissemination of information about the environment (ADB
2010). For this objective Live & Learn was contracted to develop and successfully created a variety of
useful education tools including flipcharts, facilitation guides, and the EE training manual for
teachers, as well as a publication on the Tonle Sap, EE status report, and national media including
theatre and radio (ADB 2010, Live & Learn, Smith & Keat 2006). However, completion reports noted
that at the conclusion of the project, the “‘national’ education and awareness campaign was not in
place as envisaged” at the project outset (ADB 2010 pg. 24, ADB 2011).
In the case of the TSCP, a formal monitoring and evaluation was conducted in compliance
with United Nations Development Programme and GEF standards (GEF 2011). However, for many of
the smaller-scale EE initiatives currently taking place on the Tonle Sap, little or no formal monitoring
and evaluation has been conducted (Smith & Keat 2006). Deficient monitoring and evaluation of EE
projects is a serious problem, because it is impossible to assess the various strategies that have been
employed and share the knowledge of EE methods that are effective at increasing fostering
environmental awareness, values, and behavior changes within communities, as well as to address
and improve upon strategies that are not successful in changing people’s attitudes and actions
(Smith & Keat 2006, Live & Learn 2015). Within Prek Toal and Anlong Taor villages, a variety of
different stakeholders are involved in EE, yet few examinations or evaluations of the impact of these
initiatives have been conducted. For this reason, these sites were selected as a case study to gather
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preliminary data on the influence that different stakeholders and EE projects have had on the local
communities.
1.2 Environmental and Social Context of Prek Toal and Anlong Taor Villages
Prek Toal is also an especially important site to examine the outcomes of EE initiatives in the
local communities due to the extreme ecological importance of the area. Prek Toal Core Area is the
largest of three core areas of the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve, which was designated in 1997
(UNESCO 2007). Prek Toal was selected as a core area because it contains some of the Tonle Sap
floodplains that remain in the most pristine condition and has great biodiversity value as a habitat
for a variety of globally threatened species (Ramsar Sites Information Service (RSIS) 2015). The site is
covered mostly by freshwater swamp forest habitat that floods annually with the seasonal
hydrological regime of the Tonle Sap (RSIS 2015). Nutrient-rich sediment trapped by the forests
support highly productive plant and fish habitats (RSIS 2015). Prior to the cancellation of fishing lots
in 2011, the area was highly exploited as the most productive fishery on the lake, Battambang
Fishing Lot No. 2 (Osmose 2015). In addition to being the most productive fishery area on the Tonle
Sap (itself one of the most productive freshwater fisheries in the world), Prek Toal core area is also
the most important nesting site on the Tonle Sap—supporting 210 species, including 17 that are
globally threatened or endangered (Tonle Sap Conservation Project (TSCP) 2007). For its ecological
value, Prek Toal was also designated as a Ramsar Site in 2015 (RSIS 2015).
In addition to such high biodiversity, Koh Chiveang commune also supports five villages and
approximately 1300 families that live in floating houses or houseboats (Osmose 2015, TSCP 2007).
The residents of the local community represent diverse ethnic backgrounds, with a majority of
Khmer people and minority populations of Chinese-Khmer, Vietnamese, and Cham (Osmose 2014).
The economies of these villages are highly dependent upon fishing and associated activities, with the
majority of fishing done on a subsistence level (Osmose 2015). The site also has significant economic
value for its great potential as an ecotourism site, offering the ability to view a high concentration of
large nesting waterbirds within easy access of Siem Reap (TSCP 2007). For its biological, economic,
social, and cultural value, Prek Toal core area is a site of global significance that requires diligent
protection of the natural resources that support both human and non-human life.
The recognition of this fact has already spurred many EE initiatives designed to raise
awareness of the importance of the Prek Toal ecosystem and encourage and build the capacity of
the local community to sustain rich biodiversity of the core area. For example, the NGO Osmose was
established in Prek Toal in 1999 with an approach to conservation that links community-based
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conservation, alternative livelihood support through the development of ecotourism, and EE
(Osmose 2015). Osmose initiated their EE program in 2000 with the goal of educating the children of
the community to equip them to conserve the area’s natural resources (UNESCO 2007, Osmose
2015). Osmose purchased a floating school to hold classes in 2001, and has held both indoor classes
at their floating center to teach children about the Tonle Sap ecosystems, as well as outdoor classes,
including field trips to the Prek Toal bird sanctuaries, to see the concepts taught in the classroom in
real life (UNESCO 2007, Osmose 2015). The EE program is also in the process of being integrated into
the curriculum of the local schools in Prek Toal (Osmose 2015). An independent evaluation of
Osmose’s EE program was performed in 2007 with positive results (Osmose 2015). However, a more
current evaluation is necessary to determine if the results of this program are still successful.
WCS also has an established presence in the area through their Prek Toal conservation
project (WCS 2016). Through this project, WCS has worked closely with the MoE to monitor and
protect the water bird colonies and flooded forest in the Prek Toal Core Area since 2001 (WCS 2016).
As a partner in the TSCP, WCS also contributed to capacity building for biodiversity management,
through actions such as training 52 rangers who patrol the conservation site (WCS 2016).
1.3 Aims and Objectives of StudyFor the purposes of this study, EE has been defined and investigated specifically as it
pertains to increasing awareness and knowledge of the environment, understanding of its
connections to human livelihoods and wellbeing, and encouraging actions that contribute to
environmental conservation and sustainability among local communities. While some stakeholders,
such as Osmose, also aim to incorporate EE into tourism initiatives, to narrow the scope of this
study, the delivery and reception of EE within local communities was chosen as the central focus.
Given the fundamental importance of EE in achieving sustainable development and
environmental conservation goals, the necessity for evaluation of EE initiatives to improve their
effectiveness, and the lack of formal evaluation and even a comprehensive collection of basic
information about the current status of environmental initiatives in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor
villages, this study aims to address this gap in knowledge by collecting data from stakeholders
providing EE and local community members receiving EE to determine which stakeholders are active
in EE, what techniques they are utilizing and what topics they are teaching, and how these
educational initiatives are perceived by the local community. This investigation should serve as a
starting point for future studies and data collection that can allow for a formal monitoring and
evaluation process. The following state the objectives of this study:
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1. Identify stakeholders involved in development and implementation of environmental
education projects and initiatives in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor
2. Determine what mechanisms and activities different stakeholders employ in their EE
initiatives and what concepts and topics they choose to cover
3. Examine community reception of past and current EE initiatives by exploring environmental
awareness and knowledge among the local community
4. Analyze and compare EE initiatives shared by respondents
2. Methods2.1 Study Period and Location
The study was conducted during the period from April 18, 2016 to April 27, 2016 in the
villages of Prek Toal and Anlong Ta Oinr in Koh Chiveang commune, Ek Phnom district, Battambang
province, in Cambodia (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Map of Prek Toal Core Area, Osmose 2015
2.2 Data Collection MethodsTo gather the data for this study, semi-structured interviews (SSI) were conducted with key
informants from the various stakeholder groups involved in EE in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor. These
include rangers employed by the MoE who patrol the Core Area, Community Fishery committee
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members in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor, and the mey phum (village chief) of Prek Toal and Anlong
Taor and the mey kum (commune chief) of Koh Chiveang commune. Interviews were conducted with
local schoolteachers, both from Osmose and the public schools in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor, to
acquire information about the current EE initiatives for children in these villages. Representatives
from NGOs with a presence in the area, including OSMOSE, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS),
and Live & Learn, were also interviewed. In addition, interviews with monks from the local
monastery and a Catholic priest who routinely visits the Church of St. Joseph in Prek Toal were
conducted in order to ascertain whether these religious institutions are actively involved in
environmental education. To investigate the experience of local community members with EE and
levels of environmental awareness in the community, SSIs were also conducted with local
community members. Nine interviews were conducted in Prek Toal village and seven interviews
were conducted in Anlong Taor village. Figure 2, below, shows the proportions of the number of
interviews conducted with members of each stakeholder group out of the total number of
interviews, and the full list of interviews conducted can be found in Appendix 1.
Osmose Teachers5% n=2 MoE Rangers
7% n=3Catholic Priest
2% n=1
Village-level Official5% n=2
Monk2% n=1
Community Members41% n=17
Community Fishing Committee Members
7%
Osmose Representatives5% n=2
WCS Representative2% n=1
MoE Official2% n=1
Commune-level Official2% n=1
Live & Learn Representative 2% n=1
Public School Teachers15% n=6
Stakeholder Groups Interviewed Osmose Teachers
MoE Rangers
Catholic Priest
Village-level Official
Monk
Community Members
Community Fishing Commit -tee Members
Osmose Representatives
WCS Representative
MoE Official
Commune-level Official
Live & Learn Representative
Public School Teachers
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Figure 2: Pie Chart of Stakeholder Groups Interviewed during Data Collection Period in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor villages in April 2016
The topic guides for both the SSIs and focus groups use both a series of yes/no questions
followed by prompts, as well as open-ended questions. The full topic guides can be found in
Appendix 2.
2.3 Data Analysis ToolsThe software Atlas.TI was utilized to manage, analyze, and present the data gathered.
Microsoft Excel was also used to create tables in order to present the data results. The data was
analyzed using grounded theory, to draw insights and conclusions based on the interview data
collected and comparative analysis of the various groups examined (Glaser and Strauss 1967).
2.4 Limitations of StudyDue to the limited time spent in the field, yielding a moderate sample size of interview
respondents, it is not possible to draw generalized conclusions about the full extent of EE initiatives
in Prek Toal, or their effectiveness and influence on the community. Further research in Prek Toal, as
well as other locations on the Tonle Sap, is necessary to be able to conduct a monitoring and
evaluation analysis that will enable EE providers to improve the effectiveness of their approaches to
EE.
Another limitation of the study is that due to the cross-cultural context which required a
translator, there is the inevitable possibility that some questions or answers could have been
misinterpreted or that the nuances of responses could have been lost. It is also possible that
interview respondents could have modified their answers in some cases based on their perceptions
of the researchers and an attempt to give answers they thought were desired or to protect their own
innocence.
3. Results 3.1 Osmose
Osmose is currently the most active stakeholder in EE in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor. Their
environmental education (EE) program focuses on building environmental awareness among primary
school students (Grades 1-6) through a combination of indoor and outdoor classroom activities. The
Osmose teachers transport the students to the Osmose floating classroom, where EE classes are
taught complementary to the public school schedule four times per week (if the public school classes
are in the morning, the Osmose classes will be in the afternoon, and vice versa) (Figure 3). Osmose
also started integrating their EE curriculum into the local public schools in 2001. Currently, Osmose
Hessenius 17
hires two state teachers on a part-time basis, who teach both at the Osmose platform and the local
public schools, one teacher at Prek Toal and one teacher at Koh Chiveang Public School. The Osmose
teachers and public school teachers reported that the Osmose teachers visit the public schools to
teach about the environment two or three times per month. There used to be three teachers hired
by Osmose, but one teacher is now resigned, so there is currently no Osmose teacher available to
teach classes at the Kampong Prahok Public School.
Figure 3: Pictures of Exterior and Interior of Osmose Floating Classroom in Prek Toal village, Cambodia, taken April 2016
The outdoor classroom activities include field trips to the Prek Toal Core Area to see the
water bird colonies, waste collection at the school or monastery, and trips in the village to observe
local plant life and floating gardens that Osmose helped 20 local families build in 2002. The
birdwatching trips are a high priority, because they want to encourage the children to love and want
to protect the endangered birds that are of great conservation and ecotourism value. During the dry
season, when the bird populations are at their peak (November through March), Osmose
representatives explained that they bring the students on birdwatching up to four times per month,
while Osmose teachers reported that they take students on outdoor field trips two times per month.
The birdwatching excursions also require collaboration between Osmose and the Ministry of
Environment (MoE), since an MoE ranger always accompanies the teachers and students in order to
guide them to the Core Area and provide information about the birds to the students. During the
wet season, when the birds have migrated elsewhere, the teachers take the students to do the local
outdoor activities. As a result of these activities and education on topics such as the natural
environment of the Tonle Sap and the importance of conserving those natural resources for the
future, the Osmose teachers have noted changes in behavior, including disposal of waste in bins
rather than the lake and ceasing to hunt for bird eggs. Osmose is also hopeful that the children will
continue to love and value the environment in the future and reflect this through their behaviors by
protecting natural resources and using them sustainably.
Hessenius 18
The EE program complements the other main components of Osmose’s approach to
environmental conservation and community livelihood improvement, which are ecotourism and
local development. An Osmose representative noted that “all the components are linked, which has
been one of their successes,” and described how environmental awareness and protection of natural
resources are necessary to support and sustain the ecotourism component, which also helps to
provide alternative income to local families, incentivizing conservation behaviors.
3.2 Public SchoolThe public school teachers also provide the students in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor with EE as
part of the state curriculum. They teach about environmental topics as often as they are scheduled
to in the curriculum and materials from the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport (MOEYS), which
one teacher reported is about once a month. Some of the most common environmental topics
covered by the public school teachers include the natural environment and its components, such as
the water, the animals, and especially the flooded forests and mangroves. The teachers emphasize
the importance of the forests for providing livelihood benefits now and in the future, including
supporting biodiversity and breeding fish, providing wood to use for fuel, protection from storms,
and regulation of the weather. Multiple teachers also reported that they have discussed the threat
of climate change, which the students understand because they experience the temperature getting
hotter and hotter, and how climate change can damage the forests and the interrelated
environment.
One challenge identified by some of the local public school teachers interviewed is that it is
difficult to improve students’ habits and behaviors because they are more likely to follow the model
set by their parents and families than by their teachers. For example, they try to teach the students
not to throw their rubbish in the water and not to drink the lake water, but for students’ whose
families do not know not to throw their rubbish the water or who cannot afford to buy clean water
and do not know to boil it, it is difficult to make such behavior changes, though the teachers do try
to tell the students to pass these messages on to their parents. Similarly, though illegal fishing gear is
not a main component of the curriculum, the teachers often talk to their students about which
fishing activities and gears are allowed and which are not allowed. However, they explained that
such education will not override the poorer families’ needs to perform illegal fishing actions in order
to feed their families. One public school teacher said, “It is really hard for the kids here. Normally
they listen to their family, and the life they live depends on fish. If they don’t do illegal activity, then
they can’t feed their family.” When asked about whether the students have changed their behaviors
as a result of learning about the environment, the same teacher responded, “You can hardly blame
the kids; it depends on their family condition. It’s not like they don’t know and understand. They
Hessenius 19
know and understand, but if they don’t do it, then they can’t feed their family. For example, some of
the kids cut down the mangroves for firewood. They know that it’s wrong but it is their livelihood.”
When such resource collection practices are part of the livelihood of child’s family, the children will
continue such behaviors despite the fact that they are aware that such actions are illegal or wrong.
Despite this challenge, teachers have reported some successes in altering students’ behaviors,
including disposing of rubbish in bins at the school rather than in the water.
3.3 Ministry of EnvironmentThe MoE does not currently have an EE program for the adults in the local community. In the
past they have had an EE program for adults, but have discontinued this program due to lack of time.
Rather than educate the whole community, they only educate their rangers. There are currently 30-
40 rangers employed by the MoE, including both volunteer and full-time rangers. The rangers
receive training in collecting data to monitor the biodiversity and patrolling the Core Area; they are
instructed by a teacher who comes from the MoE Ministry Office in Phnom Penh at least once a
year. The MoE also encourages the rangers to care about protecting the environment and
encouraging fellow community members to protect the environment as well, including encouraging
community members caught doing minor illegal actions, such as fishing in the Core Area, to change
their behaviors and help take care of the environment. The rangers play an important role in EE as
disseminators of information. Their messages tend to focus on clear prohibitions of actions, such as
telling people not to enter the Core Area, not to cut down trees in the forest, and not to use the
illegal fishing gears, and explaining that these behaviors are important because protecting the
forests, which are where the fish breed, and leaving behind the small fish to let them grow, are
necessary to maintain the fish stocks for the future.
One challenge identified by some of the MoE rangers interviewed is that the MoE used to
have rangers who were more active in EE in the community, but those rangers have now all retired,
and the newly hired rangers are too busy with patrolling to visit the community members to educate
them about the environment. One MoE ranger interviewed reported that they have requested to
continue doing EE like the retired rangers used to do, but that they have not received feedback or
approval yet from MoE senior staff.
Another way the MoE disseminates information about the environment is through meetings.
They typically hold meetings two to three times a year, especially when an MoE official from the
MoE Ministry Office in Phnom Penh comes to visit the MoE Core Area Management Station at Prek
Toal. In these official meetings, they often utilize poster and slideshow presentations and discuss
topics such as how to protect the mangrove forests and the water bird colonies. Normal attendance
Hessenius 20
at these meetings is between 40 and 50 people. Official authorities and public figures, such as the
mey kum and mey phums, are usually invited to attend. An MoE official reported that they do not
announce these meetings to the general community because they do not have the available space to
accommodate such a large number of people, so their strategy is to invite the people who are heads
of the community and entrust them with disseminating the information to the rest of the
population.
The community members are aware that the MoE holds these meetings; however, they
reported that they never receive invitations to the meetings or information about when they will be
held. They perceive that only certain people are selected to attend. For example, when asked if there
are meetings about the environment in the community, a village level official reported that
“normally when they set up the meetings, they don’t have a general announcement, they invite
select houses, the ones with the good living conditions. The poor people don’t get invited,” and a
community member that they “know they have meetings, but they don’t invite the poor people.”
This perception is one cause of frustration between the MoE and the community. There were a
variety of reasons cited for the poor relationship between the MoE and the community. Some
community members who were interviewed expressed significant resentment and suspicion of the
MoE. There is a strong perception among some members of the community that the MoE is corrupt
because they take fish and other resources out of the protected area that they prevent the
community from entering. It was also reported that when the MoE catches people for doing illegal
actions, they only make them pay a fee and collect that money and let the offender go, so nothing
changes the problem of decreasing resources:
Since the MoE took over the protected area, there was nothing left, because the rangers
take the birds eggs to feed their families. When they catch people, they make them pay the
fine, and people don’t have that money so they don’t do the illegal action.
Other stakeholders reported that collaborating with the MoE is difficult. For example, one of
the Osmose teachers said that sometimes they have planned to have an MoE ranger take their group
of students to see the Core Area, but on the day their trip was planned they were told that all the
MoE rangers were busy so none could accompany them, so they had to change their plans to a local
outdoor activity.
3.4 Community Fishery CommitteesLike the MoE rangers, members of the Community Fishery (CFi) Committees of Prek Toal and
Anlong Taor often teach people about the environment, either when they are on patrol in the CFi or
when they hold meetings for the community. Meetings held by the CFi Committee typically happen
Hessenius 21
at least once a year. The CFi uses a poster and teaches about the fishing laws and regulations. For
example, they tell the community about the types of fishing gears that are legal and illegal (including
electroshock and gill nets of a small net size). They also inform the community about where they are
allowed to fish, and especially try to deter the community from fishing in the Fish Conservation Area
(FCA), or former Fishing Lot #2. There is also a protected area within the CFi (former Fishing Lot #3)
where people are not allowed to fish. They explain to the community that people are not allowed to
fish in the protected areas or use the illegal gears in order to protect the spawning fish to have
resources for the future. Another main focus besides explaining the fishery laws is teaching people
about the connection between protecting the environment and improving their living conditions,
since all rely on the natural resources and healthy environment for their livelihoods. The CFi
Committee also requests that community members help to protect the environment, especially the
forest that supports the breeding fish, by not cutting down trees and not hunting the wildlife.
The CFi Committee members reported that they often collaborate with other NGOs for their
EE, such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Cambodia HARVEST
program worked with the CFi Committees and helped organize and run their meetings with
community until their project concluded this year. CFi committee members described how HARVEST
helped train them in managing the CFi and taught the community about protecting the environment,
conserving natural resources, and the threat of climate change at the meetings. They also helped
fund projects to improve livelihoods in the community, including a providing fish ponds to CFi
committee members and training in aquaculture.
A CFi Committee member interviewed also discussed his own activities to engage his local
community in environmental education and protection. He reported that even when funds from
HARVEST ran out for the community meetings, he continued to organize meetings for the
community on his own about three times a year, using his own funds to purchase snacks for the
people who attend. Three main goals cited for discussion in these meetings were talking about the
environment, asking people to protect the FCA and its fish and bird populations, and requesting that
the whole community unites and works together to protect the environment. He discussed ways in
which he is able to help the community understand these concepts even though are not highly
educated. For example, he avoids using technical language like the term ecology, and instead
explains how everything in the environment is related to each other by explaining it as a “food
system.” Another way he helps the community understand the importance of the environment is by
connecting the environment to the economy, their livelihoods, and their daily reality. He described
how he explains that effects of climate change, such as increasing temperature, lower water levels
on the lake, and the increasing incidences of forest fires will have negative consequences by
Hessenius 22
decreasing the amounts of fish and therefore the amount of food for people to eat. The following is
the reasoning reported to explain the concept of conserving natural resources and how good living
conditions are dependent on a healthy environment:
He uses the reality of every day, like the ecosystem and climate changing, the temperature,
the lake drying up, and the fires in the forest—all of these problems start to make you feel
worried and make you sick. Everyone starts to think that if there is no water then there will
be less fish and then there will be nothing to eat and then people will get sick. Every time he
has a meeting with the community he adds it with the economic system and how it goes
together with the environment. If you destroy the environment, then there is no flow of the
economy.
In addition to holding meetings in the community for adults, this CFi Committee member also talks
to students in the public school for one hour each month.
According to a CFi Committee member, the local community is very willing to attend
community meetings, and to join together in community action to help protect the environment. As
an example, he reported that he organized a group of local community members to put out a fire
near their houses. He also reported behavior changes among the majority of the community
members, including ceasing to use the electroshock gear for fishing and stopping the collection of
bird eggs and nests. Despite these successes, he reported facing significant challenges from
authorities, who do not support his projects. A Committee member expressed the belief that the
authorities, such as the MoE, should improve their collaboration with the local community in order
to be successful in conserving the natural resources of the area, because if the community is angry
with the MoE, they will not follow the rules and it will be impossible for the MoE to enforce them:
Whatever project, if you don’t have help from the community then it won’t happen. You
need to keep the community happy to collaborate. If you make the community angry or hate
you, then it is easy for them to destroy the environment. There are many more of them than
the 30-40 MoE rangers, so there will be no way to stop them.
3.5 Other stakeholdersWhile the mey phums of Prek Toal and Anlong Taor and the mey kum of Koh Chiveang are
involved in the meetings held by the MoE on the environment and in general meetings for the
commune held by the mey kum that may cover environmental topics, they are not extensively active
in EE for the community. They do tell community members not to cut trees and only to take dead
wood from the forest for fuelwood, to obey the fishing laws by not fishing in the protected areas or
Hessenius 23
using the illegal gears in order to protect the breeding fish, and to keep the environment clean and
collecting their rubbish.
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is not actively engaged in any EE projects for the
local community, though they continue to support the MoE by providing annual technical training in
patrolling and water bird monitoring for the MoE rangers. This is consistent with their central focus
on achieving conservation results for the water bird colonies and their habitats in the Prek Toal Core
Area. WCS has collaborated with Osmose in the past by providing funding for their EE projects, and
there are opportunities for WCS to play a more active role in EE in Prek Toal in the future. A WCS
representative mentioned some of these opportunities, including continuing their partnership with
Osmose or standardizing education and awareness-raising for adults as a component of their
conservation programs. They stated “they want there to be a dedicated unit within WCS that
supplies training at all their sites” and that they “want to raise awareness among adults.”
Currently, the monastery at Anlong Taor is not actively involved in any environmental
education. Although the space at the monastery is used for activities such as waste collection events
for schoolchildren and community members, the monks are not typically consulted or invited to
collaborate in these events, and they may or may not participate in them. According to the monk
with the most authority at the monastery, though he has tried to engage the community and asked
them to help collect rubbish around the wat, the community members are not interested and refuse
to participate. When asked if he ever incorporates teaching about the environment or Buddhist
stories related to the environment into ceremonies, he reported that he does not, because Osmose
and the MoE both fill the role of teaching people in the community about the environment.
The Catholic Church in Prek Toal (Church of St. Joseph’s, a satellite church of St. John’s
Church in Siem Reap) is another religious institution that is not currently engaged in EE, though there
is the possibility that EE becomes a component of the Church’s social outreach programs in the
future. At the moment, the Church is involved in programs aimed at reducing poverty, including
offering free English classes for the community. While they are not actively involved EE, a
representative of St. John’s Church who routinely visits the church in Prek Toal reported that he
believes there is the potential for incorporating EE into their activities in the future, and that it
should be a priority given the importance of the conservation area in Prek Toal. Also, environmental
protection has been identified as a main objective of the Catholic Diocese in Battambang, based
upon the understanding that protecting the environment is strongly aligned with Catholic values to
respect and care for Creation. At the moment, they do encourage the children not to throw rubbish
in the water, and believe the children are gradually changing their behaviors.
Hessenius 24
3.6 Community Environmental Awareness and Perceptions Members of the community reported a variety of levels of environmental awareness,
behaviors practiced, and reasons for protecting the environment. One concept that is strongly
understood by the community is the connection between the forests and the fish. Almost all
community members know and understand that the forests are important habitats for the fish to
breed, so protecting the flooded forests is of great importance to sustaining the fish populations.
This link shows that the community understands that the elements of the environment—the forests,
the water, and the wildlife—are all related to each other. Many community members made remarks
similar to a community member who stated, “If you protect the forest, it means you protect the fish
too. When the fish breed they need the forests.”
Some of the most commonly reported reasons for protecting the environment include for
supporting their family and their livelihoods, protecting natural resources for themselves in the
future and for their children future generations to be able to know the environment as well as have
the resources they need to survive. Another common motivation for taking care of the environment
is for the health and hygiene of themselves and their families, and this is a major reason many
community members reported trying to keep the environment around their house and the lake
clean by not throwing their rubbish into the water and practicing proper sanitation and not drinking
water from the lake. Unfortunately, interviewees also noted that many people in the community still
throw rubbish in the water and use the polluted lake water for drinking, washing, and bathing, which
has negative consequences for people’s health. However, frequent reporting of these motivations to
protect the environment shows that the majority of people understand the connection between
taking care of the environment and supporting their own livelihoods and wellbeing for themselves,
their families, and future generations.
In addition, almost all the community members interviewed indicated that they would be
interested in learning more about the environment (see Figure 4). However, many noted that while
they would be interested, they do not have the opportunity to participate EE, either because there
are no groups providing any EE in the community, that they are not invited to participate, such as in
the meetings held by the MoE, or because they do not have time because they are busy fishing to
feed themselves and their families. There is also a discrepancy in the perception of the community’s
knowledge about and interest in learning about the environment, which is illustrated in Figure 4,
showing that community members self-report higher levels and knowledge and interest than
stakeholders perceive the community to have.
Hessenius 25
Figure 4: Responses from Community and Other Stakeholder Groups (including MoE Rangers, Osmose Teachers, Public
School Teachers, Community Fishery Committee Members, and Public Officials) on Level of Knowledge and Interest in
Learning about the Environment among Local Community Members in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor Villages, Cambodia, in
2016.
Other perceptions reported by the community include the threat of decreasing resources,
such as the forests, water, and wildlife such as birds and fish. One community member stated the
following comparing the amount of natural resources he perceived to be available to the community
now compared to the past:
There was so much wildlife then and less people. Now there are more people, more hunting,
and less wildlife, and the environment is getting dirtier every day. For natural resources, the
wildlife and birds are less and less. For fishing, sometimes there is not enough to feed his
family.
One major cause people commonly attributed to this decrease in natural resources is the extremely
hot and dry weather, which has caused the lake levels to be abnormally low and also caused forest
fires that the community is deeply concerned about, since they recognize that the forests are crucial
for the environment and sustaining fish populations: “If they protect the forest, then they protect
the fish and the animals and the birds. But with the fire, they are not sure if they will still be there.”
Increasing pressure on resources form population growth and lack of water caused by dams in other
countries were less commonly cited as reasons for the decrease in resources. Some community
members stated that they do not know why the natural resources are decreasing, they only have
Hessenius 26
noticed that there are less fish, birds, and other resources than there were in the past. Multiple
community members expressed the opinion that as protection and strict enforcement of regulations
in conservation areas has increased, the amount of natural resources in these areas have
paradoxically decreased. Related to this perception is the belief that authorities excluding
community members from conservation areas, such as the MoE, are extracting resources from these
areas which they are supposed to protect. Because of these observed trends in decreasing
resources, many community members are facing difficulties now and are very worried about the
availability of resources and their ability to feed their families and survive in the future.
It was also reported often that although most people in the community are aware of the
importance of the environment and what the laws and regulations are, many people still break those
laws, and the main reason people break the rules is because of poverty and need. Because people in
the community are dependent on fishing for their livelihoods, people are often forced to do illegal
activity in order to have enough food to feed their families. As a CFi member remarked, “if people
don’t do the illegal action, what can they do to eat? The people here live by fish.” Cutting wood to
use as firewood was also commonly cited as an illegal action many families must do to attain this
resource that they need because they are poor and cannot afford to buy it. Because this year has
been exceptionally dry, officials noted that there has been an increase in illegal activities and people
entering the Core Area because there is increased pressure on resources so more people are
struggling to feed their families, pushing them to break the laws more often than in previous years.
4. DiscussionInterviews conducted with a broad range of stakeholder groups in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor
villages (see Appendix 1), served to inform a snapshot of the current state of environmental
education (EE) in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor. Based on this examination, it was found that EE has had
substantial positive impacts in the community, yet also faces significant challenges and is currently
limited by a number factors (see Table 1). The exploration of these challenges is essential to be able
to reframe such obstacles as opportunities, because once they are recognized, such impediments
can be transformed into targets for improvement to EE in the community.
Positive results and sources of opportunity Major obstacles or limitations
Many children in the community have received EE, which can empower the next generation with the capabilities and inspiration to be proper stewards of nature in the future
There is currently a gap in EE for adult community members
Hessenius 27
Community-based education and action can be supported with positive consequences in community engagement in sustainable management of natural resources
There are challenges with access to education and a lack of dissemination of information about positive results of conservation initiatives
Success has been shown in integrated approaches to EE that link education with economic development
There is a tendency for stakeholders to choose not to take ownership and responsibility for EE since they are aware of other stakeholders already practicing EE
Illegal actions regarding resource extraction and unsustainable behaviors continue from people in the community. Major cause of this challenge is that people are restricted in their behavior choices by the realities of their daily lives, including poverty, need for resources to feed their families and support their livelihoods, and lack of infrastructure and alternative livelihood options.
Table 1: List of Opportunities and Challenges Identified for EE Stakeholders in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor Villages, Cambodia, 2016
4.1 Access to Education and Dissemination of Conservation Results Information
Despite the fact that conservation initiatives have demonstrated significant results in the
protection of biodiversity in Prek Toal, local community members are generally unaware of these
successes, and many have indicated that they have an antagonistic relationship with authorities
engaged in protection of these conservation areas. There is substantial data demonstrating that
conservation efforts by the Ministry of Environment (MoE) and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
have been effective, especially in preserving the endangered bird species in the Prek Toal Core Area
(WCS 2016, Sun & Mahood 2015). Both MoE and WCS representatives reported during this study
that bird populations in the Core Area have increased directly as a result of their patrolling, which
has significantly reduced illegal activity, such as collection of eggs, although they also acknowledged
that this year is an exception to these trends due to the abnormally dry weather and low water level
on the lake, increasing pressure on resources and driving more community members to illegal enter
the Core Area for fishing. WCS also prides themselves on their conservation strategy, which involves
hiring former poachers to be rangers that protect and monitor the birds (WCS 2016). This approach
has proven to be effective, since the nest and population counts for bird species recorded by the
rangers (including the globally endangered Greater Adjutant Stork, globally vulnerable Lesser
Adjutant Stork, globally near threatened Painted Stork, Asian Openbill, globally near threatened
Spot-billed Pelican, and globally near threatened Oriental Darter) show an overall increase since
WCS started their conservation initiatives in the early 2000s (WCS 2016, Sun & Mahood 2015).
However, it appears that the community does not know this information. In fact, their
perception is the exact opposite: that resources are severely and rapidly declining. In order to
Hessenius 28
address this disconnect between stakeholders involved in biodiversity conservation and the
community, organizations such as WCS and the MoE should make it a priority to disseminate
information about the successful results of conservation initiatives to the local community. If the
community does not see any results of conservation efforts, they are likely to have more negative
attitudes towards measures that place restrictions and limitations on their ability to use natural
resources for their livelihoods. However, if the community is made aware of the benefits of such
conservation initiatives for the environment and themselves, they will be more likely to cooperate,
follow the regulations, and change their actions that contribute towards habitat degradation. Case
studies conducted in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Philippines support this potential
information dissemination to lead to improved attitudes towards conservation initiatives (Knight,
Allegretti, & Vaske 2015). Knight, Allegretti, & Vaske’s (2015) findings showed that fishers who
received direct government-citizen communication, environmental education, and outreach about
protected area governance policies were more likely to support MPAs and their policies and perceive
their MPAs as benefitting their livelihoods.
Another challenge with access to education is the perception conveyed by study
respondents that the general community is not invited to the meetings organized by the MoE. In
addition to contributing to a perceived poor relationship between the MoE and the community, this
practice limits access to education for general community members, since only people occupying
official and public positions are consistently invited, which especially tends to exclude poorer
community members. Such limitations of access to education and information about the
environment are problematic because they are contrary to the human rights of access to education
and information that are widely recognized and upheld by the international community, including
Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees the right to education,
and Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration from the UN Conference on Environment and Development
in 1992, which codifies the right that “each individual shall have appropriate access to information
concerning the environment that is held by public authorities” (OHCHR 1948, UNEP 1992b). The
rights of access to information, participation in decision-making, and access to justice in
environmental matters are widely recognized as being one of the three essential dimensions of the
nexus between human rights and the environment and critical for good environmental governance
(UNEP-OHCHR 2009, UNEP 2003, UNEP 2004). Although MoE officials expressed the expectation that
the people selected to attend the meetings will pass along the information, this is not happening,
which is creating a gap in knowledge and feeling of exclusion in the community. A more direct and
egalitarian approach to EE could be pursued by increasing access to meetings in which education and
information about the environment is disseminated, which would better fulfill the rights of
Hessenius 29
community members of access to education and information. Even if it is not feasible to invite all
community members to a single meeting, the MoE could have more frequent meetings and rotate
the houses who are invited, or reinstate the practice of having MoE rangers visit people’s houses to
provide education about the environment.
4.2 Focus on Education for Children and Gap in Adult EEBecause Osmose is the most active stakeholder in EE in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor, and their
EE focuses mainly on children, the result is that there is currently a gap in EE for adults. While
increasing environmental awareness among children is vital and it is good to encourage the students
to care about the environment and form good habits to help protect it, the limitation is that it takes
a long time to see results from education for children. Multiple representatives from Osmose
reported that education for adults would be more direct than education for children. The EE
programs for children are very important for long term conservation, because the children will be
the users of the natural resources in the future and need to know how to be able to do so
sustainably. However, currently, the adults in the community are the users of natural resources, and
they are the ones who are reportedly committing illegal actions. In order to have a direct impact on
the current situation and reduce illegal activity, it is necessary to focus on achieving results by
providing EE and facilitating behavior changes among adults. The education of adults has been
recognized as a priority for the future directions of EE and necessary for meeting global goals
towards environmental sustainability and education for sustainable development, especially given
the urgency of the planet’s environmental crisis and the need to change human behavior now,
rather than focus solely on education through schooling for children and wait for today’s young
people to take action (UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning 2010, Monroe 2007). Other studies
have also suggested that EE can enhance its effectiveness by focusing on instigating actions,
behaviors, and choices that support sustainability, and that these aims toward behavior change and
decision-making are most appropriate in targeting adults (Monroe 2007).
Another consideration is that a challenge to the education initiatives for children is that they
often tend to still follow their parents’ and families’ habits rather than adopt the behavior changes
encouraged by their teachers at Osmose or the public school. Therefore, teaching the adults in the
community about the environment and actions they can take to help protect the environment could
also be important in reinforcing and strengthening the EE aimed towards children. Although one
hope of educating the children is that they will pass along the messages to their parents and
education for the children can have a positive impact by the children sharing their knowledge and
learned behaviors with their families, this is a lot to expect from the children. While it may still be
helpful to encourage students to share what they learn with their parents and families, adults in the
Hessenius 30
community should also receive EE directly, so that they can model better habits and behaviors for
the children, rather than only the children being expected to serve as examples for the rest of the
community.
4.3 Deferment of Responsibility to Other StakeholdersMultiple stakeholders reported that one of the reasons they do not initiate and conduct
more EE is because they know that other stakeholders, principally Osmose, are already engaged and
active in EE. The monk interviewed at the monastery reported that he does not incorporate Buddhist
stories or lessons about the environment into his teachings or ceremonies because the community
already has Osmose and the MoE to teach them about the environment. However, he also
expressed the opinion that the MoE is not active in EE, so it is currently only Osmose that is active in
EE, and they mainly focus on education for children. Even though the monk recognized that there is
a gap in education for adults in the community, he believed it was the MoE’s responsibility to do
more EE and encourage people in the community to know and care about the environment. Other
NGOs, such as WCS and Live & Learn Cambodia, also reported that they have not focused on EE in
Prek Toal because Osmose already has an established presence and focus on EE in the community
(WCS instead focuses on training MoE rangers to build capacity for conservation of Core Area and its
water bird colonies, and Live & Learn Cambodia focuses their EE initiatives in other locations in the
Tonle Sap region).
This phenomenon in which stakeholders perceive the responsibility for EE as the
responsibility of someone else is problematic because it prevents the benefits that could potentially
come from multiple stakeholders engaging in EE from various sectors in society. For example, were
both the MoE and the monastery to play a more active role in EE, the amount of people in the
community with access to EE could increase, since some community members not reached by one
stakeholder group could be reached by another. If community members receive EE from multiple
stakeholders, this could also have important benefits. People could gain a more comprehensive
understanding by learning different information in different contexts. Continuity of EE is also
extremely important to reinforce the concepts people have learned, because otherwise people will
most likely forget, as multiple community members reported that they had been taught about the
environment in the past but now did not remember clearly what they had learned. Rather than
perceiving engaging in EE as unnecessary or repetitive if other stakeholders are already involved in
EE, stakeholders should be made of aware of the benefits of such consistent and continued learning
and encouraged to take responsibility for EE as part of their own activities.
Hessenius 31
Another reason this transfer of responsibility for EE is problematic is because even though
Osmose has been active and successful in EE, they are still limited in their capacity to reach the
entire community. Because Osmose focuses on EE for children, if they are the sole provider of EE in
the community, then that creates a gap in education for adults in the community. In addition,
Osmose is limited in the extent of their EE program based on the amount of funding they have from
their donors and revenue from their ecotourism program. This lack of funding was cited as the main
reason Osmose no longer has an EE program for adults, which they did when they had more funding
seven or eight years ago. They also no longer have enough funding to provide the children who
come to school at Osmose with snacks (which can limit the ability of students to come to school
because if the boat arrives and they have not eaten breakfast, they cannot come to school because
they would have to go the whole morning without food) or to take the students on as many field
trips as they used to when the EE program first started. One of the main challenges reported from
Osmose representatives is their dependence on small, timed grants, and the fact that they do not
have any experts in grant proposal writing, so they have been unsuccessful in acquiring larger grants
to expand their projects. Limited finances is a common challenge, both for government departments
and NGOs, for sustaining EE programs in Cambodia and many developing countries (Khieu 2002,
Smith & Keat 2006, ADB 2011).
4.4 Potential Benefits of Bottom-Up and Community-Based EEWhile NGO and government stakeholders are most commonly perceived as the major
providers of EE in the community, there also exists the basis and potential for a burgeoning
movement of community-based EE and conservation action. For example, the independently
organized activities of a CFi Committee member demonstrate how passionate individuals in the
community can draw upon their own resources and utilize partnerships with other organizations to
galvanize the community to unite together and protect their common environment and resources.
Such bottom-up approaches to EE can have many potential benefits. Educators from within the
community may be more effective teachers through the ability to explain complex concepts in ways
that are easily understood by people, overcoming cultural, language, and literacy barriers that might
hinder the transfer of knowledge from NGOs or government officials. Projects initiated by
community members are also likely more sustainable than involvement of outside NGOs that usually
stay in the community only on a short-term basis. Such community-driven programs could also be
more empowering and contribute to a stronger sense of ownership over sustainable management
and conservation of natural resources if initiated from within community and led by local community
members. Given these potential advantages of bottom-up approaches to EE, one recommended
strategy would be to train and equip specific community members to become leaders in their
Hessenius 32
communities who can instruct and engage the local community in conserving their environment.
Previous studies also attest to the benefits of community-based; for example, Harris (2014)
concluded in a case study on the communication on climate change impacts and adaptation
strategies in Pacific islands that bottom-up approaches were effective in enabling citizens to
participate, share knowledge, build environmental awareness and understanding of climate change
risks to their communities in a way that was engaging and empowering for communities. Ardoin,
Clark, & Kelsey (2013) also identify the need to develop methods of collaborating with practitioners,
involving wider community members in participating in EE, understanding the effects of collective
and social learning and how educational outcomes for individuals and communities are linked, and
supporting community-based EE as one of the most important trends to explore in the future for EE.
4.5 Shifting Focus from Awareness to Behavior ChangeInterviews with local community members revealed that general environmental awareness
in the community is very high. While community members may not be educated in environmental
concepts, the reality of their daily lives and constant interaction with the environment for their
livelihoods, since nearly everyone in the community is involved in fishing, mean that the community
members are extremely in tune with their environment. They know how the environment is
interconnected and are sensitive to any changes in the environment and the resources that are
crucial for their livelihoods. Although environmental awareness is high among local community
members, EE can still be beneficial for the community, but there needs to be a shift from focusing on
environmental awareness to emphasizing specific and actionable behavior changes that can yield
results for conservation. Trends in the EE research reflect this shift from awareness-focused to
action-oriented EE and behavior change for conservation (Smith & Keat 2006). Ardoin, Clark, &
Kelsey (2013) and Monroe (2007) acknowledge the high priority on developing effective educational
and communication strategies that can successfully elicit individual behavior change and decision-
making that supports sustainability.
Aiming to increase environmental awareness among the local community may be misguided
and unproductive if it amounts to simply trying to tell community members what they already know.
Instead, EE should aim to provide specific and viable alternatives to current practices that contribute
to degradation of the environment and deliver updates on tangible outcomes and achievements of
existing conservation programs, in order to understand and demonstrate the direct link between
behavior change and conservation results.
Some projects in the community have already had such outcomes. For example, one of
Osmose’s community development projects back in 2002 when they had the available funding was
Hessenius 33
to assist 20 families in building floating gardens. This project had significant and lasting benefits, as
one community member who still used her floating garden reported, because she was able to grow
most of her own vegetables to feed her family, reducing the amount of income she needed to spend
and improving nutrition for her family. Equipping people with these kinds of tools and skills are
essential for improving people’s livelihoods and decreasing their dependence on natural resources
to alleviate pressure on those resources. Live & Learn Environmental Education have been active in
other floating villages on the Tonle Sap to achieve goals such as improving sanitation, water
management, and nutrition, and a representative of the NGO emphasize that these projects are
selected because they link education and improved quality of life. This representative elucidated
that it is necessary to provide viable alternative options along with EE in order to achieve behavior
outcomes, and that EE that focuses on awareness without connecting it to specific actions and
alternative options is not only ineffectual, but weakens EE through its unrealism.
In Prek Toal and Anlong Taor, an example of the challenges involved in motivating behavior
changes is the case of waste management. Despite the fact that improper waste disposal (i.e.
throwing rubbish into the water) was the most common behavior change encouraged by almost
every stakeholder, even those that were not actively engaged in EE, and many community members
did report that they have changed their waste management practices, rubbish remains a major
environmental problem in the community. In these floating villages, there is no infrastructure for
waste collection, so community members’ realistic options are to keep their rubbish in their houses,
burn it, or throw it in the lake. Even though collecting and burning their rubbish is the encouraged
practice, this method still has negative health consequences. Unless there are socially, culturally, and
economically viable alternatives, implementing behavior changes is unlikely to be successful.
4.6 Importance of Integrating Education with Livelihood Improvement
One of the most consistent themes from interviews with local community members is that
people know what practices are allowed and not allowed, but they commit illegal actions anyway
because they are poor and need to feed their families. Multiple community members also stated
that local community members use resources for subsistence, not to sell for a profit, so their
resource extraction is driven by need rather by greed or desire to selfishly benefit overuse of
community resources. Given this reality, it is possible that EE on its own may not be enough to
achieve results in improving conservation and contributing to behavior changes among local
community members. Even if people are educated about the environment, meeting their needs in
the present to survive will always outweigh the imperative to conserve natural resources for the
future.
Hessenius 34
An abundance of literature supports this link between livelihoods and socioeconomic factors
and EE and conservation behavior (Ardoin, Clark, & Kelsey 2013, Masud et al.2014). Increasingly, in
the field of EE research, the purpose of education is seen not only as to inspire behavior change, but
also to promote enhanced well-being and quality life and build the capacity among people to make
sustainable choices and lead sustainable lives (Ardoin, Clark, Kelsey 2013). With the rising interest in
the role of education in sustainable development, EE will likely continue to play an important role in
addressing interconnected social and ecological issues, such as health and justice (Ardoin, Clark,
Kelsey & 2013). This recognition of EE’s broadening scope and the impossibility of separating
environmental and socioeconomic issues also reveals the same theme demonstrated by this study’s
findings that poverty is a major challenge to EE and environmental sustainability because people will
always prioritize their immediate survival needs over concerns for the long-term preservation of the
environment (Ardoin, Clark, Kelsey & 2013, Khieu 2002).
If it is true that education not paired with viable alternative solutions is ineffectual, than
improving livelihoods must be a key component to any EE initiative. If people’s living conditions are
too poor to be able to afford to change their actions like illegal fishing and cutting trees, then there
will be no realistic alternative options that can facilitate results in behavior changes. For this reason,
Osmose’s model that integrates livelihood improvement through generation of alternative income
with EE is very practical and successful. Still, overall living conditions in Prek Toal remain generally
low, so there are still significant changes that can and should be made to allow local community
members to increase their income generation and decrease their dependence on illegal resource
use.
Another example in Cambodia of a model that successfully integrates livelihood
improvement, conservation, and education is the Sam Veasna Center’s community ecotourism
project in Tmatboey that aims to protect a critical habitat for globally threatened large water birds in
the Northern plains of Cambodia (Clements et al. 2008). Through the community-based tourism
model, the local community has become a partner in conservation, whose attitude towards and
value of the bird species has changed since they now recognize the birds as a valuable source of
revenue through direct payment for services and donation to a community development fund from
the tourists who come to see them (Clements et al. 2008). It was reported that the birds even
became a source of pride to the community, and this combined with the financial incentives from
tourism caused them to change their behaviors and become active protectors of the birds (Clements
et al. 2008). The project has had substantial outcomes for both reducing poverty among community
members and conserving the bird species, whose populations rose dramatically following
implementation of the project due to a significant reduction in hunting activity from local community
Hessenius 35
members (Clements et al. 2008). More projects like this can creatively find ways to incentivize
conservation behaviors and integrate benefits to livelihoods and the environment, while
simultaneously engaging and educating the community by empowering them to become partners in
environmental preservation and sustainable resource use.
5. ConclusionThis study acknowledges the internationally recognized and essential role that EE plays in
promoting sustainable development, benefitting local communities’ livelihoods, and strengthening
conservation of biodiversity. The study also recognizes that in Cambodia, despite the prevalence of a
wide variety of EE initiatives implemented by many stakeholders, there has been limited formal
monitoring and evaluation of EE initiatives and assessment of their success. In response, this study
aimed to investigate the current status of environmental education in the villages of Prek Toal and
Anlong Taor villages on the Tonle Sap.
The findings of this study yield insights into the importance of EE for improving conservation
of natural resources and livelihoods in local communities on the Tonle Sap, as well as some ways
that approaches to EE in the region can be developed in the future to increase their effectiveness
and ability to create substantial change in behaviors and actions. It was found that while stakeholder
such as Osmose and the public schools have focused on providing children in the community with
EE, there is a gap in EE for adults. Another factor in this oversight is that access to education for
adults in the community is limited, as many community members reported that they were not
invited to meetings held by the MoE in which environmental information is discussed and
disseminated. Targeting adults as recipients of EE is especially important because they are the
members of the community who are currently engaged in collection of natural resources, which
sometimes includes illegal extraction of those resources. A key finding was the perception among
community members that increased conservation measures have led to a decline in natural
resources in the Prek Toal Core Area, in contrast to the data from biodiversity monitoring that
indicates successes in protecting natural resources as a result of conservation. It is possible that this
lack of confidence among community members in the effectiveness of conservation approaches may
be contributing to continued illegal activity. Regular and continued EE and dissemination of
information on conservation may result in greater community support for these initiatives. EE needs
to focus more on motivating people to alter their actions and behaviors in order to be successful in
achieving conservation results, and that EE initiatives should also be coupled with strategies to
alleviate poverty and improve local livelihoods, such as by offering alternative options for income
Hessenius 36
generation, since the most commonly reported reason that people violate restrictions on resource
use is that they and their families are dependent on these resources for their survival.
Further studies should continue collecting data on EE in local communities on the Tonle Sap
and identifying opportunities for improvement and development. As more evidence is accrued on
the methods and approaches employed by various stakeholders and their results and impact in the
local community in generating positive actions and behaviors that support conservation of the
environment and sustainable use of resources, it will become possible to determine the best
practices and apply the most successful models in more communities in Cambodia and the region,
while adjusting implementation to comply with the local social, cultural, economic, and
environmental context. By developing such educational strategies with an aim to equip individuals
and communities with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to make environmentally
conscious decisions, change their actions, and generate innovative solutions to environmental
problems, EE can ideally be elevated to play the role envisioned by the global community to advance
sustainable development goals, promoting protection of the planet’s biodiversity and improvement
quality of life.
Hessenius 37
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Appendix 1Interview Date Location Stakeholder Sex and Age
1 15-Apr St. John's Church, Siem Reap Catholic Priest M2 19-Apr MoE Station, Prek Toal MoE Ranger M-353 19-Apr Anlong Taor Village-level Official M-574 19-Apr Osmose Platform, Prek Toal Osmose Teacher F-545 19-Apr Monastery, Anlong Taor Monk M6 19-Apr Anlong Taor Community F-637 19-Apr Anlong Taor Community F-318 20-Apr Osmose Platform, Prek Toal Osmose Representative M-409 20-Apr Osmose Platform, Prek Toal Osmose Teacher F-58
10 20-Apr Anlong Taor Community M-37, F-3111 20-Apr Anlong Taor Community F-43, M-4712 20-Apr Anlong Taor Community M-49, F-4713 20-Apr Anlong Taor Community F-59, F-3014 20-Apr Anlong Taor Community F-4715 21-Apr Anlong Taor MoE Ranger M-5316 21-Apr Anlong Taor Community Fishing Committee Member M-5217 21-Apr Prek Toal Village-level Official M-7818 21-Apr Prek Toal Community F-4919 21-Apr Prek Toal Community F-7020 22-Apr Prek Toal Community M-4221 22-Apr Prek Toal Community M-55, M-2922 22-Apr Anlong Taor Community F-5123 22-Apr Anlong Taor Community Fishing Committee Member M-6624 22-Apr Anlong Taor MoE Ranger M-3325 22-Apr MoE Station, Prek Toal MoE Official M26 22-Apr Phone WCS Representative M27 23-Apr Prek Toal Community F-7028 23-Apr Prek Toal Community F-55, F-2229 23-Apr Prek Toal Community F-5730 23-Apr Prek Toal Community F-3931 23-Apr Prek Toal Community F-5932 25-Apr Prek Toal Public School Teacher M-3133 25-Apr Anlong Taor Public School Teacher M-4234 25-Apr Anlong Taor Public School Teacher F-2035 26-Apr Prek Toal Public School Teacher F-2636 26-Apr Anlong Taor Public School Teacher F-2737 26-Apr Prek Toal Commune-level Official M38 27-Apr Anlong Taor Public School Teacher F-2439 27-Apr Prek Toal Community Fishing Committee Member M-5040 29-Apr Osmose Headquarters, Siem Reap Osmose Representative M41 29-Apr Siem Reap Live & Learn Cambodia Representative MTable 2:Full List of Interviews Conducted During Data Collection Period, April 2016
Hessenius 41
Appendix 2Topic Guide [Questions for EE providers]
Identify stakeholders involved in development and implementation of environmental education projects and initiatives in Prek Toal
1. Does [insert group/organization] teach the local community about the environment?
Determine what mechanisms and activities different stakeholders employ in their EE initiatives and what concepts and topics they choose to cover
2. How do you teach people about the environment? What techniques do you use?
2a. Do you have meetings with community members?
2b. Do you do trainings for community members?
2c. Do you use pamphlets? Do you use posters or signs?
2d. Have you shown a presentation to community members?
2e. Have you shown a video to community members?
3. What topics do you teach people about?
3a. Do you teach people about the lake, the animals, the plants, or the flooded forest?
3b. Do you teach people about the fishery laws?
3c. Do you teach people about conserving natural resources for the future?
3d. Do you teach people how the environment is connected to peoples’ livelihoods?
4. [If YES to 3a] What do you teach about the animals, plants, lake, or forest?
4a. Do you teach people about relationships between the animals and plants and the forests and lake?
4b. Which to the techniques (from Q2 answer) do you use to teach about this topic?
4c. Who do you teach about this topic?
4d. How often do you teach people about this topic?
5. [If YES to 3b] What do you teach people about the fishery laws?
5a. Do you teach people about where they can fish?
5b. Do you teach people about what gears they can use to fish?
5c. Which of the techniques (from Q2 answer) do you use to teach about this topic?
5d. Who do you teach about this topic?
5e. How often do you teach people about this topic?
Hessenius 42
6. [If YES to 3c] What do you teach people about conserving natural resources?
6a. What do you teach about conservation of natural resources for the future?
6b. For example, do you teach people not to catch small fish?
6c. Do you teach people only to cut branches, and not cut a whole tree?
6d. Which of the techniques (from Q2 answer) do you use to teach about this topic?
6e. Who do you teach about this topic?
6f. How often do you teach people about this topic?
7. [If YES to 3d] Do you teach people about how the environment (animals, plants, lake, forests) is connected to peoples’ livelihoods?
7a. What do you teach about how the environment is connected to livelihoods?
7b. Which of the techniques (from Q2 answer) do you use to teach about this topic?
7c. Who do you teach about this topic?
7d. How often do you teach people about this topic?
8. What reasoning do you use to motivate or encourage people to take care of the environment?
8a. Do you always incorporate this when you teach people about the environment?
Institution Specific Questions
OSMOSE/NGO
9. If unanswered so far, are children in the local community taught about the environment by local schoolteachers or by teachers with OSMOSE?
Monastery
9. Do you use Buddhist beliefs, stories, or principles to teach people about the environment?
9a. What beliefs, stories, or principles?
Catholic Church
9. Do you use Catholic beliefs, stories, or principles to teach people about the environment?
9a. What beliefs, stories, or principles?
Government/rangers
9. Do you think if people are taught about the environment they will be less likely to violate the fishery laws?
9a. Why do you think that?
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10. Do you ever collaborate with other institutions to teach the local community about the environment?
10a. With what organizations do you collaborate?
10b. How often do you collaborate with them?
10c. Do you think collaboration increases the effectiveness of environmental education in the community?
Examine community reception of past and current EE initiatives by gauging environmental awareness and knowledge among the local community
11. Do you think when people are taught about the environment it changes their behaviors/actions?
11a. How? What do people do differently?
12. Do you think before you teach people about the environment they have a lot of knowledge about the environment?
13. Do you think it would be good for [insert group/organization] to do more environmental education in the future?
13a. Do you have any specific plans for teaching people in the community about the environment in the future?
Topic Guide [Questions for community/EE recipients]
Identify stakeholders involved in development and implementation of environmental education projects and initiatives in Prek Toal
1. Have you been taught about the environment by any group or organization?2. How have you been taught about the environment? What activities did you do?
2a. Have been part of a meeting about the environment?
2b. Have you been trained on any skills related to the environment?
2c. Have you been shown pamphlets, posters, or signs about the environment?
2d. Have been shown a presentation about the environment?
2e. Have you been shown a video about the environment?
3. Has anyone in your family been taught about the environment?
3a. [If yes] Who taught them?
4. Has anyone you know been taught about the environment?
4a. [If yes] Who taught them?
Determine what mechanisms and activities different stakeholders employ in their EE initiatives and what concepts and topics they choose to cover
5. What topics have you been taught about?
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5a. Have you been taught about the lake, the animals, the plants, or the flooded forest?
5b. Have you been taught about the fishery laws?
5c. Have you been taught about conserving natural resources for the future?
5d. Have you been taught about how the environment is connected to your livelihood?
6. [If YES to 5a] What have you been taught about the animals, plants, lake, or forest?
6a. Have you been taught about relationships between the animals and plants and the forests and lake?
6b. Which of the techniques (from Q2 answer) were used to teach you about this topic?
6c. Who taught you about this topic?
6d. Was this new information or did you know about this before you were taught?
7. [If YES to 5b] What have you been taught about the fishery laws?
7a. Have you been taught where you can fish?
7b. Have you been taught about what gears you can use to fish?
7c. Which of the techniques (from Q2 answer) were used to teach you about this topic?
7d. Who taught you about this topic?
7e. Was this new information or did you know about this before you were taught?
8. [If YES to 5c] What have you been taught about conserving natural resources?
8a. Have you been taught about conservation of natural resources for the future?
8b. For example, do you teach people not to catch small fish?
8c. Do you teach people only to cut branches, and not cut a whole tree?
8d. Which of the techniques (from Q2 answer) were used to teach you about this topic?
8e. Who taught you about this topic?
8f. Was this new information or did you know about this before you were taught?
9. [If YES to 3d] Have you been taught about how the environment (animals, plants, lake, forests) is connected to your livelihood?
9a. Have you been taught about how the environment is connected to livelihoods?
9b. Which of the techniques (from Q2 answer) were used to teach you about this topic?
9c. Who taught you about this topic?
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9d. Was this new information or did you know about this before you were taught?
10. Do you think taking care of the environment is important?
10a. Why do you think that?
Examine community reception of past and current EE initiatives by gauging environmental awareness and knowledge among the local community
11. Does the community know and care a lot about the environment?
12. What, if anything, do you do to take care of the environment?13. Did you enjoy learning about the environment?
13a. Would you want to learn more about the environment in the future?
14. Do you think more people learning about the environment is good for the community?
14a. Why do you think that?