Prey Lang is under threat from a variety of sources which have put short-sighted economic interests ahead of a nation's long-term well-being. Agribusiness plantations and mining operations are cutting away at the forest, including sensitive core areas.
Illegal logging for timber, including luxury wood, is rampant, depriving communities of the resin trees they depend on. It is estimated that up to 250,000 resin trees have been lost to chainsaws.
Illegal mining for precious metals and iron ore has also been on the increase, displacing artisanal, environmentally friendly operations. Toxic chemicals are being dumped into Prey Lang waterways, upsetting the area's delicate ecological balance and endangering downstream communities. In addition, new roads are cutting into important and sensitive areas of the forest, and making it easier for unscrupulous actors to illegally clear forest, transport timber, and engage in poaching. The Northern Prey Lang landscape became operational as a
REDD+ project in 2018 under Japan’s
Joint Crediting Mechanism, jointly implemented by
Conservation International’s Cambodia programme, Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment and Mitsui; Cambodia’s safeguards reporting described 612,525 tonnes of carbon-dioxide-equivalent credits generated through December 2023 under the mechanism. == Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary ==