Nature in Cambodia: should camping be encouraged?
Nature in Cambodia: should camping be encouraged?
Before the rainy season, I saw heaps of pictures of Khmer youth out camping in various mountain meadows. All agreed the snaps were lovely!
It is a start. The deeper the connection that middle-class and rich Cambodians have with nature, the better the chance that some areas will still be intact 20 years from now. Sure, the trends are bad, bad, bad. But while wild areas remain, maybe some things can be saved.
They used to say, "80% of Cambodians live in rural areas." However, that hasn't been true for a long time, and by now, I think, perhaps 70% of Cambodians under 25 have very little experience of untrammelled nature.
Should city Khmer university students be taken camping?
If so, what short activities would help them to value and connect with nature?
It is a start. The deeper the connection that middle-class and rich Cambodians have with nature, the better the chance that some areas will still be intact 20 years from now. Sure, the trends are bad, bad, bad. But while wild areas remain, maybe some things can be saved.
They used to say, "80% of Cambodians live in rural areas." However, that hasn't been true for a long time, and by now, I think, perhaps 70% of Cambodians under 25 have very little experience of untrammelled nature.
Should city Khmer university students be taken camping?
If so, what short activities would help them to value and connect with nature?
Grasping the concept of sustainability would be a good place to start.Guest999 wrote: ↑Sun Oct 25, 2020 2:31 am...what short activities would help them to value and connect with nature?
"Not my circus, not my monkeys" - KiR
- Hairy-nosed Otter
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100% correct, 999.
Khmers generally have a far deeper cultural and emotional attachment to nature than westerners. as a general rule.
Not so long ago they were literally surrounded by forest on all sides.
The forest, the waterways and the wild animals held a high practical, cultural and spiritual place for all. They were a very real and powerful force in their lives. Nature ruled.
Nowadays they are generally pretty disconnected to this recent past.
But the hunger for wild nature still calls,
and the fears too - for reasons that were very sound just a generation or two ago.
Yes - get them out there. All of them.
You cant stop them anyway, they are already flocking.
AND flood them with natural science education from school right thru to when they are camping out in the forest. They hunger for that info too.
They are ripe for the message of sustainability and conservation.
Nature groups, and even hardcores like Mother Nature attract hundreds of thousands on facebook et al
(just my observation, repeatedly)
Khmers generally have a far deeper cultural and emotional attachment to nature than westerners. as a general rule.
Not so long ago they were literally surrounded by forest on all sides.
The forest, the waterways and the wild animals held a high practical, cultural and spiritual place for all. They were a very real and powerful force in their lives. Nature ruled.
Nowadays they are generally pretty disconnected to this recent past.
But the hunger for wild nature still calls,
and the fears too - for reasons that were very sound just a generation or two ago.
Yes - get them out there. All of them.
You cant stop them anyway, they are already flocking.
AND flood them with natural science education from school right thru to when they are camping out in the forest. They hunger for that info too.
They are ripe for the message of sustainability and conservation.
Nature groups, and even hardcores like Mother Nature attract hundreds of thousands on facebook et al
(just my observation, repeatedly)
...then he smiled again, and slipped away, further on up the stream
Didn't read but its already a big thing with the very wealthy, although they don't exactly rough it with portaloos and mini-generators.
Hopefully it'll drip down. It's incredibly popular with the Thai middle classes in the national parks.
Hopefully it'll drip down. It's incredibly popular with the Thai middle classes in the national parks.
- Lucky Lucan
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Traditionally Khmers have had a great fear of forests and wild areas. There were some good reasons for this as there were dangerous animals and malarial areas and bandits but this is not such an issue now. Whatever about camping - picnicking in scenic areas seems to be a big thing. Unfortunately leaving all the garbage behind is a thing too.
Romantic Cambodia is dead and gone. It's with McKinley in the grave.
Suggestions on organizations or groups that might supply an ecology instructor(s). (Free or paid? lots to be worked out.)
I thought Sala Bai, maybe MJP Project, Perhaps Mother Earth (That Spanish guy's group) but don't want explicit, overt politics for the rich kids, let the biology lead, and conclusions about politics will follow. WildAid, or the newer name for Suwana Gauntlet's organization.
Others?
Cheers.
I thought Sala Bai, maybe MJP Project, Perhaps Mother Earth (That Spanish guy's group) but don't want explicit, overt politics for the rich kids, let the biology lead, and conclusions about politics will follow. WildAid, or the newer name for Suwana Gauntlet's organization.
Others?
Cheers.
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Not sure i'd agree with you stats pf 70% of under 25's....
Most of the city kids I know are pretty comfortable with basic country life. Most still go back to the province at major holidays and are more than happy with basic lifestyle (even if only for a short period).
Climbing trees to pick fruit, fishing, catching snakes etc are all much more normal for them than it ever was for me.
Most of the city kids I know are pretty comfortable with basic country life. Most still go back to the province at major holidays and are more than happy with basic lifestyle (even if only for a short period).
Climbing trees to pick fruit, fishing, catching snakes etc are all much more normal for them than it ever was for me.
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Last time I was in Thailand, I saw some Thai models camping. It was pretty intents
"Now, then, in order to understand white supremacy we must dismiss the notion that white people can give anybody their freedom." Stokely Carmichael
Khmers are lowland people,people of the rice fields.Hairy-nosed Otter wrote: ↑Sun Oct 25, 2020 3:34 pm100% correct, 999.
Khmers generally have a far deeper cultural and emotional attachment to nature than westerners. as a general rule.
Not so long ago they were literally surrounded by forest on all sides.
The forest, the waterways and the wild animals held a high practical, cultural and spiritual place for all. They were a very real and powerful force in their lives. Nature ruled.
(just my observation, repeatedly)
Jungles were for the chun Chet (spelling).
- Lucky Lucan
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There are a few studies on this, David Chandler's "Songs at the Edge of the forest": https://docdro.id/6sIzinR
And Penny Edward's "Between a Song and a Prei": https://docdro.id/wcM2gzq
And Penny Edward's "Between a Song and a Prei": https://docdro.id/wcM2gzq
Romantic Cambodia is dead and gone. It's with McKinley in the grave.
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I take your point Pong, but until recently forests were not confined to mountain wilderness. It was everywhere thru the lowlands too, intermingled with the rice and other farm lands.
The wildlife that was a crucial part of everyday existence was all around too. And the spirits that inhabited the natural world.
Cambodia has always had a low population relative to the forest cover, even in the more settled places.
Nature ruled here more strongly and more recently than in most of the West, or even than in many SEA countries - and that "calling" to nature is still very powerful in the Khmer psyche.
I think this, in part, because i know i got no cred in Cambodia for biz, money, personality, good looks, nuttin.
Except, everybody is all eyes and ears and enthusiasm when it comes to my jazz with nature. EVERybody wants a piece of that.
Anyway - the point is, again..
Yes OP, Cambodians are ripe for personal experiences and knowledge of the natural world. Overripe, and eager as all hell..
If there is only one thing i know about Cambodia - it is this ^^^
Keep going with this idea and you will very soon see what i mean.
The wildlife that was a crucial part of everyday existence was all around too. And the spirits that inhabited the natural world.
Cambodia has always had a low population relative to the forest cover, even in the more settled places.
Nature ruled here more strongly and more recently than in most of the West, or even than in many SEA countries - and that "calling" to nature is still very powerful in the Khmer psyche.
I think this, in part, because i know i got no cred in Cambodia for biz, money, personality, good looks, nuttin.
Except, everybody is all eyes and ears and enthusiasm when it comes to my jazz with nature. EVERybody wants a piece of that.
Anyway - the point is, again..
Yes OP, Cambodians are ripe for personal experiences and knowledge of the natural world. Overripe, and eager as all hell..
If there is only one thing i know about Cambodia - it is this ^^^
Keep going with this idea and you will very soon see what i mean.
...then he smiled again, and slipped away, further on up the stream
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PS. IMO, that is a the huge missed opportunity by the international conservation orgs here - the failure to capitalise on this widespread fascination with the natural world.
Just a few hundred G spent on a couple of home grown nature/wildlife TV series. Social media. Promote a few popular environmental heroes/gurus.
etc.
That sort of stuff could be a game changer i reckon - they would certainly rate thru the roof.
Unfortunately most conservation scientists do not relate very well with human society, so they just don't see that.
They tend to focus on training up good scientists, which is only a part of the conservation picture - you need the everyday people behind you too.
Mother Nature pulled off some really incredible stuff that way. Radical actions by a tiny handful - backed up by 300,000 hits on Facebook in a month. Even an HE doesn't ignore that.
That should be a lesson/blueprint for mainstream conservation too.
Just a few hundred G spent on a couple of home grown nature/wildlife TV series. Social media. Promote a few popular environmental heroes/gurus.
etc.
That sort of stuff could be a game changer i reckon - they would certainly rate thru the roof.
Unfortunately most conservation scientists do not relate very well with human society, so they just don't see that.
They tend to focus on training up good scientists, which is only a part of the conservation picture - you need the everyday people behind you too.
Mother Nature pulled off some really incredible stuff that way. Radical actions by a tiny handful - backed up by 300,000 hits on Facebook in a month. Even an HE doesn't ignore that.
That should be a lesson/blueprint for mainstream conservation too.
...then he smiled again, and slipped away, further on up the stream
Will start a couple of Khmer Youtube Nature channels where characters visit each other sometimes but otherwise not obviously the same people. One is overtly pro CPP, pro Cambodian Red Cross, and gets explicit Govt buy in. Other channel tries to be neutral.
I'll need storyline help, and eventually seek guests. As HE now likes to say, Win:Win!
I'll need storyline help, and eventually seek guests. As HE now likes to say, Win:Win!
Does anyone know of a store or market in PP that sells tents for camping?
(I know some places in Arranyaprathet, Thailand (actually beside Rongluea border market, beside Poipet), but they are hard to access at the moment.)
(I know some places in Arranyaprathet, Thailand (actually beside Rongluea border market, beside Poipet), but they are hard to access at the moment.)
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