Environmental education through Pagodas in the Cardamoms

The Cardemon Mountains in Southwest Cambodia (19,163 square kilometers) harbour a vast rainforest ecosystem with sixteen different vegetation types, ranging from dense submontane moist evergreen forests to lowland moist evergreen forests to lowland swamp forests to coastal mangrove ecosystems. The Cardamoms and its rivers and estuaries host fourteen globally endangered and threatened mammal species, among them the Asian elephant, Indochinese tiger, Malayan sun bear, Pileated gibbon and Irrawaddy dolphins. The ecosystems are threatened by logging, land encroachment and illegal hunting, both for subsistence and for (illegal) trade. Most villagers are very poor and have no alternative livelihood options. The vast influx of immigrants to the area adds to the pressures on the local people and the environment. Furthermoe, law enforcement is very low. With this project, the Association of Buddhists for the Environment (ABE) will use religious philosophy and Cambodian folk-tales to explain the inter-relationships of Buddhism and the natural environment. The project will work through the Monks in 10 pagodas. In each pagoda 5 Monks will be trained on environmental functions (and its importance) and training methodologies so that they will gain the capacity to become environmental educators within their communities. In addition, ABE will support Monks to install environmental bulletin boards, establish tree nurseries, compost pits, and vegetable gardens where they can demonstrate and teach practical skills in home-gardening. With a focus on Buddhism and environment activities, almost 6000 households in 29 villages will receive information on the environment and participate in religious ceremonies focused on the environmental values. Also, the Monks will be able to exert moral pressure on those abusing the environment to change their behavior. ABE will cooperate with the Wildlife Alliance. Particular emphasis will be given to education on Royal Turtles, Siamese Crocodiles and Sunda Pangolins as these species are all endangered. Objectives To provide and build the capacity of fifty selected Monks from ten target pagodas in Srer Ambel, Botum Sakor, Thma Bang, and Koh Kong Districts on environmental knowledge so that they will ultimately become key trainers within their communities. To strengthen and expand the existing network of pagodas by supporting the ten pagodas to become environmental resource centers that may conduct environment activities in their communities and promote conservation of natural resources, as well as supporting small scale pilot agricultural activities and encouraging community members to participate as a means of income generation (the latter is not clear from the activities). To rebuild traditional Buddhists values of respect for the natural environment and all living creatures that exist within it throughout the Southern Cardamoms. Main Activities Conduct six environmental training workshops (including project management, accounting and fundraising) to those selected monks (3days/training). Facilitate training workshops on specific endangered species with specialists from NGOs. Review and update the existing materials or/and design new content of materials (posters, booklets, t-shirts) and distribute them to schools, local communities and other stakeholders. Trained key monks provide environmental education/awareness to villagers around the target pagodas. Install environmental bulletin boards and concerning boxes in each pagoda. Establish ten tree nurseries and compost pits in the pagodas. Provide vegetable seeds to grow and maintain vegetables in the pagodas. Celebrate ten tree planting events within the community. Conduct ten times tree ordination ceremonies in the communities. Conduct ten times blessing ceremonies/walking matches into villages. Distribute fruit seedlings to local people to plant in their home Conduct environmental video shows into the pagodas or in the villages. Celebrate two World Environmental Days within communities. Conduct planting tree within the communities. Conduct two times of environmental open forum into communities Main results Six Environmental training workshops (including project management, accounting and fundraising) completed for 50 monk-trainers. Three 1-day training workshops on Endangered Species completed for 50 monk-trainers. 1,500 posters, 15 billboard and banners, 1, 500 booklets and 1, 000 T-shirts distributed to school children, local communities and other stakeholders. Two hundred Environmental education/ awareness sessions conducted by the trained monks to villagers in each target pagoda. Ten environmental bulletin board and concerning box installed in the pagodas. Ten tree nurseries in the target pagodas continually supported seeds and provided technical assistance. Ten compost pits and vegetable gardens established and managed by monks. Ten tree planting events organized within community. Ten tree ordination ceremonies conducted into the community, where monks inspire local people to involve within Buddhism and environmental protection. Ten Dharmmayietra/ Blessing ceremonies conducted so that seedlings distributed to local people and environmental message spread. Environmental awareness through forty-eight movie screenings conducted in the target pagodas and villages. Four World Environmental Days celebrated within community (2 in June 2009 and 2 in June 2010) Four environmental open forums organized to discuss about environmental problems within local community. Six reflection workshops held in order to reflect and share critical achievements and lessons learned among 50 Monk participants and project management of ABE.