This is the completed paper culminating information from the literature review and data collection I conducted examining the levels of activities and collaboration among stakeholders involved in environmental education in a rural fishing community in Cambodia and exploring environmental awareness, attitudes, and behaviors among community members in order to pinpoint positive outcomes and opportunities for growth in these environmental education initiatives.

1. 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

2. Hessenius 2
Table of Contents
Tables...........................................................................................................................................................................................3
Figures .........................................................................................................................................................................................3
Abbreviationsand 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 Educationin 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 Defermentof 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 IntegratingEducation with Livelihood Improvement......................................................................33
5. Conclusion............................................................................................................................................................................35
References................................................................................................................................................................................37
Appendix 1...............................................................................................................................................................................40
Appendix 2...............................................................................................................................................................................41

3. Hessenius 3
Tables
Table 1: Listof OpportunitiesandChallengesIdentifiedforEEStakeholdersinPrekToal andAnlong
Taor Villages, Cambodia, 2016..................................................................................................... 27
Table 2: Full List of Interviews Conducted During Data Collection Period,April 2016....................... 40
Figures
Figure 1: Map of Prek Toal Core Area, Osmose 2015..................................................................... 14
Figure 2: Pie Chart of StakeholderGroupsInterviewedduringDataCollectionPeriodinPrekToal and
Anlong Taor villages inApril 2016 ................................................................................................ 15
Figure 3: Picturesof ExteriorandInteriorof Osmose FloatingClassroominPrekToal village,
Cambodia, taken April 2016 ........................................................................................................ 17
Figure 4: ResponsesfromCommunityandOtherStakeholderGroups(includingMoERangers,
Osmose Teachers,PublicSchool Teachers,CommunityFisheryCommitteeMembers,andPublic
Officials) onLevelof KnowledgeandInterestinLearningaboutthe EnvironmentamongLocal
Community Members in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor Villages, Cambodia, in 2016. ........................... 25
Abbreviations and Terminology
Abbreviations
ABE: Associationof Buddhistsforthe Environment
ADB: AsianDevelopmentBank
ASEAN:Associationof SoutheastAsianNations
CFi:CommunityFishery
DESD: Decade of EducationforSustainable Development
EE: EnvironmentalEducation
FCA:Fish ConservationArea
GEF: Global EnvironmentFund
JEEF: JapanEnvironmental EducationForum
MoE: Ministryof Environment
MOEYS: Ministryof Education,Youth,andSport
NGO: non-governmental organization
OHCHR: Office of HighCommissiononHumanRights

4. Hessenius 4
RSIS:Ramsar SitesInformationService
SSI:Semi-structuredinterview
TSCP: Tonle SapConservationProject
TSEMP: Tonle Sap Environmental ManagementProject
UN: UnitedNations
UNEP: UnitedNationsEnvironmentProgramme
UN FAO:UnitedNationsFoodandAgriculture Organization
UNESCO: UnitedNationsEducation,Social,andCultural Organization
USAID: UnitedStatesAgencyforInternationalDevelopment
WCS: WildlifeConservationSociety
Terminology
Mey kum:Commune chief
Mey phum:Village chief
Sangha:Communityof Buddhistmonksandnuns
Acknowledgements
There are several people withoutwhomitwouldnothave beenpossible tocomplete this
study,andI wouldlike tothankthemdeeplyandgenuinely. First,IwouldliketothankDr. Georgina
Lloyd-Rivera,forherindispensable guidance throughoutthe entire processof research,data
collection,andwriting,andherconfidence inme togatherand interpretourfindings.SamrithVichet
was alsoa vital part of my success,notonlyas an extremelyproficienttranslator,butalsoasthe
supportive teammate whowasalwaysbymyside.Iwouldalsolike tothankmyparents,fortheir
constantsupportand alsotheirconfidence andtrustinme,and forgivingme more opportunities
than I couldeverdeserve.Iwouldalsolike tothankmyhome school,the Universityof SanDiego,for
theirfinancial supportthroughthe AlcaláScholarshipthathashelpedmake byeducationpossible,
and alsofor the manymembersof the USD communitywhohave helpednurture mylove of
learning,mypassions,and helpedmake USDa place I not onlylearnatby where Ifeel a sense of
home and belonging. Iwouldlike toacknowledgeandthankthe Ministryof Environmentof the
Royal Governmentof Cambodiaforgrantinguspermissiontodoresearchandcollectthe data that
formedthe basisof thisstudy.Finally,Iwouldliketoexpressmydeepandsincere gratitude forall
the people whowere the subjectsof thisstudy,wholetme take the time tointerview them, who
oftengraciouslyandgenerouslyopenedtheirhomestome,andprovidedme withaninvaluable
glimpse intotheirlives.

5. Hessenius 5
Declaration
I, AngelaHessenius,acknowledgethatthe researchembodiedinthispaperisentirelymyownwork,
that where the ideasof othershave beenused,the sourceshave beenacknowledged,andthatno
portionof thisresearchhas beenpreviouslysubmittedforgradingatThe School forFieldStudiesor
the Universityof SanDiego.
Signed:__________________________________ Date: ___5 May 2015____
AngelaHessenius
Abstract
Environmental education(EE) isfundamental inachievingsustainable developmentand
environmental conservationgoals, andevaluationof EEinitiatives isnecessarytoimprove their
effectiveness.Thisstudyprovidesanexaminationof EE initiativesinPrekToal andAnlongTaor
villages, asfewformal evaluationshave beencompleted. Semi-structuredinterviews(SSIs) were
conductedwithkeyinformantsfromstakeholdergroups involvedinEEand local community
membersinPrekToal and AnlongTaorvillagesonthe Tonle SapinCambodia. Itwas foundthatEE
has had substantial positiveimpactsinthe community,yetalsofacessignificantchallengesandis
currentlylimitedbyanumberof factors.These includedlimitedaccesstoeducationforadults,alack
of disseminationof informationonsuccessfulconservationinitiatives,anda needforintegrationof
EE withimprovinglivelihoodsandbuildingcapacityforbehaviorchangesthatsupportconservation
and ecological sustainability.The explorationof these challengesisessential tobe able toreframe
such obstaclesasopportunities,becauseonce theyare recognized,suchimpedimentscan
transformedinto targetsforimprovement toEE inthe community.
Keywords:Environmentaleducation;Tonle Sap;Educationforsustainable development;
Conservation;Environment;Accesstoeducation;AdultEducation;Behaviorchange;Livelihood
Improvement
1. Introduction
1.1 Scope of Environmental Education
1.1.1. Global Context of Environmental Education
Environmental education(EE) isabroad conceptwithoutauniversallyaccepteddefinition
(Smith& Keat2006). The definitionincludedwithinthe TbilisiDeclaration,the productof the first
IntergovernmentalConferenceonEnvironmental Education in1977, may serve asa foundation:

6. Hessenius 6
Environmental educationisalearningprocessthatincreasespeople’sknowledgeand
awarenessaboutthe environmentandassociatedchallenges,developsthe necessaryskills
and expertisetoaddressthe challenges,andfostersattitudes,motivations,and
commitmentstomake informeddecisionsandtake responsibleaction(UNESCO-UNEP1977)
ThisdefinitionclearlyidentifiesthatEE entailsmore thanmerelyanincrease inknowledgeand
awarenessaboutthe environmentandglobal environmental issues.Italsomobilizespeople to
transformthisknowledgeintopractice andaction.Minimizingenvironmental harmcausedby
humanactivitiesandworkingtowardsthe creationof solutions andthe pathof sustainable
developmentare seenasessential componentsof EE (Smith&Keat2006). Springingfromthisbroad
scope of environmentaleducation,manyhave alsorecognizedthe linkbetweenpovertyreduction
and EE, and acknowledge thatpeople needtobe equippedwiththe capabilitiesandenvironmental
assetsto meettheirneedsinasustainable way,otherwise peoplewillcontinuetopursue livelihood
activitiesthatcause environmentaldegradation(Smith&Keat2006, Ardoin,Clark,&Kelsey2013,
Khieu2002, ADB 2011)
These loftyanddiverse goalsof EE have increasinglybeencitedasa necessarycomponentof
improvingglobal environmental managementandincorporatedintogoalsandobjectivesof
organizationsatmanydifferentscales (Smith&Keat2006, UNESCO 2006, ASEAN 2013). EE was first
codifiedasaninternational priorityin Principle 19of the Declarationof the UnitedNations
Conference on the HumanEnvironmentheldinStockholmin1972, whichdeclaredenvironmental
education asessential (UNEP1972). Recommendation96of the Declaration alsocalledforthe
establishmentof aninternational programonEE (UNEP 1972). In 1975, an International
Environmental WorkshopinBelgrade addressedthisrecommendationandoutlinedaglobal
frameworkforenvironmental education.The Belgrade Charterof 1975 identifiedthe goal of EE as
follows:
To developaworldpopulationthatisaware of,andconcernedabout,the environmentand
itsassociatedproblems,andwhichhasthe knowledge,skills,attitudes,motivationsand
commitmenttoworkindividuallyandcollectivelytowardsolutionsof currentproblemsand
the preventionof newones(UNESCO1975).
The Intergovernmental Conference onEnvironmental Education,heldin 1977, expandeduponthe
goals,objectives,andguidingprinciplesforEEexpressedinthe BelgradeCharter,andincludedthe
followinggoalsforEE:

7. Hessenius 7
1. to fosterclearawarenessof,andconcernabout,economic,social,political,andecological
interdependence inurbanandrural areas;
2. to provide everypersonwithopportunitiestoacquire the knowledge,values,attitudes,
commitment,andskillsneededtoprotectandimprove the environment;
3. to create newpatternsof behaviorof individuals,groups,andsocietyasa whole towards
the environment(UNESCO-UNEP1977).
The importance of educationforachievingsustainabledevelopmentandthe needtointegrate EE
intoeducationforall levelsof societywasalsorecognizedwithinChapter36 of Agenda21, the
productof the UN Conference onEnvironmentandDevelopmentin1992 (UNEP1992a). Most
recently,thislinkbetweenEEandsustainable developmentwaspromoted onthe international level
throughthe designationof 2005-2014 as the Decade of EducationforSustainable Development
(DESD) by the UnitedNationsGeneral Assemblyin2002 (Smith& Keat2006). The DESD wasa broad
and ambitiousplantoincorporate the inherentvaluesof sustainabilityinall formsof learningin
orderto encourage andempowerindividualsandsocietytoundergoatransformationtowardsthe
securityof a justand sustainable future (UNESCO2006).The DESD envisions“aworldwhere
everyone hasthe opportunitytobenefitfromeducationandlearnthe values,behaviourand
lifestylesrequiredforasustainable future andforpositivesocietal transformation”(UNESCO2006,
pg. 4). The goalsof the DESD thus situate EE withinthe broadersocial,cultural,economic,and
political contextof sustainabledevelopment,andacknowledgethe necessityof EEto continue
focusingonthe relationshipbetweenhumankindandthe natural worldandstrategiesforthe
preservationandsustainable use of itsresources(UNESCO2006).
1.1.2. Regional Scope of Environmental Education
In response tothispushfrominternational organizationssuchas UnitedNations
Educational,Scientific,andCultural Organization (UNESCO) andthe UnitedNationsEnvironment
Programme (UNEP) promotingEEand educationasa strategyfor sustainable development,regional
effortstoexpandEE have alsobeenformulated.The Associationof SoutheastAsianNations(ASEAN)
adoptedthe ASEAN Environmental EducationActionPlanfor2000-2005 andsuccessorplansfor
2008-2012 and 2014-2018, whichincorporatedthe goalsthe DESD.The ASEAN Environmental
EducationActionPlansarticulatedthe fundamental importance of EEfor the achievementof
sustainable developmentgoals:
EE iskeyto the overall ESDstrategysince humanity'svalue forandunderstandingof nature,
and itssustainable use andmanagementof natural resourcesformthe basisforsustainable
economies,harmonioussocietiesandhealthypeople (ASEAN 2006).

8. Hessenius 8
The ASEAN Environmental EducationActionPlans establishedastrategiccollaborativeframeworkto
“accelerate the developmentandadvancementof environmental education”withspecificobjectives
infour targetareas: formal education,non-formal education,humanresource capacitybuilding,and
networking,collaboration,andcommunication(ASEAN 2013).While the ASEAN membercountries
have made progressinactive engagementinEEacross multiple sectorsof society,substantial
challengesremain,includingthe needformore teacherswell-trainedandknowledgeable inEE,for
more instructional materials,andmore fundsallocatedfromthe governmenttosupportEE
initiatives (Smith&Keat2006).
1.1.3. Environmental Education in Cambodia
The impetusforthe developmentof EEfrominternational andregional policieshave
contributedtodevelopmentsof EEfrom a wide range of stakeholdersinCambodia,thoughthere
remainsignificantlimitationsandroomforgrowth. Due toCambodia’shistoryof more thantwenty
yearsof conflict,whichcoincided withthe developingawarenessof environmentalproblemsand
prioritizationof sustainable developmentandEEamong the internationalcommunity,EEhas hada
relativelyshorthistoryinCambodiacomparedtomanyothernations andisstill inan initial phase
(Smith& Keat2006). However,since the mid-1990s,EE has increasinglybeenadministeredbyboth
governmentandNGOstakeholders(Smith&Keat2006). The MoE has made importantprogressin
implementingEEon a national level,includingcollaborationwith the Ministryof Education,Youth
and Sport(MOEYS) to trainprimaryschool teachers,buildinghumanresource capacityby
conductingtrainingsforprovincial environmentdepartmentemployees,andpublicenvironmental
awareness-raisingcampaignsthroughmedia,suchas national televisionandradiobroadcasts, and
eventssuchas National andWorldEnvironmentDay(Smith&Keat2006). Despite these
accomplishments,the MoEstill facessignificantchallengestothe implementationof EE,including
limitedhuman resources,materials,financialsupport,planning,andcollaborationamong
stakeholders(Smith&Keat2006).
A representative,butnotexhaustive,listof NGOsfocusedonEE in Cambodiainclude Live
and LearnEnvironmental Education,MlupBaitong,the UN FoodandAgricultural Organization (FAO)
inSiemReap,Save Cambodia’sWildlife,Osmose, Wildlife Alliance,the Associationof Buddhistsfor
the Environment(ABE),the Culture andEnvironmentPreservationAssociation,andmore (Smith&
Keat2006, JapanEnvironmental EducationForum(JEEF) 2007, WildlifeAlliance 2015).Organizations
such as the WildlifeConservationSociety(WCS),SamVeasnaCenter,and ConservationInternational
are alsoinvolvedin projectstoimprove livelihoodsinlocal communitiesbygeneratingalternative
sourcesof income and to buildcapacityby providingtechnicaltrainingfor biodiversitymonitoring
and protectionof conservationareas,toachieve resultsinenhancingsustainablemanagementof

9. Hessenius 9
resourcesandprotectingkeyspeciesandtheirhabitats (WCS2016, ConservationInternational2016,
Sam VeasnaCentern.d.).
These NGOs and others have made significantprogressincollaborationwiththe
governmenttoextendEEinCambodiawithinavarietyof sectors.Inthe formal sector,activities
have mainlyfocusedonintegratingEEintoschool and universitycurriculums,includingthe
developmentof materialssuchastrainingmanualsandguidesforteachersandstudentclubs,and
technical trainingandcapacitybuildingin environmentallysoundpracticesforbothgovernment
employeesandcivil society(Smith&Keat2006). However,there isalack of assessmentof the
qualityof these trainingsandacritical needtoevaluate the qualityof environmental trainingbeing
administeredbymanydifferentproviderstoensure thataccurate informationandbestpracticesare
beingtaught(Smith&Keat 2006).
In spite of these pushesforEEdevelopmentinthe formal sector,the majorityof EEin
Cambodiaoccursin the non-formal sector.Activitiescarriedoutinthe non-formal sectorfall undera
verybroad range and include radioandtelevisionbroadcasts,speeches, posters,andspecial events
(Smith& Keat2006). Monks have alsoplayedanimportantrole inthe disseminationof EEin
Cambodiathroughactivitiessuchasspeechesandcommunity-basedenvironmental learning
activitiescarriedoutbypagodas(Smith&Keat 2006). For example,MlupBaitong,supportedbythe
WorldBank and Alliance of ReligionsandConservation,developedaprogramthat provided
educationandtrainingformonksin14 rural pagodas,whobecame able toprovide educationon
Buddhismandthe environmenttotheirlocal communitiesthrougheventsandactivitiessuchas
lectures,workshops,radioprogramsandevents onBuddhistholydays,andseedlingordination
ceremoniesattree nurseriesthatare now well-establishedatthese pagodas(Awoyemi etal 2012).
ABE isanotherorganizationthatworksto strengthenthe capacityof the sangha,the communityof
Buddhistmonksandnuns,inCambodiatopromote environmental educationandprotection (JEEF
2007, BerkleyCentern.d.).Examplesof theirmajorprojectscompletedsofarinclude the
developmentof a documentaryvideoonmonksandCommunityForestry,and providingtrainingin
environmental outreachtomonks anddisseminatingenvironmentaleducationmaterials,suchas
audiomaterialsthatare broadcastedat target pagodason Buddhistholydays inBokorNational Park
inKampotprovince andKampongLengdistrictin KampongChhnangprovice (JEEF2007). In
KampongLeng,ABE has alsoimplementedcommunitylivelihoodprojects,includingimprovinglocal
watersupplymanagement; establishingcompostheaps, vegetablegardens, andtree nurseries;and
organizingtree plantingevents andtree ordinationceremoniesatpagodas(JEEF2007, Berkley
Centern.d.). These initiativesare consistentwiththe globalmovementtobridge religionand
conservation,andspecificallyinBuddhistcountriestoutilize Buddhistprinciplesandteachings asa

10. Hessenius 10
base for establishinganenvironmental ethicandmotivatingpeople toprotectthe environment
(Awoyemi etal 2012, Chim2012).
1.1.4. Environmental Education in the Tonle Sap
Many EE projectswithinCambodiahave focusedspecificallyonthe regionof the Tonle Sap,
the great lake inthe centerof Cambodiaandthe largestfreshwaterlake inSoutheastAsia. Some of
the NGOs involvedinEE inthe Tonle Sap include Live andLearn EnvironmentalEducation,Mlup
Baitong,the UN FAOin SiemReap(whoestablishedthe GECKOcenterforEE ina floatingvillage on
the Tonle Sap in1999), Save Cambodia’sWildlife,andOsmose (Smith&Keat2006). EE projects
alongthe Tonle Sap have typicallybeenimplementedonasmall scale inlocal communities,witha
focuson primaryschool studentsandteachers(Smith&Keat2006). One major accomplishmentwas
the collaborative preparationof anEnvironmental EducationTrainingManual thatiscurrentlybeing
usedbythe Food& Agriculture Organisation(FAO),MlupBaitong,Save Cambodia’sWildlife &
Osmose andto aidin the integrationof EE intothe publicschool curriculum(Smith&Keat2006).
Due to the international recognitionof the environmental,social,andcultural significance of
the Tonle Sap, there have been internationallyandregionallydrivenEEeffortsinfocusedonthis
regionas well.AsaUNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve,partof UNESCO’smissionistobuild
capacityand promote EE in the region(UNESCO 2016). One importantprojectthathas beencarried
out isthe Tonle Sap ConservationProject(TSCP).The TSCPwasdevelopedfromthe thirdcomponent
of the Tonle SapEnvironmental ManagementProject(TSEMP),the firstmajorprojectof the Asian
DevelopmentBank-fundedTonleSap Initiative (AsianDevelopmentBank(ADB) 2010, ADB 2011,
Global Environment Facility 2011). The ultimate objectiveof the TSEMP wasto improve “the
sustainable managementandconservationof natural resourcesandbiodiversityinthe Tonle Sap
Basin”(ADB 2011). To achieve thisgoal,Component3aimedto buildcapacityformanagementand
conservationof biodiversity,andspecificallyidentifiesthe promotionof “biodiversityconservation
awareness,education,andoutreach”asone of itsstrategiestoachieve thisobjective (ADB2010,
ADB 2011). The TSCPwas a separate projecttoimplementComponent3, fundedbythe Global
EnvironmentFacility andthe UNEP and implementedbythe CambodiaNational MekongCommittee
and the Ministryof Environment,andextendedfrom2004 to 2011 (ADB2011, GEF 2011).
The third expectedoutcomeof the TSCPwasto promote awareness,educationand
outreachon biodiversityconservationinthe Tonle SapBiosphere Reserve,throughthe development
and implementationof anenvironmentalawarenessandoutreachprogramto be deliveredthrough
the school systemandenvironmental educational centersinvillagesthroughoutthe Tonle Sap(GEF
2011). Trainingactivityforprovincial governmentstaff engagedinprotectedareasmanagementand
biodiversitymonitoringwasanotherimportanttargetof the TSCP(GEF 2011). Projectresults forthe

11. Hessenius 11
environmental awarenessandoutreachprogramincludedthe country’sfirstenvironmental
educationcurriculum, developmentof EEteachingmaterials forstudentsfromgrades4-9,training
of 255 teachers from65 schoolsaroundthe lake in usingthe environmentalmanual andteaching
materials,andthe initiationof eco-clubsinschoolswiththe establishment of nine eco-clubsintarget
schools (GEF2011). The environmental manual forteacherscontains14environmental themesand
isspecificallyfocusedonthe resourcesof the Tonle Sap,andwasdeveloped inpartnershipbythe
MOEYS andthe FAO,MlupBaitong,Save Cambodia’sWildlife,andOsmose,andreviewedin2004
basedon teacherfeedback(GEF2011, Smith& Keat2006). These are significantachievementsof the
project,andthe teacher’sguide forEE will have a lastingbenefitinCambodia(GEF2011). However,
one limitationof the EEand environmental awarenessandoutreachinitiativesof the TSCPisa lack
of sustainability,since the terminal evaluationof the TSCPconcludedthatalthoughindividual
teachersexpressedthe commitmenttocontinueduse of the educational materialsandskills
acquired,alack of fundingmeantthatsustainmentof the programwas unlikely(GEF2011).
A national environmental educationandawarenesscampaignwasalso planned asone of
the outputs underComponent1of the TSEMP inorderto strengthennatural resource management
coordinationandplanningthroughthe disseminationof informationaboutthe environment (ADB
2010). For thisobjective Live & Learnwas contractedto developand successfullycreatedavarietyof
useful educationtoolsincludingflipcharts,facilitationguides,andthe EE trainingmanual for
teachers,aswell asa publicationonthe Tonle Sap,EEstatus report,and national mediaincluding
theatre andradio (ADB2010, Live & Learn,Smith& Keat2006). However, completionreportsnoted
that at the conclusionof the project, the “‘national’educationandawarenesscampaignwasnotin
place as envisaged”at the projectoutset(ADB2010 pg. 24, ADB 2011).
In the case of the TSCP, a formal monitoringandevaluationwasconductedincompliance
withUnitedNationsDevelopmentProgrammeandGEF standards (GEF 2011). However,formanyof
the smaller-scaleEEinitiativescurrentlytakingplace onthe Tonle Sap,little ornoformal monitoring
and evaluationhasbeenconducted(Smith&Keat2006). Deficientmonitoringandevaluationof EE
projects isa seriousproblem,becauseitisimpossibletoassessthe variousstrategiesthathave been
employedandshare the knowledge of EEmethodsthatare effective atincreasingfostering
environmental awareness,values,andbehaviorchanges withincommunities,aswell astoaddress
and improve uponstrategiesthatare not successful inchangingpeople’sattitudesand actions
(Smith& Keat2006, Live & Learn2015). WithinPrekToal and AnlongTaor villages,avarietyof
differentstakeholdersare involvedinEE,yetfew examinationsorevaluationsof the impactof these
initiativeshave beenconducted.Forthisreason,these siteswereselectedasa case studyto gather

12. Hessenius 12
preliminarydataonthe influence thatdifferentstakeholders andEE projects have hadon the local
communities.
1.2 Environmental and Social Context of Prek Toal and Anlong Taor Villages
PrekToal isalsoan especiallyimportantsite toexamine the outcomesof EE initiativesinthe
local communitiesdue tothe extremeecological importance of the area.PrekToal Core Area isthe
largestof three core areasof the Tonle SapBiosphere Reserve,whichwasdesignatedin1997
(UNESCO2007). PrekToal wasselectedasa core area because itcontainssome of the Tonle Sap
floodplainsthatremaininthe mostpristine conditionandhasgreatbiodiversityvalue asahabitat
for a varietyof globallythreatenedspecies(RamsarSitesInformationService (RSIS) 2015).The site is
coveredmostlybyfreshwaterswampforesthabitatthatfloodsannuallywiththe seasonal
hydrological regimeof the Tonle Sap(RSIS2015). Nutrient-richsedimenttrappedbythe forests
supporthighlyproductive plantandfishhabitats(RSIS2015).Priorto the cancellationof fishinglots
in2011, the area was highlyexploitedasthe mostproductive fisheryonthe lake,Battambang
FishingLotNo.2 (Osmose 2015). In additiontobeingthe mostproductive fisheryareaonthe Tonle
Sap (itself one of the mostproductive freshwaterfisheriesinthe world),PrekToal core areais also
the most importantnestingsite onthe Tonle Sap—supporting210 species,including17 that are
globallythreatenedorendangered(Tonle SapConservationProject (TSCP) 2007).For its ecological
value,PrekToal wasalsodesignatedasa Ramsar Site in2015 (RSIS2015).
In additiontosuchhighbiodiversity, KohChiveangcommunealsosupportsfivevillagesand
approximately1300 familiesthatlive infloatinghousesorhouseboats(Osmose 2015, TSCP 2007).
The residentsof the local communityrepresent diverse ethnicbackgrounds,withamajorityof
Khmerpeople andminoritypopulationsof Chinese-Khmer,Vietnamese,andCham(Osmose 2014).
The economiesof these villagesare highlydependentuponfishingandassociatedactivities,withthe
majorityof fishingdone onasubsistence level(Osmose 2015).The site alsohassignificanteconomic
value foritsgreat potential asanecotourismsite,offeringthe abilitytoview ahighconcentrationof
large nestingwaterbirdswithineasyaccessof SiemReap(TSCP 2007). For itsbiological,economic,
social,andcultural value,PrekToal core area isa site of global significance thatrequiresdiligent
protectionof the natural resourcesthatsupportboth humanandnon-humanlife.
The recognitionof thisfacthas alreadyspurredmanyEE initiativesdesignedtoraise
awarenessof the importance of the PrekToal ecosystemandencourage andbuildthe capacityof
the local communitytosustainrich biodiversityof the core area.For example,the NGOOsmose was
establishedinPrekToal in1999 withan approachto conservationthatlinkscommunity-based
conservation,alternativelivelihoodsupportthroughthe developmentof ecotourism, andEE

13. Hessenius 13
(Osmose 2015). Osmose initiatedtheirEEprogramin 2000 withthe goal of educatingthe childrenof
the communitytoequipthemtoconserve the area’snatural resources(UNESCO 2007, Osmose
2015). Osmose purchasedafloatingschool toholdclassesin2001, and has heldbothindoorclasses
at theirfloatingcentertoteachchildrenaboutthe Tonle Sapecosystems,aswell asoutdoorclasses,
includingfieldtripstothe PrekToal birdsanctuaries,tosee the conceptstaughtin the classroomin
real life (UNESCO 2007, Osmose 2015). The EE program is also inthe processof beingintegratedinto
the curriculumof the local schoolsinPrekToal (Osmose 2015). An independentevaluationof
Osmose’sEEprogram was performedin2007 withpositiveresults(Osmose 2015). However,amore
currentevaluationisnecessarytodetermine if the resultsof thisprogramare still successful.
WCS alsohas an establishedpresence in the areathroughtheirPrekToal conservation
project(WCS2016). Through thisproject,WCShas workedclosely withthe MoEto monitorand
protectthe water birdcoloniesandfloodedforestinthe PrekToal Core Areasince 2001 (WCS2016).
As a partnerin the TSCP,WCS also contributedtocapacitybuildingforbiodiversitymanagement,
throughactions such as training52 rangerswhopatrol the conservationsite (WCS2016).
1.3 Aims and Objectives of Study
For the purposesof thisstudy,EE has beendefinedandinvestigatedspecificallyasit
pertainstoincreasingawarenessandknowledge of the environment,understandingof its
connectionstohumanlivelihoodsandwellbeing,andencouragingactionsthatcontribute to
environmental conservationandsustainabilityamonglocal communities.Whilesome stakeholders,
such as Osmose,alsoaimtoincorporate EE intotourisminitiatives,tonarrow the scope of this
study,the deliveryandreceptionof EEwithinlocal communitieswaschosenasthe central focus.
Giventhe fundamental importance of EEin achievingsustainable developmentand
environmental conservationgoals,the necessityforevaluationof EE initiativestoimprove their
effectiveness,andthe lackof formal evaluation andevenacomprehensive collectionof basic
informationaboutthe currentstatusof environmental initiativesinPrekToal andAnlongTaor
villages,this studyaimstoaddressthisgapinknowledgebycollectingdatafromstakeholders
providingEEand local communitymembersreceivingEEto determine whichstakeholdersare active
inEE, whattechniquestheyare utilizingandwhattopicstheyare teaching,andhow these
educational initiativesare perceivedbythe local community.Thisinvestigationshouldserve asa
startingpointforfuture studiesanddata collectionthatcanallow fora formal monitoringand
evaluationprocess.The followingstate the objectivesof thisstudy:
1. Identifystakeholdersinvolvedindevelopmentandimplementationof environmental
educationprojectsandinitiativesinPrekToal andAnlongTaor

14. Hessenius 14
2. Determine whatmechanismsandactivitiesdifferentstakeholdersemployintheirEE
initiativesandwhatconceptsandtopicstheychoose tocover
3. Examine communityreception of pastandcurrentEE initiativesby exploringenvironmental
awarenessandknowledge amongthe local community
4. Analyze andcompare EE initiatives sharedbyrespondents
2. Methods
2.1 Study Period and Location
The study wasconductedduringthe periodfromApril 18, 2016 to April 27, 2016 inthe
villagesof PrekToal andAnlongTa OinrinKoh Chiveangcommune,EkPhnomdistrict,Battambang
province,inCambodia(Figure 1).
Figure 1: Map of Prek Toal Core Area, Osmose 2015
2.2 Data Collection Methods
To gather the data forthisstudy,semi-structuredinterviews(SSI) were conductedwithkey
informantsfromthe variousstakeholdergroupsinvolvedinEEinPrekToal and AnlongTaor.These
include rangersemployedbythe MoEwho patrol the Core Area,CommunityFisherycommittee
membersinPrekToal and AnlongTaor,and the mey phum (village chief) of PrekToal andAnlong
Taor and the mey kum (commune chief) of KohChiveangcommune.Interviewswere conductedwith

15. Hessenius 15
local schoolteachers,bothfromOsmose andthe publicschoolsinPrekToal andAnlongTaor,to
acquire informationaboutthe currentEE initiativesforchildreninthese villages.Representatives
fromNGOs witha presence inthe area,includingOSMOSE,the WildlifeConservationSociety(WCS),
and Live & Learn,were alsointerviewed.Inaddition,interviewswithmonksfromthe local
monasteryanda Catholicpriestwhoroutinelyvisitsthe Churchof St.JosephinPrekToal were
conductedinorderto ascertainwhetherthese religiousinstitutionsare activelyinvolvedin
environmental education.Toinvestigatethe experience of local communitymemberswithEEand
levelsof environmentalawarenessinthe community,SSIswerealsoconductedwithlocal
communitymembers.Nine interviewswere conductedinPrekToal villageandseveninterviews
were conductedinAnlongTaorvillage. Figure2,below,showsthe proportionsof the numberof
interviews conductedwithmembersof eachstakeholdergroupoutof the total numberof
interviews,andthe full listof interviewsconductedcanbe foundinAppendix1.
Figure 2: Pie Chart of Stakeholder Groups Interviewed during Data Collection Period in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor villages in
April 2016
Osmose Teachers
5% n=2 MoE Rangers
7% n=3
Catholic Priest
3% n=1
Village-level
Official
5% n=2
Monk
3% n=1
Community Members
42% n=17
Community Fishing
Committee Members
7%
Osmose
Representatives
5% n=2
WCS
Representative
2% n=1
MoE Official
2% n=1
Commune-level Official
2% n=1
Live & Learn
Representative
2% n=1
Public School
Teachers
15% n=6
Stakeholder Groups Interviewed Osmose Teachers
MoE Rangers
Catholic Priest
Village-level Official
Monk
Community Members
Community Fishing
Committee Members
Osmose Representatives
WCS Representative
MoE Official
Commune-level Official
Live & Learn
Representative
Public School Teachers

16. Hessenius 16
The topic guidesforboththe SSIsand focusgroupsuse botha seriesof yes/noquestions
followedbyprompts,aswell asopen-endedquestions.The fulltopicguidescanbe found in
Appendix 2.
2.3 Data Analysis Tools
The software Atlas.TIwasutilizedtomanage,analyze,andpresentthe datagathered.
MicrosoftExcel wasalso usedtocreate tablesinorderto presentthe dataresults.The datawas
analyzedusinggroundedtheory,todraw insightsandconclusionsbasedonthe interviewdata
collectedandcomparative analysisof the variousgroups examined(GlaserandStrauss1967).
2.4 Limitations of Study
Due to the limitedtimespentinthe field,yieldingamoderate sample size of interview
respondents,itisnotpossibletodrawgeneralizedconclusionsaboutthe full extentof EE initiatives
inPrekToal, or theireffectivenessandinfluence onthe community.FurtherresearchinPrekToal,as
well asotherlocationsonthe Tonle Sap,is necessarytobe able to conducta monitoringand
evaluationanalysisthatwill enable EEproviderstoimprove the effectivenessof theirapproachesto
EE.
Anotherlimitationof the studyisthatdue to the cross-cultural contextwhichrequireda
translator,there isthe inevitable possibilitythatsome questionsoranswerscouldhave been
misinterpretedorthatthe nuancesof responsescouldhave beenlost.Itisalsopossiblethat
interview respondentscouldhave modifiedtheiranswersinsome casesbasedontheirperceptions
of the researchersandan attempttogive answerstheythoughtwere desiredortoprotect their
owninnocence.
3. Results
3.1 Osmose
Osmose iscurrentlythe mostactive stakeholderinEEin PrekToal and AnlongTaor. Their
environmental education(EE) programfocusesonbuildingenvironmentalawarenessamong
primaryschool students(Grades1-6) througha combinationof indoorandoutdoorclassroom
activities.The Osmose teacherstransportthe studentstothe Osmose floatingclassroom, where EE
classesare taught complementarytothe publicschool schedule fourtimesperweek (if the public
school classesare inthe morning,the Osmose classeswill be inthe afternoon,andvice versa)
(Figure 3).Osmose alsostartedintegratingtheirEEcurriculumintothe local publicschools in2001.
Currently,Osmose hirestwostate teachersona part-time basis,whoteachbothat the Osmose
platformandthe local publicschools,one teacheratPrekToal and one teacherat KohChiveang

17. Hessenius 17
PublicSchool.The Osmose teachers andpublicschool teachersreportedthatthe Osmose teachers
visitthe publicschoolstoteachaboutthe environmenttwo orthree timespermonth. There usedto
be three teachershiredbyOsmose,butone teacherisnow resigned,sothere iscurrentlyno
Osmose teacheravailabletoteachclassesat the KampongPrahok PublicSchool.
Figure 3: Pictures of Exterior and Interior of Osmose Floating Classroom in Prek Toal village, Cambodia, taken April 2016
The outdoorclassroomactivitiesinclude fieldtripstothe PrekToal Core Areato see the
waterbirdcolonies,waste collectionatthe school ormonastery,andtripsinthe village toobserve
local plantlife andfloatinggardensthatOsmose helped20local familiesbuildin2002. The
birdwatchingtripsare a highpriority,because theywanttoencourage the childrentolove andwant
to protectthe endangeredbirdsthatare of greatconservationandecotourismvalue.Duringthe dry
season,whenthe birdpopulationsare attheirpeak(NovemberthroughMarch),Osmose
representativesexplainedthattheybringthe studentsonbirdwatchinguptofourtimespermonth,
while Osmose teachersreportedthattheytake studentsonoutdoorfieldtripstwotimespermonth.
The birdwatchingexcursionsalsorequirecollaborationbetweenOsmoseandthe Ministry of
Environment(MoE),since anMoE ranger alwaysaccompaniesthe teachersandstudentsinorderto
guide themtothe Core Areaand provide informationaboutthe birdstothe students.Duringthe
wetseason,whenthe birdshave migratedelsewhere,the teacherstake the studentstodothe local
outdooractivities.Asaresultof these activitiesandeducationontopicssuchasthe natural
environmentof the Tonle Sapandthe importance of conservingthose natural resourcesforthe
future,the Osmose teachers have notedchangesinbehavior,includingdisposal of waste inbins
rather thanthe lake and ceasingtohunt forbird eggs.Osmose isalsohopeful thatthe childrenwill
continue tolove andvalue the environmentinthe future andreflectthisthroughtheirbehaviorsby
protectingnatural resourcesandusingthemsustainably.
The EE program complementsthe othermaincomponentsof Osmose’sapproachto
environmental conservationandcommunitylivelihoodimprovement,whichare ecotourismand

18. Hessenius 18
local development.AnOsmose representative notedthat“all the componentsare linked,whichhas
beenone of theirsuccesses,”anddescribedhow environmental awarenessandprotectionof natural
resourcesare necessarytosupportand sustainthe ecotourismcomponent,whichalsohelpsto
provide alternative incometolocal families,incentivizingconservationbehaviors.
3.2 PublicSchool
The publicschool teachersalsoprovide the studentsinPrekToal andAnlongTaorwithEE as
part of the state curriculum.Theyteachaboutenvironmentaltopicsasoftenastheyare scheduled
to inthe curriculumandmaterialsfromthe Ministryof Education,Youth,andSport (MOEYS),which
one teacherreportedisaboutonce a month.Some of the mostcommon environmental topics
coveredbythe publicschool teachersinclude the natural environmentanditscomponents,suchas
the water,the animals,andespeciallythe floodedforestsandmangroves.The teachersemphasize
the importance of the forestsforprovidinglivelihoodbenefits now andin the future,including
supportingbiodiversityandbreedingfish,providingwoodtouse forfuel,protectionfromstorms,
and regulationof the weather.Multiple teachersalsoreportedthattheyhave discussedthe threat
of climate change,whichthe studentsunderstandbecause theyexperience the temperature getting
hotterand hotter,andhowclimate change can damage the forestsand the interrelated
environment.
One challenge identifiedbysome of the local publicschool teachersinterviewedisthatitis
difficulttoimprove students’habitsandbehaviorsbecause theyare more likelytofollowthe model
setby theirparentsandfamiliesthanbytheirteachers.Forexample,theytrytoteachthe students
not to throwtheirrubbishinthe waterand notto drinkthe lake water,but forstudents’whose
familiesdonotknownotto throwtheirrubbishthe wateror whocannot affordtobuy cleanwater
and do notknowto boil it,itis difficulttomake suchbehaviorchanges,thoughthe teachersdotry
to tell the studentstopassthese messagesontotheirparents.Similarly,thoughillegal fishinggearis
not a maincomponentof the curriculum, the teachersoftentalktotheirstudentsaboutwhich
fishingactivitiesandgearsare allowedandwhichare notallowed. However,theyexplainedthat
such educationwill notoverride the poorerfamilies’needstoperformillegal fishingactionsinorder
to feedtheirfamilies. One publicschool teachersaid,“Itisreallyhardforthe kidshere.Normally
theylistentotheirfamily,andthe life theylive dependsonfish.If theydon’tdoillegalactivity,then
theycan’t feedtheirfamily.”Whenaskedaboutwhetherthe studentshave changedtheirbehaviors
as a resultof learningaboutthe environment,the same teacherresponded,“Youcan hardlyblame
the kids;it dependsontheirfamilycondition.It’snotlike theydon’tknow andunderstand.They
knowand understand,butif theydon’tdoit,thentheycan’t feedtheirfamily.Forexample,some of
the kidscut downthe mangrovesforfirewood.Theyknow thatit’swrongbutit istheirlivelihood.”

19. Hessenius 19
Whensuch resource collectionpracticesare partof the livelihoodof child’sfamily,the childrenwill
continue suchbehaviorsdespite the factthattheyare aware that suchactions are illegal orwrong.
Despite thischallenge,teachershave reported some successesinalteringstudents’behaviors,
includingdisposingof rubbishinbins atthe school rather thanin the water.
3.3 Ministry of Environment
The MoE doesnot currentlyhave anEE programfor the adultsin the local community.Inthe
past theyhave hadan EE program foradults,buthave discontinuedthisprogramdue tolackof time.
Ratherthan educate the whole community,they onlyeducate theirrangers.There are currently30-
40 rangersemployedbythe MoE, includingbothvolunteerandfull-timerangers.The rangers
receive trainingincollectingdatatomonitorthe biodiversityandpatrollingthe Core Area;theyare
instructed bya teacherwhocomes from the MoE Ministry Office inPhnomPenhatleastonce a
year.The MoE also encouragesthe rangerstocare aboutprotectingthe environmentand
encouragingfellowcommunitymemberstoprotectthe environmentaswell,includingencouraging
community memberscaughtdoingminorillegal actions,suchasfishinginthe Core Area,tochange
theirbehaviorsandhelptake care of the environment.The rangersplayanimportantrole inEE as
disseminatorsof information.Theirmessagestendtofocusonclearprohibitionsof actions,suchas
tellingpeople nottoenterthe Core Area,notto cut downtreesinthe forest,andnotto use the
illegal fishinggears,andexplainingthatthese behaviorsare importantbecause protectingthe
forests,whichare where the fish breed,andleavingbehindthe small fishtoletthemgrow,are
necessarytomaintainthe fishstocksforthe future.
One challenge identifiedbysome of the MoE rangersinterviewedisthatthe MoE usedto
have rangerswhowere more active inEE inthe community,butthose rangershave now all retired,
and the newlyhiredrangersare toobusywithpatrollingtovisitthe communitymemberstoeducate
themaboutthe environment.One MoErangerinterviewedreportedthattheyhave requestedto
continue doingEElike the retiredrangersusedtodo,but that theyhave notreceivedfeedbackor
approval yetfromMoE seniorstaff.
Anotherwaythe MoE disseminatesinformationaboutthe environmentisthroughmeetings.
Theytypicallyholdmeetingstwotothree times ayear,especiallywhenanMoEofficial fromthe
MoE Ministry Office in PhnomPenhcomestovisitthe MoECore AreaManagementStationat Prek
Toal.In these official meetings,theyoftenutilize posterandslideshow presentationsanddiscuss
topicssuch as howto protectthe mangrove forestsandthe waterbird colonies.Normal attendance
at these meetingsisbetween40and 50 people.Official authoritiesandpublicfigures,suchasthe
mey kum andmey phums,are usuallyinvitedtoattend.AnMoE official reportedthattheydonot

20. Hessenius 20
announce these meetingstothe general communitybecause theydonothave the available space to
accommodate sucha large numberof people,sotheirstrategyistoinvite the people whoare heads
of the communityandentrustthemwithdisseminatingthe informationtothe restof the
population.
The communitymembersare aware thatthe MoE holdsthese meetings;however, they
reportedthatthey neverreceive invitationstothe meetingsorinformationaboutwhentheywillbe
held.Theyperceivethatonlycertainpeople are selectedtoattend. Forexample,when askedif
there are meetingsaboutthe environmentinthe community,avillage level official reportedthat
“normallywhentheysetupthe meetings,theydon’thave ageneral announcement,theyinvite
selecthouses,the oneswiththe goodlivingconditions.The poorpeople don’tgetinvited,”anda
communitymemberthatthey “know theyhave meetings,buttheydon’tinvite the poorpeople.”
Thisperceptionisone cause of frustrationbetweenthe MoEand the community.There were a
varietyof reasonscitedforthe poor relationshipbetweenthe MoEand the community.Some
communitymemberswhowere interviewedexpressedsignificantresentmentandsuspicionof the
MoE. There is a strong perceptionamongsome membersof the communitythatthe MoE iscorrupt
because theytake fishandotherresourcesoutof the protectedareathat theypreventthe
communityfromentering.Itwasalsoreportedthatwhenthe MoE catches people fordoingillegal
actions,theyonlymake thempaya fee and collectthatmoneyandletthe offendergo,sonothing
changesthe problemof decreasingresources:
Since the MoE tookoverthe protectedarea,there wasnothingleft,because the rangers
take the birdseggs to feedtheirfamilies.Whentheycatchpeople,theymake thempaythe
fine,andpeople don’thave thatmoneysotheydon’tdothe illegal action.
Otherstakeholdersreportedthatcollaboratingwiththe MoEis difficult.Forexample, one of
the Osmose teacherssaidthatsometimestheyhave plannedtohave anMoE rangertake their
groupof studentstosee the Core Area,but on the day theirtripwasplannedtheywere toldthatall
the MoE rangerswere busyso none couldaccompanythem, sotheyhad to change theirplansto a
local outdooractivity.
3.4 Community Fishery Committees
Like the MoE rangers,membersof the CommunityFishery(CFi) Committees of PrekToal and
AnlongTaor oftenteachpeople aboutthe environment,eitherwhentheyare onpatrol inthe CFi or
whentheyholdmeetingsforthe community.Meetingsheldbythe CFi Committee typicallyhappen
at leastonce a year.The CFi usesa poster andteachesaboutthe fishinglawsandregulations.For
example,theytell the communityaboutthe typesof fishinggearsthatare legal andillegal (including

21. Hessenius 21
electroshockandgill netsof asmall netsize). Theyalsoinformthe communityaboutwherethey are
allowedtofish,andespeciallytrytodeterthe communityfromfishinginthe Fish ConservationArea
(FCA),orformerFishingLot#2. There isalsoa protectedareawithinthe CFi (formerFishingLot#3)
where people are notallowedtofish.Theyexplaintothe communitythatpeople are notallowedto
fishinthe protectedareasor use the illegal gearsinorderto protectthe spawningfishtohave
resourcesforthe future.Anothermainfocusbesidesexplainingthe fisherylawsisteachingpeople
aboutthe connectionbetweenprotectingthe environmentandimprovingtheirlivingconditions,
since all relyonthe natural resourcesandhealthyenvironmentfortheirlivelihoods.The CFi
Committee alsorequeststhatcommunitymembershelptoprotectthe environment,especiallythe
forestthatsupportsthe breedingfish, bynotcuttingdowntreesandnot huntingthe wildlife.
The CFi Committee membersreportedthattheyoftencollaborate withotherNGOsfortheir
EE, such as the UnitedStatesAgencyforInternational Development(USAID) CambodiaHARVEST
program workedwiththe CFi Committeesandhelpedorganize andruntheirmeetingswith
communityuntil theirprojectconcluded thisyear.CFi committee membersdescribedhow HARVEST
helpedtraintheminmanagingthe CFi andtaught the communityaboutprotectingthe environment,
conservingnatural resources,andthe threatof climate change atthe meetings.Theyalsohelped
fundprojectstoimprove livelihoodsinthe community,includinga providingfishpondstoCFi
committee membersandtraininginaquaculture.
A CFi Committee memberinterviewedalsodiscussedhisownactivitiestoengage hislocal
communityinenvironmentaleducationandprotection.He reportedthatevenwhenfundsfrom
HARVESTran out for the communitymeetings,he continued toorganize meetingsforthe
communityonhisownabout three timesayear,usinghisownfundsto purchase snacksfor the
people whoattend. Three maingoals citedfordiscussioninthese meetingswere talkingaboutthe
environment,askingpeopletoprotectthe FCA and itsfishand birdpopulations,andrequestingthat
the whole communityunitesandworkstogethertoprotectthe environment.He discussedwaysin
whichhe is able tohelpthe communityunderstandtheseconceptseventhoughare nothighly
educated.Forexample,he avoidsusingtechnical language like the termecology,andinstead
explainshoweverythinginthe environmentisrelatedtoeachotherbyexplainingitasa “food
system.”Anotherwayhe helpsthe communityunderstandthe importance of the environmentisby
connectingthe environmenttothe economy,theirlivelihoods,andtheirdailyreality.He described
howhe explainsthateffectsof climate change,suchasincreasingtemperature,lowerwaterlevels
on the lake,andthe increasingincidencesof forestfireswillhave negative consequencesby
decreasingthe amountsof fishandtherefore the amountof foodforpeople toeat.The followingis

22. Hessenius 22
the reasoningreportedtoexplainthe conceptof conservingnatural resourcesandhow goodliving
conditionsare dependentonahealthyenvironment:
He usesthe realityof everyday,like the ecosystemandclimate changing,the temperature,
the lake dryingup,and the firesinthe forest—all of these problemsstarttomake you feel
worriedandmake yousick.Everyone startsto thinkthat if there isno waterthenthere will
be lessfishandthenthere will be nothingtoeatand thenpeople will getsick.Everytime he
has a meetingwiththe communityhe addsitwiththe economicsystemandhow itgoes
togetherwiththe environment.If youdestroythe environment,thenthere isnoflow of the
economy.
In additiontoholdingmeetingsinthe communityforadults,thisCFi Committee memberalsotalks
to studentsinthe publicschool forone houreach month.
Accordingto a CFi Committee member,the local communityisverywillingtoattend
communitymeetings,andtojointogetherincommunityactiontohelpprotectthe environment.As
an example,he reportedthathe organizedagroupof local communitymemberstoputouta fire
neartheirhouses.He alsoreportedbehaviorchangesamongthe majorityof the community
members,includingceasingtouse the electroshockgearforfishingandstoppingthe collectionof
birdeggsand nests.Despite these successes,he reportedfacingsignificantchallengesfrom
authorities,whodonotsupporthisprojects. A Committee memberexpressedthe belief that the
authorities,suchasthe MoE, shouldimprove theircollaborationwiththe local communityinorder
to be successful inconservingthe natural resourcesof the area,because if the communityisangry
withthe MoE, theywill notfollowthe rulesanditwill be impossible forthe MoE to enforce them:
Whateverproject,if youdon’thave helpfromthe communitythenitwon’thappen.You
needtokeepthe communityhappytocollaborate.If youmake the communityangryor hate
you,thenit iseasyfor themto destroythe environment.There are manymore of themthan
the 30-40 MoE rangers,sothere will be nowayto stop them.
3.5 Other stakeholders
While the mey phums of PrekToal and AnlongTaor andthe mey kumof KohChiveangare
involvedinthe meetingsheldbythe MoE on the environmentandingeneral meetingsforthe
commune heldbythe mey kumthat may coverenvironmental topics,theyare notextensivelyactive
inEE for the community.Theydotell communitymembersnottocut treesandonlyto take dead
woodfromthe forestforfuelwood,toobeythe fishinglawsbynotfishinginthe protectedareasor

23. Hessenius 23
usingthe illegal gearsinordertoprotectthe breedingfish,andtokeepthe environmentcleanand
collectingtheirrubbish.
The Wildlife ConservationSociety(WCS) isnotactivelyengagedinanyEE projectsforthe
local community,thoughtheycontinue tosupportthe MoE byprovidingannual technical trainingin
patrollingandwaterbirdmonitoringforthe MoE rangers.Thisis consistentwiththeircentral focus
on achievingconservationresultsforthe waterbirdcoloniesandtheirhabitatsinthe PrekToal Core
Area.WCS has collaboratedwithOsmoseinthe pastbyprovidingfundingfortheirEEprojects,and
there are opportunitiesforWCStoplaya more active role inEE inPrekToal inthe future.A WCS
representative mentionedsomeof these opportunities,includingcontinuingtheirpartnershipwith
Osmose orstandardizingeducationandawareness-raisingforadultsasa componentof their
conservationprograms.They stated“theywantthere tobe a dedicatedunitwithinWCSthat
suppliestrainingatall theirsites”andthat they“wantto raise awarenessamongadults.”
Currently,the monasteryatAnlongTaorisnot activelyinvolvedinanyenvironmental
education.Althoughthe space atthe monasteryisusedforactivitiessuchaswaste collectionevents
for schoolchildrenandcommunitymembers,the monksare nottypicallyconsultedorinvitedto
collaborate inthese events,andtheymayor maynot participate inthem.Accordingtothe monk
withthe mostauthorityat the monastery,thoughhe hastriedto engage the communityandasked
themto helpcollectrubbisharoundthe wat,the communitymembersare notinterestedandrefuse
to participate.Whenaskedif he everincorporatesteachingaboutthe environmentorBuddhist
storiesrelatedtothe environmentintoceremonies,he reportedthathe doesnot,because Osmose
and the MoE bothfill the role of teachingpeople inthe communityaboutthe environment.
The CatholicChurch inPrekToal (Churchof St. Joseph’s,asatellite churchof St.John’s
Church inSiemReap) isanotherreligiousinstitutionthatisnotcurrentlyengagedinEE,thoughthere
isthe possibilitythatEEbecomesa componentof the Church’ssocial outreachprogramsinthe
future.Atthe moment,the Churchis involvedinprogramsaimedatreducingpoverty,including
offeringfree Englishclassesforthe community.Whiletheyare notactivelyinvolvedEE,a
representative of St.John’sChurchwhoroutinelyvisitsthe churchinPrekToal reportedthathe
believesthere isthe potential forincorporatingEEintotheiractivitiesinthe future,andthatit
shouldbe a prioritygiventhe importance of the conservationareainPrekToal.Also,environmental
protectionhasbeenidentifiedasamainobjective of the CatholicDiocese inBattambang,based
uponthe understandingthatprotectingthe environmentisstrongly alignedwithCatholicvaluesto
respectandcare for Creation.Atthe moment,theydoencourage the childrennottothrow rubbish
inthe water,andbelieve the childrenare graduallychangingtheirbehaviors.

24. Hessenius 24
3.6 Community Environmental Awareness and Perceptions
Membersof the communityreportedavarietyof levelsof environmentalawareness,
behaviorspracticed,andreasonsforprotectingthe environment.One conceptthatisstrongly
understoodbythe communityisthe connectionbetweenthe forestsand the fish.Almostall
communitymembersknowandunderstandthatthe forestsare importanthabitatsforthe fishto
breed,soprotectingthe floodedforestsisof great importance tosustainingthe fishpopulations.
Thislinkshowsthatthe communityunderstandsthatthe elementsof the environment—the forests,
the water,and the wildlife—are all relatedtoeachother. Manycommunitymembersmade remarks
similartoa communitymemberwhostated,“If youprotectthe forest,itmeansyouprotectthe fish
too. When the fishbreedtheyneedthe forests.”
Some of the mostcommonlyreportedreasonsforprotectingthe environmentincludefor
supportingtheirfamilyandtheirlivelihoods,protectingnatural resourcesforthemselvesinthe
future andfor theirchildrenfuture generationstobe able toknow the environmentaswell ashave
the resourcestheyneedtosurvive.Anothercommonmotivationfortakingcare of the environment
isfor the healthandhygiene of themselvesandtheirfamilies,andthisisa majorreasonmany
communitymembersreportedtryingtokeepthe environmentaroundtheirhouse andthe lake
cleanby notthrowingtheirrubbishintothe waterandpracticingpropersanitationandnotdrinking
waterfrom the lake.Unfortunately,intervieweesalso notedthatmanypeople inthe communitystill
throwrubbishinthe waterand use the pollutedlakewaterfordrinking,washing,andbathing,which
has negative consequencesforpeople’shealth. However, frequentreporting of these motivationsto
protectthe environmentshows thatthe majorityof peopleunderstandthe connectionbetween
takingcare of the environmentandsupportingtheirownlivelihoodsandwellbeingforthemselves,
theirfamilies,andfuture generations.
In addition,almostall the communitymembersinterviewedindicatedthattheywouldbe
interestedinlearningmore aboutthe environment(seeFigure 4).However,manynotedthatwhile
theywouldbe interested,theydonothave the opportunitytoparticipate EE,eitherbecause there
are no groupsprovidinganyEE inthe community,thattheyare notinvitedtoparticipate,suchasin
the meetingsheldbythe MoE,or because theydonot have time because theyare busyfishingto
feedthemselvesandtheirfamilies.There isalsoadiscrepancyin the perceptionof the community’s
knowledge aboutandinterestinlearningaboutthe environment, whichisillustratedinFigure4,
showingthatcommunitymembersself-reporthigherlevelsandknowledgeandinterestthan
stakeholdersperceive the communitytohave.

25. Hessenius 25
Figure 4: Responses from Communityand Other Stakeholder Groups (including MoE Rangers, Osmose Teachers, Public
School Teachers, CommunityFisheryCommittee Members, and Public Officials) on Level of Knowledge and Interest in
Learning about the Environment among Local CommunityMembers in Prek Toal and Anlong Taor Villages, Cambodia, in
2016.
Otherperceptionsreportedbythe communityinclude the threatof decreasingresources,
such as the forests, water,andwildlifesuchasbirdsand fish. One communitymemberstatedthe
followingcomparingthe amountof natural resourceshe perceivedtobe availabletothe community
nowcomparedto the past:
There wasso much wildlife thenandlesspeople.Now there are more people, more hunting,
and lesswildlife,andthe environmentisgettingdirtiereveryday.Fornatural resources,the
wildlife andbirdsare lessandless.Forfishing,sometimesthereisnotenoughtofeedhis
family.
One majorcause people commonly attributedtothisdecrease innatural resourcesisthe extremely
hot anddry weather,whichhascausedthe lake levelstobe abnormallylow andalsocausedforest
firesthatthe communityisdeeplyconcernedabout,since theyrecognize thatthe forestsare crucial
for the environmentandsustainingfishpopulations: “If theyprotectthe forest,thentheyprotect
the fishand the animalsandthe birds.But withthe fire,theyare notsure if theywill still be there.”
Increasingpressure onresourcesformpopulation growthandlackof watercausedby damsin other
countrieswere lesscommonlycitedasreasonsforthe decrease inresources.Some community
membersstatedthattheydonot knowwhythe natural resourcesare decreasing,theyonlyhave

26. Hessenius 26
noticedthatthere are lessfish,birds,andotherresourcesthanthere were inthe past.Multiple
communitymembersexpressedthe opinionthatasprotectionandstrict enforcementof regulations
inconservationareashasincreased,the amountof natural resourcesinthese areashave
paradoxicallydecreased.Relatedtothisperceptionisthe belief thatauthoritiesexcluding
communitymembersfromconservationareas,suchasthe MoE, are extractingresourcesfromthese
areas whichtheyare supposedtoprotect.Because of these observedtrendsindecreasing
resources,manycommunitymembersare facingdifficultiesnow andare veryworriedaboutthe
availabilityof resourcesandtheirabilitytofeedtheirfamiliesandsurviveinthe future.
It was alsoreportedoftenthat althoughmostpeople inthe communityare aware of the
importance of the environmentandwhatthe lawsand regulationsare,manypeoplestillbreakthose
laws,andthe mainreasonpeople breakthe rulesisbecause of povertyandneed.Because people in
the communityare dependentonfishingfortheirlivelihoods,people are oftenforcedtodoillegal
activityinorderto have enoughfoodtofeedtheirfamilies.AsaCFi memberremarked, “if people
don’tdo the illegal action,whatcantheydoto eat? The people here livebyfish.”Cuttingwoodto
use as firewoodwasalsocommonlycitedasanillegal actionmanyfamiliesmustdoto attainthis
resource thattheyneedbecause theyare poorand cannot affordtobuy it.Because thisyearhas
beenexceptionallydry,officialsnotedthatthere hasbeenanincrease inillegal activitiesandpeople
enteringthe Core Areabecause there isincreasedpressure onresourcessomore peopleare
strugglingtofeedtheirfamilies,pushingthemtobreakthe lawsmore oftenthaninpreviousyears.
4. Discussion
Interviewsconductedwith abroadrange of stakeholdergroupsinPrek Toal and AnlongTaor
villages(seeAppendix 1),servedtoinformasnapshotof the currentstate of environmental
education(EE) inPrekToal andAnlongTaor. Basedonthisexamination,itwasfoundthatEE has had
substantial positive impactsinthe community,yetalsofacessignificantchallengesandiscurrently
limitedbyanumberfactors(see Table 1). The explorationof these challengesisessentialtobe able
to reframe such obstaclesasopportunities,because once theyare recognized,suchimpediments
can be transformedinto targetsforimprovementtoEE inthe 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 adultcommunity
members

27. Hessenius 27
Community-based education and action can be
supported with positiveconsequences in community
engagement in sustainablemanagement of natural
resources
There are challenges with access to education and a
lack of dissemination of information aboutpositive
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 sincethey are
aware of other stakeholders already practicingEE
Illegal actions regardingresourceextraction and
unsustainablebehaviors continuefrompeople in the
community. Major causeof this challengeis thatpeople
are restricted in their behavior choices by the realities
of their daily lives,includingpoverty,need for resources
to feed their families and supporttheir livelihoods,and
lack of infrastructureand alternativelivelihood 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 factthat conservationinitiativeshave demonstratedsignificantresultsinthe
protectionof biodiversityinPrekToal,local communitymembersare generallyunaware of these
successes,andmanyhave indicatedthatthey have anantagonisticrelationshipwithauthorities
engagedinprotectionof these conservationareas. There issubstantial datademonstratingthat
conservationeffortsbythe Ministryof Environment(MoE) andWildlife ConservationSociety(WCS)
have beeneffective,especiallyinpreservingthe endangeredbirdspeciesinthe PrekToal Core Area
(WCS2016, Sun & Mahood 2015). Both MoE and WCS representatives reportedduringthisstudy
that birdpopulationsinthe Core Areahave increaseddirectlyasaresultof theirpatrolling,which
has significantlyreducedillegalactivity,suchas collectionof eggs,althoughtheyalsoacknowledged
that thisyearis an exceptiontothese trendsdue tothe abnormallydryweatherandlow waterlevel
on the lake,increasingpressure onresourcesanddrivingmore communitymemberstoillegalenter
the Core Areaforfishing.WCSalsopridesthemselvesontheirconservation strategy,whichinvolves
hiringformerpoacherstobe rangers that protectand monitorthe birds(WCS2016). This approach
has proventobe effective,since the nestandpopulation countsforbirdspeciesrecordedbythe
rangers(includingthe globallyendangeredGreaterAdjutantStork,globallyvulnerable Lesser
AdjutantStork,globallynearthreatenedPaintedStork,AsianOpenbill,globallynearthreatened
Spot-billedPelican,andgloballynearthreatenedOriental Darter) show anoverall increasesince
WCS startedtheirconservationinitiativesinthe early2000s (WCS 2016, Sun& Mahood 2015).
However, itappearsthatthe communitydoesnot know thisinformation.Infact,their
perceptionisthe exactopposite:thatresourcesare severelyandrapidlydeclining.Inorderto
addressthisdisconnectbetweenstakeholdersinvolvedinbiodiversityconservationandthe

28. Hessenius 28
community,organizationssuchasWCS and the MoE shouldmake ita prioritytodisseminate
informationaboutthe successfulresultsof conservationinitiativestothe local community.If the
communitydoesnotsee anyresultsof conservationefforts,theyare likelytohave more negative
attitudestowardsmeasuresthatplace restrictionsandlimitationsontheirabilitytouse natural
resourcesfortheirlivelihoods.However,if the communityismade aware of the benefitsof such
conservationinitiativesforthe environmentandthemselves,theywillbe more likelytocooperate,
followthe regulations,andchange theiractionsthatcontribute towardshabitatdegradation. Case
studiesconductedinMarine ProtectedAreas (MPAs) inthe Philippinessupportthispotential
informationdisseminationtoleadto improvedattitudestowardsconservation initiatives (Knight,
Allegretti,&Vaske 2015). Knight,Allegretti,&Vaske’s(2015) findingsshowedthatfisherswho
receiveddirectgovernment-citizencommunication,environmental education,andoutreachabout
protectedareagovernance policies were more likelytosupportMPAsandtheirpoliciesandperceive
theirMPAsas benefittingtheirlivelihoods.
Anotherchallenge withaccessto educationisthe perceptionconveyedbystudy
respondents thatthe general communityisnotinvitedtothe meetingsorganizedbythe MoE. In
addition tocontributingtoa perceived poorrelationship betweenthe MoEand the community,this
practice limitsaccesstoeducationforgeneral communitymembers,sinceonlypeople occupying
official andpublicpositionsare consistentlyinvited,whichespeciallytendsto excludepoorer
communitymembers. Suchlimitationsof accesstoeducationandinformationabout the
environmentare problematicbecause theyare contraryto the humanrightsof accessto education
and informationthatare widelyrecognizedandupheldbythe internationalcommunity, including
Article 26 of the Universal Declarationof HumanRights,whichguaranteesthe righttoeducation,
and Principle 10of the Rio Declarationfromthe UN Conference onEnvironmentandDevelopment
in1992, whichcodifiesthe rightthat“eachindividual shall have appropriateaccesstoinformation
concerningthe environmentthatisheldbypublicauthorities”(OHCHR1948, UNEP 1992b). The
rightsof accessto information,participationindecision-making,andaccesstojustice in
environmental mattersare widelyrecognizedasbeingone of the three essential dimensionsof the
nexusbetweenhumanrightsandthe environmentandcritical forgoodenvironmental governance
(UNEP-OHCHR2009, UNEP 2003, UNEP 2004). Although MoE officialsexpressedthe expectation that
the people selectedtoattendthe meetingswill passalongthe information,thisisnothappening,
whichiscreatinga gap in knowledgeandfeelingof exclusioninthe community. A more directand
egalitarianapproachtoEE couldbe pursuedbyincreasingaccesstomeetingsinwhicheducation
and informationaboutthe environmentisdisseminated,whichwouldbetterfulfillthe rightsof
communitymembersof accesstoeducationandinformation.Evenif itisnotfeasibletoinvite all

29. Hessenius 29
communitymembers toasingle meeting,the MoEcould have more frequentmeetingsandrotate
the houseswhoare invited,orreinstate the practice of having MoE rangersvisitpeople’shousesto
provide educationaboutthe environment.
4.2 Focus on Education for Children and Gap in Adult EE
Because Osmose isthe mostactive stakeholderinEE inPrekToal andAnlongTaor, andtheir
EE focusesmainlyonchildren,the resultisthatthere iscurrentlyagap inEE for adults.While
increasingenvironmental awarenessamongchildrenisvital anditisgoodto encourage the students
to care aboutthe environmentandformgoodhabitstohelpprotectit,the limitation isthatittakes
a longtime to see resultsfromeducationforchildren.Multiple representativesfromOsmose
reportedthateducationforadultswouldbe more directthaneducationforchildren.The EE
programsfor childrenare veryimportantforlongterm conservation,because the childrenwill be
the usersof the natural resourcesinthe future andneedto know how to be able to do so
sustainably.However,currently,the adultsinthe communityare the usersof natural resources,and
theyare the oneswho are reportedly committingillegal actions.Inordertohave a directimpacton
the current situationandreduce illegal activity,itisnecessarytofocusonachievingresultsby
providingEEand facilitatingbehaviorchangesamongadults. The educationof adultshasbeen
recognizedasa priorityforthe future directionsof EE and necessaryformeetingglobal goals
towardsenvironmental sustainabilityandeducationforsustainabledevelopment,especiallygiven
the urgencyof the planet’senvironmental crisisandthe needtochange humanbehaviornow,
rather thanfocussolelyoneducationthroughschoolingforchildrenandwaitfortoday’syoung
people totake action(UNESCOInstitute forLifelongLearning2010, Monroe 2007). Otherstudies
have alsosuggestedthatEE can enhance itseffectivenessbyfocusingoninstigatingactions,
behaviors,andchoicesthatsupportsustainability,andthatthese aimstowardbehaviorchange and
decision-makingare mostappropriate intargetingadults(Monroe 2007).
Anotherconsiderationisthata challenge tothe educationinitiativesforchildrenisthatthey
oftentendtostill followtheirparents’andfamilies’habitsratherthanadoptthe behaviorchanges
encouragedbytheirteachersatOsmose or the publicschool.Therefore,teachingthe adultsinthe
communityaboutthe environmentandactionstheycantake to helpprotectthe environmentcould
alsobe importantinreinforcingandstrengtheningthe EEaimedtowardschildren.Althoughone
hope of educatingthe children isthattheywill passalongthe messagestotheirparentsand
educationforthe childrencanhave a positive impactbythe childrensharingtheirknowledgeand
learnedbehaviorswiththeirfamilies,thisisalot to expectfromthe children.While itmay still be
helpful toencourage studentstoshare whattheylearnwiththeirparentsandfamilies,adultsinthe
communityshouldalsoreceive EEdirectly,sothattheycan model betterhabitsandbehaviorsfor

30. Hessenius 30
the children,ratherthanonlythe childrenbeingexpectedtoserve asexamplesforthe restof the
community.
4.3 Deferment of Responsibility to Other Stakeholders
Multiple stakeholdersreportedthatone of the reasonstheydo notinitiate andconduct
more EE isbecause theyknowthatotherstakeholders,principallyOsmose, are alreadyengagedand
active inEE. The monkinterviewedatthe monasteryreportedthathe doesnotincorporate Buddhist
storiesorlessonsaboutthe environmentintohisteachingsorceremoniesbecause the community
alreadyhas Osmose andthe MoE to teach themaboutthe environment.However,he also
expressedthe opinionthatthe MoE is notactive in EE, so itis currentlyonlyOsmose thatisactive in
EE, and theymainlyfocusoneducationforchildren.Eventhoughthe monkrecognizedthatthere is
a gap in educationforadultsinthe community,he believeditwasthe MoE’sresponsibilitytodo
more EE and encourage peopleinthe communitytoknow andcare aboutthe environment.Other
NGOs,such as WCS and Live & LearnCambodia, alsoreportedthattheyhave notfocusedonEE in
PrekToal because Osmose alreadyhasanestablishedpresenceandfocusonEE inthe community
(WCSinsteadfocusesontrainingMoE rangersto buildcapacityforconservationof Core Areaandits
waterbird colonies,andLive &Learn CambodiafocusestheirEEinitiativesinotherlocationsinthe
Tonle Sapregion).
Thisphenomenoninwhichstakeholdersperceive the responsibilityforEE as the
responsibilityof someoneelseisproblematicbecauseitpreventsthe benefitsthatcouldpotentially
come from multiplestakeholdersengaginginEEfrom varioussectorsinsociety.Forexample,were
boththe MoE and the monasteryto playa more active role inEE, the amountof people inthe
communitywithaccesstoEE couldincrease,since some communitymembersnotreachedbyone
stakeholdergroupcouldbe reachedbyanother.If communitymembersreceive EEfrommultiple
stakeholders,thiscouldalsohave importantbenefits.People couldgainamore comprehensive
understandingbylearningdifferentinformationindifferentcontexts.Continuityof EEisalso
extremelyimportanttoreinforcethe conceptspeople have learned,because otherwise peoplewill
mostlikelyforget,asmultiple communitymembersreportedthattheyhadbeentaughtaboutthe
environmentinthe pastbut nowdidnot rememberclearlywhattheyhadlearned. Ratherthan
perceivingengaginginEEas unnecessaryorrepetitiveif otherstakeholdersare alreadyinvolvedin
EE, stakeholdersshouldbe made of aware of the benefits of suchconsistentandcontinuedlearning
and encouragedtotake responsibilityforEEas part of theirownactivities.
Anotherreasonthistransferof responsibilityforEEisproblematicisbecause eventhough
Osmose hasbeenactive andsuccessful inEE,theyare still limitedintheircapacitytoreachthe

31. Hessenius 31
entire community.BecauseOsmose focusesonEEfor children,if theyare the sole providerof EE in
the community,thenthatcreatesa gap ineducationforadults inthe community.Inaddition,
Osmose islimitedinthe extentof theirEEprogram basedonthe amountof fundingtheyhave from
theirdonorsand revenue fromtheirecotourismprogram.Thislackof fundingwascitedasthe main
reasonOsmose nolongerhas an EE program foradults,whichtheydidwhentheyhadmore funding
sevenoreightyearsago. Theyalsono longerhave enoughfundingtoprovide the childrenwho
come to school at Osmose withsnacks(whichcanlimitthe abilityof studentstocome toschool
because if the boatarrivesand theyhave noteatenbreakfast,theycannotcome to school because
theywouldhave togo the whole morningwithoutfood)orto take the studentsonas manyfield
tripsas theyusedto whenthe EE program firststarted.One of the main challengesreportedfrom
Osmose representativesistheirdependence onsmall,timedgrants,andthe fact that theydonot
have any expertsingrantproposal writing,sotheyhave beenunsuccessful inacquiringlargergrants
to expandtheirprojects. Limitedfinances isacommonchallenge,bothforgovernment departments
and NGOs, for sustainingEEprogramsin Cambodiaandmanydevelopingcountries(Khieu2002,
Smith& Keat2006, ADB 2011).
4.4 Potential Benefits of Bottom-Up and Community-Based EE
While NGOand governmentstakeholdersare mostcommonlyperceivedasthe major
providers of EE inthe community, there alsoexiststhe basisandpotential foraburgeoning
movementof community-basedEEandconservationaction.Forexample,the independently
organizedactivitiesof aCFi Committee memberdemonstrate how passionate individualsinthe
communitycandraw upontheirownresourcesandutilize partnershipswithotherorganizationsto
galvanize the communitytounite togetherandprotecttheircommonenvironmentandresources.
Such bottom-upapproachestoEE can have many potential benefits. Educatorsfromwithinthe
community maybe more effective teachersthroughthe ability toexplaincomplex conceptsinways
that are easilyunderstoodby people,overcomingcultural, language,andliteracy barriersthatmight
hinderthe transferof knowledgefromNGOsorgovernmentofficials.Projectsinitiatedby
communitymembersare also likelymore sustainable thaninvolvementof outside NGOsthatusually
stay inthe communityonlyona short-termbasis.Suchcommunity-drivenprogramscouldalsobe
more empoweringandcontribute toastrongersense of ownershipoversustainable management
and conservation of natural resourcesif initiatedfromwithincommunityandledbylocal community
members.Giventhesepotential advantagesof bottom-upapproachestoEE, one recommended
strategywouldbe to trainand equip specificcommunity memberstobecome leaders intheir
communities whocaninstructand engage the local communityin conservingtheirenvironment.
Previousstudiesalsoattesttothe benefitsof community-based;forexample,Harris(2014)

32. Hessenius 32
concludedina case studyon the communicationonclimate change impactsandadaptation
strategiesinPacificislandsthatbottom-upapproacheswere effective inenablingcitizensto
participate,share knowledge,buildenvironmental awarenessandunderstandingof climate change
risksto theircommunitiesinaway that wasengagingandempoweringforcommunities.Ardoin,
Clark,& Kelsey(2013) alsoidentifythe needtodevelopmethodsof collaboratingwithpractitioners,
involvingwidercommunitymembersinparticipatinginEE,understandingthe effectsof collective
and social learningandhoweducational outcomesforindividualsandcommunitiesare linked,and
supportingcommunity-basedEEas one of the mostimportanttrendstoexplore inthe future forEE.
4.5 Shifting Focus fromAwareness to Behavior Change
Interviewswithlocal communitymembersrevealedthat general environmentalawareness
inthe communityisveryhigh.While communitymembersmaynotbe educatedinenvironmental
concepts,the realityof theirdailylivesandconstantinteractionwiththe environmentfortheir
livelihoods,since nearlyeveryoneinthe communityisinvolvedinfishing,meanthatthe community
membersare extremelyintune withtheirenvironment.Theyknow how the environmentis
interconnectedandare sensitivetoanychangesinthe environmentandthe resourcesthatare
crucial for theirlivelihoods. Althoughenvironmental awarenessishighamonglocal community
members,EEcan still be beneficial forthe community,butthere needstobe a shiftfromfocusing on
environmental awarenesstoemphasizingspecificandactionablebehaviorchangesthatcanyield
resultsforconservation. Trendsinthe EEresearchreflectthisshiftfromawareness-focusedto
action-orientedEEandbehaviorchange forconservation(Smith&Keat2006). Ardoin,Clark, &
Kelsey (2013) and Monroe (2007) acknowledge the highpriorityondevelopingeffective educational
and communicationstrategiesthatcansuccessfullyelicitindividual behaviorchange anddecision-
makingthat supportssustainability.
Aimingtoincrease environmental awarenessamongthe local communitymaybe misguided
and unproductive if itamountstosimplytryingtotell communitymemberswhattheyalreadyknow.
Instead,EE shouldaimtoprovide specificandviable alternativestocurrentpracticesthatcontribute
to degradationof the environmentanddeliverupdatesontangible outcomesandachievementsof
existingconservationprograms,inordertounderstandanddemonstrate the directlinkbetween
behaviorchange andconservationresults.
Some projectsinthe community have alreadyhad suchoutcomes.Forexample,one of
Osmose’scommunitydevelopmentprojects backin2002 whentheyhad the available funding was
to assist20 familiesinbuildingfloatinggardens.Thisprojecthadsignificantandlastingbenefits,as
one communitymemberwhostill usedherfloatinggardenreported,because she wasable togrow

33. Hessenius 33
mostof herown vegetablestofeedherfamily,reducingthe amountof income she neededtospend
and improvingnutritionforherfamily. Equippingpeople withthesekindsof toolsandskillsare
essential forimprovingpeople’slivelihoodsanddecreasingtheir dependence onnatural resources
to alleviate pressure onthose resources.Live &LearnEnvironmental Education have beenactive in
otherfloatingvillagesonthe Tonle Saptoachieve goalssuchas improving sanitation, water
management,andnutrition,andarepresentativeof the NGOemphasize thatthese projectsare
selectedbecausetheylinkeducationandimprovedqualityof life.Thisrepresentativeelucidated
that itis necessarytoprovide viable alternative optionsalongwithEEinorderto achieve behavior
outcomes,andthat EE that focusesonawarenesswithoutconnectingittospecificactionsand
alternative optionsisnotonlyineffectual,butweakensEEthroughitsunrealism.
In PrekToal and AnlongTaor,an example of the challengesinvolvedinmotivatingbehavior
changesisthe case of waste management. Despite the factthatimproperwaste disposal(i.e.
throwingrubbishintothe water) was the mostcommon behaviorchange encouraged by almost
everystakeholder,eventhose thatwere notactivelyengagedinEE, andmany communitymembers
didreportthat theyhave changedtheirwaste managementpractices, rubbishremainsamajor
environmental probleminthe community. Inthese floatingvillages,thereisnoinfrastructure for
waste collection,socommunitymembers’realisticoptionsare tokeeptheirrubbishintheirhouses,
burn it,or throwit inthe lake.Eventhoughcollectingandburningtheirrubbishisthe encouraged
practice,thismethodstill hasnegative healthconsequences.Unlessthere are socially,culturally,and
economicallyviablealternatives,implementingbehaviorchangesisunlikelytobe successful.
4.6 Importance of Integrating Education with Livelihood Improvement
One of the mostconsistent themesfrominterviewswithlocal communitymembersisthat
people knowwhatpractices are allowedandnotallowed,buttheycommitillegal actions anyway
because theyare poor andneedto feedtheirfamilies. Multiplecommunity membersalsostated
that local communitymembersuse resourcesforsubsistence,nottosell fora profit,sotheir
resource extractionisdrivenbyneedratherbygreedordesire toselfishlybenefitoveruse of
communityresources.Giventhisreality,itispossiblethatEE on itsownmay not be enoughto
achieve resultsinimprovingconservationandcontributingtobehaviorchangesamonglocal
communitymembers.Evenif peopleare educatedaboutthe environment,meetingtheirneedsin
the presenttosurvive will alwaysoutweighthe imperativetoconserve natural resourcesforthe
future.
An abundance of literature supportsthislinkbetweenlivelihoodsandsocioeconomicfactors
and EE and conservationbehavior(Ardoin,Clark,&Kelsey 2013,Masud etal.2014). Increasingly,in

34. Hessenius 34
the fieldof EE research,the purpose of educationisseennotonlyasto inspire behaviorchange,but
alsoto promote enhancedwell-beingandqualitylife andbuildthe capacityamongpeopletomake
sustainable choicesandlead sustainable lives(Ardoin,Clark,Kelsey2013). Withthe risinginterestin
the role of educationinsustainable development,EEwill likelycontinue toplayanimportantrole in
addressinginterconnectedsocial andecological issues,suchashealthandjustice (Ardoin,Clark,
Kelsey&2013). Thisrecognitionof EE’sbroadeningscope andthe impossibilityof separating
environmental andsocioeconomicissuesalsorevealsthe same themedemonstratedbythisstudy’s
findingsthatpoverty isamajor challenge toEE andenvironmentalsustainabilitybecause people will
alwaysprioritize theirimmediatesurvival needsoverconcernsforthe long-termpreservationof the
environment(Ardoin,Clark,Kelsey&2013, Khieu2002).
If it is true that educationnotpairedwithviable alternative solutionsisineffectual,than
improvinglivelihoodsmustbe akeycomponent toany EE initiative.If people’slivingconditionsare
too poorto be able toaffordto change theiractionslike illegal fishingandcuttingtrees,thenthere
will be norealisticalternative optionsthatcanfacilitate resultsinbehaviorchanges.Forthisreason,
Osmose’smodel thatintegrateslivelihoodimprovementthroughgenerationof alternative income
withEE is verypractical and successful.Still,overall livingconditionsinPrekToal remaingenerally
low,sothere are still significantchangesthatcanand shouldbe made toallow local community
memberstoincrease theirincome generationanddecrease theirdependence onillegal resource
use.
AnotherexampleinCambodiaof amodel thatsuccessfullyintegrateslivelihood
improvement,conservation,andeducationisthe SamVeasnaCenter’scommunityecotourism
projectinTmatboey that aimsto protecta critical habitatfor globallythreatenedlarge waterbirds in
the Northernplainsof Cambodia(Clementsetal.2008). Throughthe community-basedtourism
model,the local communityhasbecome apartnerinconservation,whose attitude towardsand
value of the birdspecieshaschangedsince theynow recognize the birdsasa valuable source of
revenue throughdirectpaymentforservicesanddonationtoacommunitydevelopmentfundfrom
the touristswhocome to see them (Clementsetal.2008). It wasreportedthatthe birdseven
became a source of pride tothe community,andthiscombinedwiththe financialincentivesfrom
tourismcausedthemto change theirbehaviorsandbecome active protectorsof the birds (Clements
et al.2008). The projecthashad substantial outcomesforbothreducingpovertyamongcommunity
membersandconservingthe birdspecies,whose populationsrose dramaticallyfollowing
implementationof the projectdue toa significantreductioninhuntingactivityfromlocal
communitymembers (Clementsetal.2008). More projectslike thiscancreativelyfindwaysto
incentivize conservationbehaviorsandintegrate benefitstolivelihoodsandthe environment,while

35. Hessenius 35
simultaneouslyengagingandeducatingthe communitybyempoweringthemtobecome partnersin
environmental preservationandsustainable resource use.
5. Conclusion
Thisstudy acknowledges the internationallyrecognizedandessential role thatEEplaysin
promotingsustainabledevelopment,benefittinglocal communities’livelihoods,andstrengthening
conservationof biodiversity.The studyalsorecognizesthatinCambodia, despite the prevalence of a
wide varietyof EE initiativesimplementedbymanystakeholders, there hasbeenlimitedformal
monitoringandevaluationof EE initiativesandassessmentof theirsuccess. Inresponse,thisstudy
aimedtoinvestigate the currentstatusof environmentaleducationinthe villagesof PrekToal and
AnlongTaor villages onthe Tonle Sap.
The findingsof thisstudy yield insightsintothe importance of EEfor improvingconservation
of natural resourcesandlivelihoodsinlocal communitiesonthe Tonle Sap, aswell assome ways
that approachestoEE in the regioncan be developedinthe future toincrease theireffectiveness
and abilitytocreate substantial change inbehaviorsandactions. Itwasfoundthat while stakeholder
such as Osmose andthe publicschoolshave focusedonprovidingchildreninthe communitywith
EE, there isa gap inEE foradults.Anotherfactorinthisoversightisthataccess to educationfor
adultsinthe communityis limited,asmanycommunitymembersreportedthattheywere not
invitedtomeetingsheldbythe MoE inwhichenvironmental informationisdiscussedand
disseminated.Targetingadultsasrecipientsof EEis especiallyimportantbecause theyare the
membersof the communitywhoare currentlyengagedincollectionof natural resources,which
sometimesincludesillegalextractionof those resources. A keyfindingwasthe perceptionamong
communitymembersthatincreasedconservationmeasureshave ledtoadecline innatural
resourcesinthe PrekToal Core Area,incontrast to the data frombiodiversitymonitoringthat
indicatessuccessesinprotectingnatural resourcesasaresultof conservation.Itispossible thatthis
lack of confidence amongcommunitymembersinthe effectivenessof conservationapproachesmay
be contributingtocontinuedillegal activity.RegularandcontinuedEEanddisseminationof
informationonconservationmayresultingreatercommunitysupportforthese initiatives. EEneeds
to focusmore on motivatingpeopletoaltertheiractionsandbehaviorsinordertobe successful in
achievingconservationresults,andthatEE initiativesshouldalsobe coupledwithstrategiesto
alleviate povertyandimprove local livelihoods,suchasbyofferingalternative optionsforincome
generation,since the mostcommonlyreportedreasonthatpeople violate restrictionsonresource
use isthat theyand theirfamiliesare dependentonthese resourcesfortheirsurvival.

36. Hessenius 36
Furtherstudiesshouldcontinue collectingdataonEE inlocal communitiesonthe Tonle Sap
and identifyingopportunitiesforimprovementanddevelopment.Asmore evidence isaccruedon
the methodsandapproachesemployedbyvarious stakeholdersand theirresultsandimpactinthe
local community ingeneratingpositiveactionsandbehaviorsthatsupportconservationof the
environmentandsustainableuse of resources, itwillbecome possible todeterminethe best
practicesand applythe mostsuccessful modelsinmore communitiesinCambodiaandthe region,
while adjustingimplementationtocomplywiththe local social,cultural,economic,and
environmental context.Bydevelopingsucheducational strategieswithanaimto equipindividuals
and communitieswiththe knowledge,skills,andvaluesnecessarytomake environmentally
consciousdecisions,change theiractions,andgenerate innovativesolutionstoenvironmental
problems,EEcan ideally be elevatedtoplaythe role envisionedbythe global communitytoadvance
sustainable development goals,promotingprotectionof the planet’sbiodiversityandimprovement
qualityof life.

37. Hessenius 37
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39. Hessenius 39
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40. Hessenius 40
Appendix 1
Interview Date Location Stakeholder Sex and Age
1 15-Apr St. John's Church, Siem Reap Catholic Priest M
2 19-Apr MoE Station, Prek Toal MoE Ranger M-35
3 19-Apr Anlong Taor Village-level Official M-57
4 19-Apr Osmose Platform,Prek Toal Osmose Teacher F-54
5 19-Apr Monastery, Anlong Taor Monk M
6 19-Apr Anlong Taor Community F-63
7 19-Apr Anlong Taor Community F-31
8 20-Apr Osmose Platform,Prek Toal Osmose Representative M-40
9 20-Apr Osmose Platform, Prek Toal Osmose Teacher F-58
10 20-Apr Anlong Taor Community M-37, F-31
11 20-Apr Anlong Taor Community F-43, M-47
12 20-Apr Anlong Taor Community M-49, F-47
13 20-Apr Anlong Taor Community F-59, F-30
14 20-Apr Anlong Taor Community F-47
15 21-Apr Anlong Taor MoE Ranger M-53
16 21-Apr Anlong Taor Community FishingCommittee Member M-52
17 21-Apr Prek Toal Village-level Official M-78
18 21-Apr Prek Toal Community F-49
19 21-Apr Prek Toal Community F-70
20 22-Apr Prek Toal Community M-42
21 22-Apr Prek Toal Community M-55, M-29
22 22-Apr Anlong Taor Community F-51
23 22-Apr Anlong Taor Community FishingCommittee Member M-66
24 22-Apr Anlong Taor MoE Ranger M-33
25 22-Apr MoE Station, Prek Toal MoE Official M
26 22-Apr Phone WCS Representative M
27 23-Apr Prek Toal Community F-70
28 23-Apr Prek Toal Community F-55, F-22
29 23-Apr Prek Toal Community F-57
30 23-Apr Prek Toal Community F-39
31 23-Apr Prek Toal Community F-59
32 25-Apr Prek Toal Public School Teacher M-31
33 25-Apr Anlong Taor Public School Teacher M-42
34 25-Apr Anlong Taor Public School Teacher F-20
35 26-Apr Prek Toal Public School Teacher F-26
36 26-Apr Anlong Taor Public School Teacher F-27
37 26-Apr Prek Toal Commune-level Official M
38 27-Apr Anlong Taor Public School Teacher F-24
39 27-Apr Prek Toal Community FishingCommittee Member M-50
40 29-Apr Osmose Headquarters,Siem Reap Osmose Representative M
41 29-Apr Siem Reap Live & Learn Cambodia Representative M
Table 2:Full List of Interviews Conducted During Data Collection Period, April 2016