Enhancing Conservation Planning in Cambodia Through Innovative Participatory 3D Topographical Map
The Keo Seima REDD+ project, implemented by USAID Morodok Baitang’s conservation partner Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Cambodia in collaboration with the Cambodian Ministry of Environment, focuses on carbon credits in exchange for forest protection. Land mapping is a key component in sustainable development and environmental stewardship projects like this. It plays a pivotal role in empowering local communities by equipping them with the tools and knowledge needed to contribute actively to conservation efforts.
By involving the community, the project strengthens its ability to manage its land use and builds a sense of ownership over the conservation of the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary (KSWS) in Mondulkiri province. This approach creates inclusive participation, ensuring that conservation planning meets the needs of marginalized groups while promoting long-term environmental and social benefits for all 20 Keo Seima REDD+ communities.
However, engaging the local community to be effective in managing natural resources and protecting the forest requires ongoing commitment and support.
3D Map: Bringing the Landscape to Life
Aerial view of Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary in Cambodia. Photo credit: USAID Morodok Baitang
The boundaries in the KSWS, especially in the O Pongrong Community Protected Area (CPA), are complex and constantly changing. Therefore, having clear maps that the community understands will support better conservation decisions, actions, and monitoring. This activity aims to help communities identify core conservation zones, sustainable use zones, and community zones where communities have access to their farming land.
Traditional 2D maps can be difficult to interpret, as they only provide clarity to those familiar with this type of representation. In contrast, creating a 3D map that displays elevation levels, mountains, hills, and rivers (both perennial and seasonal) involves the community directly and provides a much clearer understanding of the boundaries. This approach facilitates respect for the boundaries and encourages collective efforts to protect the forest and resources.
To help the REDD+ community members reconnect with their landscape, USAID Morodok Baitang, in a unique partnership with SERVIR Southeast Asia (SERVIR SEA) and WCS Cambodia, launched an initiative aimed at raising awareness and empowering villagers, including women and youth, to participate in conservation planning through 3D topographical map building. This effort began with a 3D map-making workshop held in Putrom village from August 25–27, 2024.
"Community participation in building [the] 3D topographical map is a powerful tool for visualizing landscapes, enabling communities to better understand and manage their environment. It allows them to see the connections between different land features and empowers communities to make informed decisions about their environment and plan more effectively for conservation," said Quyen Nguyen, Geospatial Manager – Ecosystem and Carbon Management at SERVIR SEA, who led the 3D topographic map building at the event.
Kimtheng Sen (pictured right), Community Engagement and Gender Manager at USAID Morodok Baitang, who spearheaded this initiative, stated, "It’s essential to introduce new and creative approaches to the community to capture their attention and encourage active engagement in conservation. Our proposed 3D mapping exercise would support and enhance the knowledge of the local community about their environment and available resources. This would inspire them to mobilize local efforts to protect and conserve their forest and resources.”
During the workshop, Kimheak Chhay from WCS Cambodia, who was leading and coordinating with the community, observed that the process of creating the 3D map for Putrom village was engaging and provided good knowledge for the participants.
"The 3D map visually illustrates land use in Pu Trom village, addressing community concerns about their confusion regarding prohibited areas and authorized areas for cultivation and farming. Their better understanding helps reduce pressure on conservation objectives and promote Indigenous people to exercise their customary land rights," explained Kimheak. “This participatory 3D mapping initiative will help empower the local community in implementing WCS Cambodia’s conservation planning and practices within the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary.”
Community members work on the topographical map. Photo credit: USAID Morodok Baitang
To create the 3D map, they printed a 2D map with topographical lines indicating elevation. The community members then copied each topographic layer and cut it out of cardboard. Layer by layer, they built the landscape, always checking the 2D map to ensure that the layers were accurate. After gluing them all together, the landscape became 3D, visualizing all the details. Then the community undertook the challenging task of indicating the boundaries by using different colors for various sites, designating the Community Protected Area, Core Zone, Spiritual Forest, Sustainable Use Zone, Reserved Lands, and Residential Area.
Community members glue the cardboard map pieces together. Photo credit: USAID Morodok Baitang
New Map, New Commitment, New Hope
"The 3D map is amazing! This has been a historic event for me, as I’ve learned a completely new approach. From the start to the completion of the 3D map, I gained valuable insights into my community's land and resources," said Sret Pyom, an Indigenous Community Title leader from Putrom who actively participated in the map-making alongside his community members.
Sret finds the 3D map useful and will aid his community in monitoring changes in the forest and biodiversity within the CPA, raise awareness about conservation, and empower the community to actively protect the area.
“I hope that we can preserve this 3D map for future generations to use as well. I believe it will help the younger generations to better understand their ancestral land and inspire them to continue protecting both the land and the forest,” Sret added.
Chen Chrek (pictured left), a community member from Putrom I village, shared her enthusiasm about connecting with people from her neighboring villages and receiving the training. She particularly appreciated the chance to learn about the knowledge of the map for better land-use strategies.
"3D mapping is an entirely new experience for me. This knowledge is like the eye opening. I thought my village zone was the highest, but it was not after I learnt from this map. By doing this 3D mapping together by hand, this taught me about more details such as where the burial land, spiritual forest, or highest possible ground is located. This helps me to replant better, closer to the water flow; where not to expand agricultural activities; or find the safe place to stay if there is any unexpected disaster,” Chen claimed.
The Happy Outcome
At the end of the workshop, the participants successfully created a 1.4m by 1.1m 3D topographical map, scaled at 1:10,000. Spanning an area of 13 km by 10.5 km, the map features the O Pong Rong CPA, indirectly benefiting nearly 2,500 people within the community. This 3D map serves as a key tool for guiding future conservation efforts in the KSWS.
The 3D map also captivated 32 local journalists during the Keo Seima REDD+ awareness trip hosted by the Ministry of Environment and WCS Cambodia on September 22, 2024. The Putrom community used its newly crafted map to showcase the landscape and highlight its conservation efforts, leaving a strong impression on the visiting journalists.
Next, WCS Cambodia, under Keo Seima REDD+ project implementation, will deploy this model with six other communities to aid those communities in their conservation planning and action.
For questions, please contact Mr. Vannak Lach, Senior Communications and Outreach Specialist at vannak.lach@tetratech.com.
This story was adapted from a piece originally published on Exposure on October 14, 2024.
