Forest resources have decreased by about 2 million hectares over the past two decades and will continue to decline even taster if there are not any strict measures to ensure the sustainable management. However, the remaining forest cover, about 63 percent of the total country's area. will provide prosperity, economy and genuine environment, to the nation if it is properly managed.
The proper management and development of forest resource, however, face a number of constraints. The main identified constrains arc insecurity, lack of budget, poor law enforcement, poor infrastructure, lack of experienced and skilled staff, and lack of awareness on natural resources conservation among a vast majority of people.
A recent joint World Bank/UNDP/FAO mission developed some future scenarios. The projections for year 2010 are compared to 1993 forest cover in Table 1.5. It may be noted that it is assumed under all scenarios that edaphic forest would remain fully or highly protected.
Table 1.5 - Changes in Forest types (1993-2010) "area in ha"
Source: Joint World Bank. UNDP and FAO mission estimates in Cambodia 1995.
