Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake, a globally important fishery and carbon store, is rapidly losing flooded forests to deforestation, wildfire, and invasive species. Since 2010, Conservation International has worked with Community Fisheries to restore these habitats through nursery planting, direct seeding, and assisted natural regeneration. The work has revived 10 gallery forest species, including six globally threatened species, while supporting biodiversity such as the endangered hairy-nosed otter and the return of the fishing cat after more than a decade without confirmed records in the area. The program also strengthens community stewardship, stores carbon, and creates income opportunities for marginalized communities.

Continued support is needed because communities face limited experience, resources, and large-scale degradation. CI works with them to improve restoration techniques, study tree ecology, and identify effective ways to recover this unique ecosystem before degraded areas are overtaken by invasive shrubs and weeds.