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Temples in Sunseet

CAMBODIAN
MONKS
TRAINING KIT

Cambodian Monks Training Kit-cover-Khmer.jpg

OVERVIEW

In 2019, the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB) in Cambodia and WWF's Beliefs & Values Programme published a six-module guide book for Buddhist monks in Cambodia. This came at the request of Buddhist leaders across Cambodia leading grassroots initiatives to protect and better manage forests and wildlife on the lands under their influence.

This network of engaged Buddhist monks requested capacity building on conservation issues, so that they could strengthen their technical skills and have a deeper understanding of conservation, in order to strengthen their initiatives to alleviate the suffering of nature and those who depend on it.

Watch the video opposite (part of Module Six) to learn more about the links between Buddhism and wildlife conservation.

'When we respect the environment, then nature will be good to us. When our hearts are good, then the sky will be good to us. The trees are like our mother and father, they feed us, nourish us, and provide us with everything; the fruit, leaves, the branches, the trunk. They give us food and satisfy many of our needs. So we spread the Dharma (truth) of protecting ourselves and protecting our environment, which is the Dharma of the Buddha.'  

Preah Maha Ghosananda, former Patriarch of Cambodian Buddhism

CAMBODIAN MONKS TRAINING TOOLKIT

The toolkit comprises of six modules spanning a wide range of topics including:

  • Module 1 – The conservation context and issues in Cambodia 

  • Module 2 – Beliefs and values

  • Module 3 – Wildlife rescue, animal handling and release procedures 

  • Module 4 – Conservation prayer animal release: a sustainable approach 

  • Module 5 – Use of threatened species in ornaments, food, traditional medicines and as pets

  • Module 6 – Camera trapping techniques. This is a series of five short YouTube videos

 

See below to download them in English or in Khmer. Please be aware that some of them are large files – around 18MB.

 

Module One

CONSERVATION CONTEXT & ISSUES IN CAMBODIA

Module Two

BELIEFS AND VALUES

Module Three

WILDLIFE RESCUE, ANIMAL HANDLING & RELEASE

Module Four

PRAYER ANIMAL RELEASE

Module Five

THREATENED SPECIES – AS ORNAMENTS, FOOD, MEDICINES, PETS

Module Six

CAMERA TRAPPING 

There are five practical guides on how to set up a camera trap on YouTube, most of them just four or five minutes long.

 

They are formatted so that the monks can use them on their smartphones while they are in the field.

See below for links to the different episodes on YoutTube.

1. Camera Traps for Conservation 

វីដេអូស្ដីអំពីគុណតម្លៃរបស់ម៉ាស៊ីនថតរូបស្វ័យប្រវត្តិទៅលើការអភិរក្ស(វគ្គ១)

2. Camera Trap Settings

វីដេអូស្ដីអំពីការកំណត់មុខងាររបស់ម៉ាស៊ីនថតរូបស្វ័យប្រវត្តិ(វគ្គ២)

3. Camera Traps in the Field 

 វីដេអូស្ដីអំពីការដំឡើងម៉ាស៊ីនថតរូបស្វ័យប្រវត្តិនៅក្នុងព្រៃ(វគ្គ៣) 

4. Camera Trap Data

វីដេអូស្ដីអំពីទិន្នន័យរបស់ម៉ាស៊ីនថតរូបស្វ័យប្រវត្តិ(វគ្គ៤

5. Buddhist Monks in Conservation

វីដេអូស្ដីអំពី ព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនា និងការអភិរក្ស(វគ្គ៥)

Green and Yellow
Mountains

Organisations involved in the

CAMBODIAN MONKS TRAINING KIT

Angkor Centre for Conservation Biology (ACCB) – A species conservation centre located at the base of Kbal Spean mountain, Phnom Kulen National Park, working to conserve wildlife and biodiversity in Cambodia

WWF works in more than 100 countries to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature. WWF's Beliefs & Values Programme supported this training programme

 

Get started

Key guidance documents

Interested in getting a collaboration or a project going with a faith community but not sure where to start? Check out these key guidance documents.

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