The Ministry of Environment has cancelled the planned ‘Ponlork Baitong’ Exhibition and the National One-Million Palm Tree Planting Event 2025, which were scheduled to take place from August 5 to 7. The ministry highlighted the current need to focus efforts on supporting Cambodia’s frontline soldiers along the Cambodia–Thailand border and the citizens who were displaced by the fighting.
Despite the cancellation, the ministry will continue the distribution of more than 3.4 million saplings to the public at 55 locations across the country, all free of charge. The saplings are intended to be planted in time for the current rainy season. Distribution points include provincial and capital-level environment departments. The public can easily find their locations by scanning QR codes provided by the ministry.
Ministry spokesman Khvay Atitya noted that sapling distribution is also taking place at five regional-level nurseries, located in Tbong Khmum, Siem Reap, Kampong Speu, Mondulkiri and Koh Kong provinces.
“We encourage all citizens to come and collect saplings and plant as many as possible, especially during the current rainy season. Not only will this create greener landscapes and improve climate resilience, but the trees planted now will grow into future forests and become a natural legacy for the next generation,” he said.
“They are also a source of food security and an essential part of our green leisure destination vision, which will attract eco-tourism and increase future local incomes,” he added.
Soo far this year, the ministry has prepared a total of 3,454,472 saplings. This includes 146,332 fruit trees, 1,933,736 forest trees and 1,374,434 sugar palm seedlings.
Each of the saplings is sourced from the ministry’s nationwide nurseries, contributions from partner organisations, provincial governments and local community protected area groups. In addition, environment minister Eang Sophalleth has provided palm tree saplings.
