Rattan Conservation Statue in Cambodia What is Rattan:

Rattans are climbing palms belonging to the Palmae family. There are around 600 different species of rattan belonging to 13 genera. (WWF-Cambodia Sustainable Rattan Harvest &Production) - Rattans mostly grow in forest, where they climb up other plants to reach the sunlight using specially adapted organs covered in recurved hooks. Seedlings grow well in forest canopy gaps where sunlight can penetrate to the ground. Rattans grow slowly when they are still in the seedling stage, but mature plants grow faster. (A Field guide of the rattans of Cambodia P 2)

There are two mains species of rattan in Cambodia, piidau (Calamus viminalis Will) and ropeak (Calamus salicifolius Becc). http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5336e/x5336e0m.htm (15 December 2010) - Cambodian Rattan resources are scattered across the country but are found mainly in well protected forest areas.
(WWF-Cambodia Sustainable Rattan Harvest &Production)

in June 2006 with the completion of a field survey which identified rattan species, their distribution and trade in the following provinces: Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear, Siem Reap, Battambang, Uddor Mean Chey, Pausat, Koh Kong-Cardamom Mountain, Kampot-Bokor, ViracheyRattanakiri, Kratie, Keo Seima-Mondulkiri, and the municipalities of Pailin city, Ream National Park and Sihanoukville. In Cambodia, 14 species have been recorded and the survey identified the following 12 rattan commercial species as potential for sustainable management, Calamus erinaceus, Calamus godefroyi, Calamus palustris, Calamus viminalis, Calamus rudentum, Calamus salicifolius, Daemonorops jenkinsiana, Calamus tenuis, Calamus sp, Myrialepis sp, Plectocomia sp, Korthalsia bejaudii.

Useful of Rattan Rattans have been used for centuries by local communities for food, construction materials, traditional medicine, and furniture. Rattan shoots of many species of Calamus and Daemonorops jenkinsiana are edible and are preferred food by forest dwellers. (A Field guide of the rattans of Cambodia P 2)

(WWF-Cambodia Sustainable Rattan Harvest &Production)

Rattan is an important commodity in international trade and generates a significant amount of foreign exchange. At the local level, rattan plays an important role in the livelihoods of rural community as a source of food and income. The two rattan species were found in all survey sites and they are commonly used for mattress, basketry, and furniture.

The survey found that rattan is one of the main Non Timber Forest Products and made a crucial contribution to local livelihoods, especially in small cities. Rattan canes are vitally important to farmers providing extra income in addition to their normal agricultural activities.

Threat on Rattan
According to a national survey carried out by WWF (Vuthy, Hourt, 2006) the main threats to rattan are over-harvesting and deforestation due to forest land conversion and frequent forest/habitat fires. (A Field guide of the rattans of Cambodia P 1) The degradation of rattan resources affects both the livelihoods of forest dwellers and biodiversity in Cambodia. Currently, rattan harvesting and collection are not adequately regulated, and replanting is not generally practiced. This makes even harder the task of ensuring that there is a steady supply of rattan (whether raw canes, processed or finished products) for community livelihoods, marketing and trade. (A Field guide of the rattans of Cambodia P 2) Rattan processing and product development skills and techniques are currently not well developed, thereby limiting marketing options for rural communities dependent on forest resources for their livelihoods. (A Field guide of the rattans of Cambodia P 2)

According to the survey results, Calamus viminialis and C. palustris could be the ones to receive first priority for plantation development because of their ability to grow countrywide. The two rattan species were found in all survey sites and they are commonly used for mattress, basketry, and furniture. Some of the rattan species such as Daemonorops jenkinsiana, Calamus rudentum, and Phdao Teuk Khmum (Calamus sp.) have been over-harvested which has led the species to be crucially threatened. For this reason, sustainable management or conservation strategies must be established to avoid the species going extinct. Forest land encroachment and conversion to other land use purposes is putting pressure on rattan resources.

(WWF-Cambodia Sustainable Rattan Harvest &Production)