Abstract
This paper will introduce the history of forest resource management in Cambodia since the early 1960s. The integration of the country into the globalized capitalist economy has intensified since the end of the civil war in 1993. Such integration has not taken place naturally, but rather has been connected to political, social and economic process that has prompted Cambodia to exploit its forest resources and to emerge as a significant natural resource supplier country in the region. This leap, unfortunately, occurred during a time when Cambodia's physical and human capital had not yet recovered from 30 years of civil war. The resulting problems have negatively impacted a range of different areas, from biodiversity to people's livelihood. Currently, the community forestry (CF) practice is getting widespread attention as an alternative to forest management in Cambodia. Yet, little is known about the effectiveness of this emerging CF practices, thus further study is required.
