Today we did an exciting trip to Beong Pearaing Bird Sanctuary. I knew the place already from the Water Falling Festival last December, because that's where we did the second day cleanup together with the Eco Warriors and the volunteers from the bird sanctuary. Beong Pearaing is a community-based sanctuary for many birds, including the national bird of Cambodia - the ibis - as well as numerous small birds, mammals, lizards and snakes (which I am very happy we didn't see!). The importance of Pearaing for the overall biosphere of the Tonlé Sap, however, is less related to the beauty of the landscape and the birds, it is the fact, that the mother fish are breeding in this part of the lake.
Pearaing is facing the same problem as the rest of Cambodia:
Plastic Pollution! Plastic on the shores, in the water, in the breeding grounds.
Endangering the life of the birds, fish .. and at the end the people of Cambodia.
That's why the community from Pearaing contacted Pssbl, asking for support in the fight against plastic.
Together we are working on a "Code of Conduct" for the park, are having an plastic education workshop with the volunteers, teaching them about the risk of plastic pollution, and how to fight it - and in small achievable steps we are hopefully moving towards our goal "Beautiful Pearaing without Plastic".
We know we cannot achieve wonders over night, but together with the community from Pearaing and with well structured little steps, we can improve the situation, and hopefully help Pearaing to keep the beauty of the nature for the next generations.
It's Pssbl to make a Difference!
(Big thank you to Chris Hall for the beautiful bird pictures!)