Mother Nature Cambodia is one of the country's leading civil society groups, working since 2012 with frontline human rights activists to protect Cambodia's environment.
Our main mission is to assist and work alongside those Cambodians willing to take risks. Our main work focuses on exposing to large audiences the excesses, environmental destruction, and human rights abuses that all-too-often are linked to the out-of-control development the country has been seeing for over two decades.
Despite being subjected to arbitrary harassment on a regular basis, including the ongoing detention of 5 our members, we continue to strive forward, informing millions of Cambodians of what is truly happening in the name of so-called 'development'.
Support us in protecting Cambodia's natural heritage.
- URGENT APPEAL
- SUPPORT OUR 5 MEMBERS IN JAIL
OUR CAMPAIGNS
Investigate. Expose. Protect.
Investigate. Expose. Protect.
Investigate. Expose. Protect.
MNC’s investigations begin where the destruction is happening — on the ground. Our investigators travel to the crime scenes, speak with affected communities, talk to those directly involved (loggers, miners, etc.), gather footage and evidence, and confront local authorities. At the same time, we carry out online investigations — combing through government and corporate records (e.g. import/export data, company filings), analyzing satellite and radar imagery, and reviewing media reports.
Foreign Fishing Vessels
Investigate. Expose. Protect.
Investigate. Expose. Protect.
For years, foreign fishing vessels — especially from neighboring Vietnam and Thailand — have been for years entering Cambodian waters, plundering our marine resources with impunity.
Between 2021 and mid 2025, at least 1,350 Vietnamese boats were tracked inside Cambodian waters using satellite data. And that’s likely just the tip of the iceberg, since many vessels deliberately switch off their tracking systems to avoid detection. In late May 2025, we started our campaign aimed at exposing this massive and ongoing theft.
Save Koh Kong Island
Save Mangrove Forests
Save Mangrove Forests
No sewage, no garbage, no casinos, no out-of-control construction, and no economic land concessions. Instead, here you will find an island paradise of unparalleled beauty.
We take pride in seeing how such a stunning place, bestowed upon us by our Khmer ancestors, still exists.
We demand that this mysterious and jungle-clad island - the country's largest - is declared officially protected and that it remains fully preserved IN ITS CURRENT STATE for future generations of Cambodians.
Save Mangrove Forests
Save Mangrove Forests
Save Mangrove Forests
For years, government agencies aided and abetted the extraction and smuggling of millions of tons of marine sand from Koh Kong's estuaries to several countries, chiefly Singapore, under the ridiculous pretext that 'estuaries need to be deepened for navigational purposes', or that it reduces 'riverbank collapse'. After years of grassroots advocacy and a hard hitting expose on wide-scale fraud by our group, exports of marine sand have stopped since late 2016. Sadly, the extraction of river sand around Phnom Penh, which is causing widespread river bank collapses, and the secretive export of silica sand, continue unabated.
Jul 23rd, 2026
Jul 23rd, 2026
Jul 23rd, 2026
Silence? Silence? Silence? Is it totally silence?
The Ministry of Environment continues to move at a disgracefully slow, snail-like pace. The delay has gone far beyond what is reasonable, repeatedly demonstrating its failure to fulfil its own promises.
The Ministry proudly claims that it has been studying and documenting the environmental potential of Koh Kong Island since 2016. But where are the results? Will the so-called Dr. Eang Sophalleth dare to publicly explain how far the process of designating Koh Kong Island as a marine national park has actually progressed?
Five years, not five months, and certainly not five days. Five full years have passed, yet the Ministry still has not managed to designate Koh Kong Island as a marine national park. #savekohkongisland
Jul 2nd, 2026
Jul 23rd, 2026
Jul 23rd, 2026
"If you do nothing, you too will become a victim. It's simply not your turn yet."
July is a time for every Cambodian to ask ourselves: "What must we do next?" for social and environmental justice. Prison walls and bullets may silence a person, but they can never destroy conscience, integrity, or truth.
Let us keep the flame of justice alive. Do not let the sacrifices of Dr. Kem Ley and the Mother Nature Cambodia activists fade into silence.
Jun 29th, 2026
Jul 23rd, 2026
Jun 29th, 2026
Clearing forests and encroaching on protected areas under the guise of "development" and "investment" has become as easy as peeling a banana for corrupt officials and powerful figures in this nepotistic regime.
Another alarming discovery: Mother Nature Cambodia has uncovered multiple cases of mangrove forest destruction within the Koh Kapik Ramsar Site. In some areas, the mangrove forests have already been cleared and converted into coconut plantations.
We will continue to speak out about this issue until the mangrove forests are protected and kept safe.
Please share this video to help bring attention to this issue and demand action.
Thank you.
Our Cartoons
Jan 19th, 2026
Jan 19th, 2026
Jan 19th, 2026
Yim Leanghy: “When we fail to fulfill our duties as citizens in political, economic, cultural affairs, and in matters of natural resources, and we do not care about human rights, it means that we have seen human rights violations and remained silent. That means we ourselves become perpetrators of silent violence….”
How long are we going to fold our arms and watch human rights violations? Or will we wait until it knocks on our own doors?
#IamYimLeanghy
#freeourfriends
Jan 15th, 2026
Jan 19th, 2026
Jan 19th, 2026
Thun Ratha: “I am not afraid of losing my freedom as much as I am afraid of losing natural resources.”
It has been 562 days since Thun Ratha and four other friends were unjustly deprived of their freedom, yet there has never been a moment when Ratha has considered abandoning his determination to protect his country’s natural resources. Thun Ratha continually urges young people and fellow Cambodians to keep moving forward, even if he himself unable to take part in that journey. Please use your freedom to protect the natural resources that remain; otherwise, corruption will swallow everything.#IAmThunRatha#FreeOurFriends
Oct 20th, 2025
Jan 19th, 2026
Oct 20th, 2025
Three Key Issues concerning the indigenous Bunong community of Kbal Romeas (Old Village), Kbal Romeas Commune, Sesan District, Stung Treng Province, and the Chinese company, Saiv Gek Investment Co,. Ltd, as of October 17, 2025....
OUR PRIZES
2023 #Right Livelihood Award
2021 #Frontline Defenders Award
2021 #Frontline Defenders Award
2021 #Frontline Defenders Award
2021 #Frontline Defenders Award
2021 #Frontline Defenders Award