People live in the forest or in the wild depend their livelihood mainly on timeber and non-timber forest products, starting from wild honey, bamboo shoots, fruits, flowers and vegetables. After few raindrops when the soil is wet before the heavy rains, people are excited to collect those products and earn incomes. However, timber collection is illegal these days. Prized timber includes rosewood and black wood. They are almost extinct from the wild now.
ផ្សិតក្ងោក Peacock mushroom - grows naturally in the wild in collected in May
What are the season to collect those NTFPs?
- Wild honey: best to collect in dry season between December - April. One liter of pure wild honey costs between 15-25$. Cambodian people use wild honey in food as well as treatment of stomach problem.
- Fruits: collected based on seasons, many wild fruits harvesting is between Mar- May.
- Flowers and vegetables: collected after few raindrops, between April - early May. Mushrooms, green leaves and some wild flowers can be collected here.
- Bamboo, vine & rattan: Bamboo shoots: they can be replanted in the farms for mass productions since they are essential vegetables and are popular among local people. However, you can still collect from the wild.
- Medical plants: prior to medicines from the lab we are using today, Cambodian people had been using medical plants that they collect form the wild. Many local people still use them these days. They don't have much side effects and people boil them to drink like tea everyday. Some medical plants cure internal disease like intestine problem or stomach problem while some others cure external inflammations.
White chestwood flowers from the wild in Siem Reap around Angkor Wat temple (they are not edible but its fruits) it gives local incomes from selling them. People use them to pay homage to Buddha
Walking with elephants in the newly leave season (exclusive BTS tour) Some of the leaves are used in cooking so people would pick them and sell at the market
The fruit of Edible willugbeia (Willughbeia edulis) in its season between May - sold on the street in Siem Reap. They are found in the forest around Angkor Wat temples
Barringtonia (Cocky apple, Kra doon, Slow Match Tree, Wild Guava), picked up fresh from the wild (LG. Sophia_20). They are good used as side vegetables with dipsauce
Peacock's mushroom
Peacock mushroom grows in mangrove forest areas of Siem Reap. Were so lucky to see them. They have to know the area to spot them.
Jelly flower or Thai tulip in Preah Vihear
Turtle’s nail from the wild
ផ្ការាំងផ្ចឹកលើខ្នងភ្នំត្បែង និងព្រៃសហគមន៍សង្ឃរុក្ខាវ័ន្ត Inedible flowers, bloom in the month of January/February
Who have the experiences collecting those items from the wild?
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