Royal Kram NS/RKM/0208/07 on promulgation of the Law on Protected Areas.

This Law provides for the management, conservation and development of natural protected areas to ensure the conservation of biodiversity and guarantee the use of natural resources in a sustainable manner.
The Law consists of 11 Chapters divided into 66 articles: General provisions (1); Responsible institutions (2); Establishment and modification of protected areas (3); Zoning (4); National strategic and active plans for protected areas management (5); Involvement and access rights of local communities and indigenous ethnic minority communities (6); Education, dissemination, rehabilitation, improvement and funding of protected areas (7); Permits and prohibitions, and social and environmental impact assessment (8); Law enforcement and procedures to address offences (9); Natural resource offences and penalties (10); and Final Provisions (11).
The Law recognizes the power of the Ministry of Environment to manage natural protected areas. The Ministry shall have a Nature Protection and Conservation Administration to protect and conserve nature and to engage staff for managing the natural protected areas in line with the policy of the Royal Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The Administration for Natural Protection and Conservation shall have the following duties: develop strategies, action plans and technical guidelines for managing natural protected areas; submit requests on developing/changing any natural protected areas as required by the Royal Government or in compliance with conventions, protocols, and regional and international agreements; take action for researching, preventing and suppressing offences against natural resources; develop and prepare agreements on development programs for communities in natural protected areas; etc.
The Law further classifies natural protected areas into eight categories as follows: National Parks; Wildlife Sanctuaries; Protected Landscapes; Multi Use Areas; Ramsar Sites; Biosphere Reserves; Natural Heritage Sites; and Marine Parks. Each natural protected area shall be divided into four management zoning systems: Core zone; Conservation zone; Sustainable use zone; and Community zone.
The Law shall also develop a National Protected Area Strategic Management Plan which shall include the following: objectives of the conservation, rehabilitation, prevention, etc. of illegal activities and sustainable use of natural resources within protected areas; current status of natural resources and ecosystems within each zone; assessment of the contribution of each protected area to achieving biodiversity and natural resources protection and conservation; etc.