THE GREEN SPACE – FIGHTERS FOR NATURE
The film follows three activists who dedicate their lives to preserving the Cambodian primeval rainforest which is threatened by corruption, illegal logging, poaching and land grabbing.
The Cardamom Mountains in Cambodia have 1.3 million hectares of primeval rainforest, the largest, unfragmented forest in continental South East Asia. Since 2001, Cambodia has lost 24% of its tree cover – a much higher percentage than larger forested countries like Brazil or Indonesia. It is home to over 59 red-listed species. The last wild tiger disappeared in 2007. The Wildlife Alliance, founded and led by Suwanna Gauntlett, has made it its mission to protect the native forests. Suzanna deploys 180 rangers at 10 ranger stations who help her enforce the law to stop poaching, illegal logging and land grabbing. Ouch Leng and Marcus Hardtke are fellow nature activists, but they have a different strategy. They campaign against the corruption networks in which politicians, the Vietnamese timber industry and Chinese investors are involved.