The Central Cardamom Mountains National Park, which stretches across the border between western Cambodia and Thailand, is the largest wilderness forest in continental Southeast Asia, covering an area of approximately 990,000 hectares, including two adjacent protected areas. It is home to more than 50 IUCN Red List species, including the Asian black bear, Asian elephant, Pangolin, Green peafowl, Siamese crocodile, and Asian arowana. However, Cambodia is experiencing rapid deforestation, and the Central Cardamoms Mountains National Park is no exception. One of the main causes of deforestation is the poverty of the local population, and people living in forested areas have repeatedly illegally logged forests or converted them to agricultural land in order to generate income. Furthermore, in the past few years, more and more people from neighboring areas have migrated to the area, putting more and more pressure on the forest resources. The challenge is to ease the tension between traditional residents and new residents, and to work together as a whole to raise awareness of forest conservation.

Butterflies are abundant in tropical forests, which overlap with poor regions in developing countries. The residents in this region have limited sources of income, and it is not uncommon for them to illegally exploit forest resources for their livelihood. Different species of butterflies feed on different foods (nectar and ripe fruits) during the adult stage and on different plants during the larval stage, and the presence of diverse and healthy forests is essential for the conservation of butterflies. A forest that is home to a variety of butterflies is a sign of a forest rich in biodiversity.

The business of breeding butterflies and selling them to developed countries was born in the 1980s, as butterflies began to be widely exhibited in butterfly gardens and zoos in Europe. Especially since 2000, the volume of trade has increased and production has spread to many regions in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and East Africa. There are several examples of community-based butterfly breeding contributing to local forest conservation. In Cambodia’s forest areas, which have abundant butterfly resources, the introduction of a butterfly breeding business would contribute to improving the livelihoods of residents and provide an opportunity to increase incentives for forest conservation, and is attracting attention as part of a program to support residents. It is expected that forest environmental education on the importance of forest biodiversity, along with butterfly breeding, will help raise awareness of forest conservation.

In Japan, advanced research and projects in forest environmental education have been conducted, and these activities have been highly evaluated at international conferences (IUFRO, etc.). Systematic educational systems are being developed in school education and community activities. Citizen-level environmental monitoring by the volunteers have also been conducted on an ongoing basis. Many activities are connected with the government.

• By implementing environmentally sustainable butterfly farming activities, it can become a valuable source of income for people living around forests in developing countries, where opportunities for cash income are limited.
• Butterfly breeding activities can be used as an environmental education tool to raise awareness of forest and nature conservation among local residents. Outdoor information signs and video viewing are effective for this purpose※
  ※The original residents of Cambodia have little interest in butterflies and little awareness of the butterfly breeding business. In rural areas, access to information is limited, so the video was effective in providing an overall picture of the business. It has become a tool to introduce the benefits of business and the relationship between butterflies and forests to schools and residents, and to raise awareness about local butterfly breeding methods and forest conservation.

• By spreading knowledge among residents about the importance of local forest ecosystems through butterfly breeding, it is expected that incentives for forest conservation will increase throughout the region.
• Providing opportunities to educate boys/girls interested in insects may be a possibility that they will become responsible for forest ecosystem conservation in Cambodia when they grow up.
• Butterfly breeding activities can be done indoors or in a small area adjacent to the house. In addition, women can work on the project in between raising children and doing housework. In the model implementation area, the butterfly breeding workshop also became a place for local women to gather and enjoy this activity. In rural Cambodia, there are few opportunities and places for women-led activities, and providing activities for women is expected to lead to significant empowerment of women.
• This activity is in line with the “participation of youth, women, and local communities” addressed in the international targets for biodiversity conservation (post-Aichi targets). Butterfly breeding activities are easily accessible to local women, and it is expected that women’s autonomy will be enhanced through these activities. Forest conservation is closely related to agricultural work and daily life, which are mainly carried out by women, and forest conservation can be effectively promoted by women acquiring knowledge about forest conservation and being able to participate in decision-making.

• Since some countries prohibits selling butterflies by law, it is necessary to obtain information in advance when developing a similar business.
• The capture and handling of rare species requires careful consideration under the guidance of experts.
• To implement environmental education, collaboration with local elementary schools and teachers can be effective.
• It is necessary to explain that butterfly breeding requires a lot of time and love, but never a high income.
• Since butterfly growth and vegetation conditions change with the seasons, prior surveys should be timed carefully.