CONSERVATIONISTS hope a new field guide documenting some of the Kingdom’s many species of rattan will help make the domestic industry sustainable over the long term.

The rattan field guide, produced with research supported by the conservation group WWF, documents rattan species in 13 provinces. It is hoped people in the domestic rattan-producing industry will use the guide to learn the ideal places to plant correct rattan species to meet market demands, cutting down on wasted harvests.

“Currently, the Cambodian rattan industry cannot compete with other rattan-manufacturing countries,” said Michelle Owen, the conservation programme manager for the WWF in Cambodia.

The field guide is part of a project aimed at enhancing the Cambodian rattan industry and improve its competitiveness in what is estimated to be a US$4 billion global market.