Remote Sensing for the Environment of Angkor Site (REAS) (2013-2016)

Date：2017-02-17

This project is based on an MOU, signed in 2013, between HIST and APSARA, the Cambodian National Authority responsible for the management of Angkor World Heritage site.

REAS project has gathered significant data on land use change in an area of nearly 5000 sq.km surrounding the 440 sq.km Angkor World Heritage site, including that within the cchments of the Pourk, Siem Reap and Rolous rivers that are critical to Angkor hydraulics. Several research publications have been generated from data gathered that are jointly authored by HIST and AIR scientists, senior APSARA Officials and staff of UNESCO Office in Phnom Penh in Cambodia.

HIST representatives participate in the bi-annual technical and plenary sessions of the International Coordinating Committee (ICC) of Angkor, Chaired by the Cambodia-based Ambassadors of France and Japan, and presents progress achieved under REAS. Many of the findings reported by HIST at the ICC sessions, in particular the application of SAR technology for monitoring relationships between ground water extraction and the risk of land subsidence in the vicinity of selected Angkor monuments has been well received by the ICC.

The project is contributing to ICC’s and UNESCO World Heritage Committee’s wish to strengthen linkages between the conservation of World Heritage sites and sustainable development of surrounding regions. REAS Project has been assigned a villa as work station within the APSARA Administrative Complex in Siem Reap with the expectation that HIST will take necessary steps to extend the project beyond its current termination date of the end of 2016