The Ministry of Environment is conducting a round of second excavations of fossilised wood at Phnom Phou Ngoy in Stung Treng province, noting that the specimens, believed to be between 100,000 and 2 million years old, could provide valuable historical insights for Cambodia and the world.
Work is being conducted at the site, in Katot village, Kampun commune, Sesan district, from October 21 to 30. The work aims to strengthen the conservation and sustainable management of natural heritage resources for future generations.
Lim Vannchan, head of an office with the Department of Natural Heritage at the ministry’s General Directorate of Local Communities, explained that the first excavations at Phnom Phou Ngoy took place in July 2025 and yielded significant findings.
The team discovered fossilised wood measuring approximately one metre in diameter and up to 17 metres long. Preliminary assessments indicated that the specimen was between 100,000 and 2 million years old and belonged to a dicotyledonous plant group, which includes many flowering plants that remain widespread today.
During a 2025 excavation, the team uncovered a fossilised tree trunk measuring up to 40 metres long and approximately one metre in diameter, as well as another fossilised tree nearby measuring about 10 metres long, he said.
Building on the promising results of the first excavation, the ministry launched the second phase.
The team will collect and compile additional scientific data and develop a protection plan for the natural heritage site to prevent destruction and preserve its historical significance for Cambodia and the international community.
As of 2026, the ministry has identified and catalogued 78 fossil sites nationwide. They are located in Preah Vihear, Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri, Kratie, Pailin, Oddar Meanchey, Kampot, Koh Kong, Kampong Thom, Pursat and Stung Treng provinces.
In addition to researching and mapping fossil sites, the ministry has conducted excavations in several provinces to study fossil characteristics and the geological layers in which they are found, gather scientific data and assess appropriate conservation measures for the country’s natural heritage resources.