The planting and protecting mangrove forests are consideredeffective measures to protect the environment, prevent and against storms as well as solve socio-economic problems at locality. It is estimated that the ecosystem services from mangrove forests annually provide at least $ 1.6 billion for coastal residents.
Potential of mangroves in Vietnam
Vietnam has a huge area of mangrove forest, mainly in the South, especially in the Ca Mau province.
Mangrove forests play an enormous role in disaster prevention and environmental improvements such as extending the coastal area, embankment protection, and erosion control. The research results showed that the area of newly planted mangroves would make build up the ground and make up a “green wall” protecting sea dikes. Thanks to the mangrove forests, the sea dyke are not eroded, thus that contributes to prevent natural disasters. The dyke’s foundation will be stronger because of land deposition. Therefore, the cost of annual repair of dykes has been reduced significantly. Animals, especially water bottom animals have been raised quickly after forest restoration.
In addition to the environmental value, mangrove forests in Vietnamhave great economic as well as tourism values, typically eco-tourism Can Gio mangrove forest (in Ho Chi Minh City). Can Gio has been recognized as the first UNESCO biosphere reserve in Vietnam. The World Tourism Organization has also recognized Can Gio one of the two eco-tourism areas for sustainable development of the world. Can GioMangroveForest has a total area of 75, 740 hectares with rich diversity of fauna and flora, which is suitable for eco-tourism and recreation. The Vam Sat Eco-tourism alone has successfully built a natural bird sanctuary with an area of 100 hectares.
Mangrove protection against the invasive threats
In the past, most of Vietnam covered by forests, but in only a century, forests are heavily degraded by undirected tourism exploitation and massive aquaculture production. By the middle of the twentieth century, almost the forests of the Red River Delta and the Mekong Delta and forests on the coastal lowlands have cut down for cultivation and building villages. The forests have covered 43% of natural area. As a result, many forests turn into infertile soil. The remaining forests in the Northhave been degraded, and divided into small scattered forests.
The Can Gio mangrove forest became a tourists attraction at home and abroad
To protect and develop mangrove forests, along with the planning of mangrove forest areas, Vietnamhas renewed mangroves conservation and sustainable development policies in highlighting the role of community and collaboration of international organizations. Specifically, since 1996 Vietnamhas cooperated with the Danish and Japanese Red Cross Society to newly plant over 10,000 hectares of mangroves in 8 northern coastal provinces.
Besides, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has also approved the technical cooperation program for the protection of coastal and mangrove forests to adapt to climate change in the Mekong Delta with a total investment of 21 million euros. In addition, the Government piloted benefit sharing in the management, protection, and sustainable development of special-use forests, including mangrove forests. The people are entitled to exploit and use resources as well as breed animals and plants in special-use forests as regulated. At the same time, they also have duties to protect, preserve, and develop sustainably this special resource.
Pham Oanh
Đăng ký: VietNam News