Protection of mangrove ecosystem in Mekong Delta

With a natural area of ​​39,734 km ² , long ago in the Mekong Delta (Mekong Delta) has formed and developed very unique natural ecosystems. These are U Minh Melaleuca forest ecosystems, coastal mangrove ecosystems, agricultural ecosystems. There are many nature reserves, bird gardens, natural bird sanctuaries . very attractive for ecotourism. In particular, the mangrove ecosystem in the provinces of Ca Mau, Kien Giang, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, Ben Tre . plays an extremely important role in socio-economic development, maintaining weight. by ecological environment of the whole area. The current question is to care for the protection of the mangrove ecosystem in the Mekong Delta.

The Mekong Delta currently has about 347,500 hectares of forests, of which 53,700 hectares are natural forests and 294,500 hectares are planted forests. Thus, the area of ​​forest cover in the whole region reaches less than 10% of the natural land area. In particular, the total area of ​​mangroves (occupied on alluvial alluvial alluvial grounds, river basins to the sea and inland lowlands) is less than 100,000 ha, concentrated in Ca Mau provinces (58,285 ha), Bac Lieu (4,142 ha), Soc Trang (2,943 ha), Tra Vinh (8,582 ha), Ben Tre (7,153 ha), Kien Giang (322 ha), Long An (400 ha) . Flooded forest This salty is always under the control of sea tide. The common mangrove flora in the coastal areas of the Mekong Delta is the species of white mangrove, mangrove, white cucumber, sour Sonneratia, split parrots, longevity, white lime, price, golden toad, water coconut .

According to the forestry sector, the Mekong Delta region has 98 species of mangrove trees; In addition, there are 36 mammal species, 182 bird species, 34 reptile species and 6 amphibian species in wetland ecosystems; Sea and coastal areas have 260 species of fish and seafood. These figures show biodiversity in the Mekong Delta. In the Mekong Delta region, there are 10 land areas of the established wetland conservation area and development investment such as: Ha Tien, Tram Chim National Park, U Minh Thuong Nature Reserve, Dat Mui National Park, Special use forest of Vo Doi, Bai Bo Ca Mau, Tinh Doi, Tra Su, Lang Sen and Lung Ngoc Hoang . Especially in Phu Quoc Island, Kien Giang Province has been invested in the demonstration project of coral reef conservation and seagrass in the component of the Thai Gulf and East Sea Degradation Project funded by the World Bank.

(Photo: Otter.org) In the past few years, the coastal mangrove forest has been strongly affected by the following reasons : deforestation for cultivation, deforestation for aquaculture, forest destruction for firewood and timber . Statistics show that in the period of 1980-1995 Mekong Delta provinces lost 72,825 ha of forest, an average annual loss of 4,855 ha at a rate of 5% / year. In recent years, the protection and development of coastal mangrove ecosystems have been taken care of by the provinces in the region, especially the national 5 million ha forest planting project and cooperation projects. international projects such as: Project to develop and protect coastal wetlands in Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang and Tra Vinh provinces; U Minh Thuong National Reserve Project, Program for Sustainable Use and Conservation of Wetlands Biodiversity . However, potential impacts are still threatening Saline forest ecology in Mekong Delta. This situation requires effective solutions in the planning of coastal wetland reserves, in the organization of economic and resource exploitation associated with the development of this particular ecosystem for protection and distribution. sustainable development of Mekong Delta region.

The area of ​​shrimp farming in mangrove forests is a factor that seriously affects the planning management and sustainable exploitation of coastal resources in the Mekong Delta region. Shrimp farming brings fast economic benefits, but the consequence is to reduce mangrove forest carpet, altering soil environment, water environment and ecological environment. Meanwhile, we do not have effective solutions in the issue of economic development associated with environmental protection for sustainable development in coastal areas in the Mekong Delta region. Mangrove losses entail a series of environmental and ecological changes in the area. The high-coverage mangrove forest carpet becomes lonely, fragmented and divided into many small carpets and replaced by shrimp ponds, ditches and ditches, mud slugs to collect shrimp water surface; polluted soil environment due to large alum process; cleared soil increases the process of leaching due to rain, increasing the spread of alum in soil, water and ecosystems; reduce sediment deposition process due to deforestation; Biodiversity is rapidly declining because there are no suitable conditions for living and residing species; an increase in microclimate environment, coastal erosion, estuaries . increases the ecological imbalance in the region. Consequences of money labels are mass deaths of shrimp in coastal areas so far.

The increasing saline intrusion process has affected traditional agricultural ecosystems, wet rice, copper fish, fruit trees, industrial trees . while the ability to implement socio-economic development plans in The area has not met the practical requirements. Irrigation projects in saline areas, rice-shrimp rotation areas, saline intrusion prevention zones . have not yet been effective in practice and are becoming a concern of all levels of government and management agencies. and people. Coastal aquaculture waste, especially shrimp farming, is increasing the pressure on the environment and the sustainability of the aquaculture system with protection of the mangrove ecosystem.

Protection and development of coastal mangrove ecosystems is one of the urgent requirements to ensure the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta region in the coming time. To ensure this requirement and task, it is necessary to focus on solving the following basic issues:

Environmental planning in socio-economic development in coastal areas, especially environmental planning for the protection and development of mangrove ecosystems in the Mekong Delta, ensuring sustainable development in the region. Ecological zoning in the planning of conservation and development of coastal areas, with a focus on multi-sectoral and multi-sectoral approach to agriculture-forestry-fishery and environmental protection in socio-economic development objectives .

Accelerate the implementation of projects to conserve and develop coastal mangrove ecosystems, projects to plant and regenerate coastal mangrove forests; It is strictly forbidden to cover estuarine mudflats for aquaculture to destroy natural processes and accretion and develop young mangrove forests. At the same time, planning for wetland conservation zones and protecting the biodiversity of wetlands, natural bird sanctuaries, special-use mangrove protection forests and coastal protection valuable as shields. environmental protection in the Mekong Delta.

Ecological approach to deeply study the relationship of components in the mangrove ecosystem, especially the species composition of biodiversity, habitat and conditions of residence and generation and generation development of the entire population in the ecosystem, to enhance the economic and ecological resources development capabilities in the region. Evaluating self-cleaning ability and load bearing capacity of mangrove ecosystems to avoid adverse impacts on ecosystems, losing valuable values ​​of coastal mangrove ecosystems in the area Mekong Delta region.

Strengthening the role of state management of local authorities at all levels, especially local authorities and forestry agencies, the environment in the effective protection and development of mangrove ecosystems coastal in the Mekong Delta region.

Rapidly increase the greening area of ​​coastal protective forest carpet, protect mangrove forests from being cut down for firewood, timber and aquaculture. Monitoring and monitoring the quality of degraded mangrove forest and mangrove ecosystems to promptly deal with issues of loss to water resources, land resources and biological resources, ensuring Stability of this ecosystem.

In short, the mangrove ecosystem is a valuable resource in many ways. Protecting this ecosystem is to protect the stability and balance of both the economic system and the environmental system during the Mekong Delta region development process.

PHAM DINH DON (Department of Environmental Protection in the Southwest Region)