Mangrove co-management in Sóc Trăng

Emilie Cremin (University of Glasgow), Irene Mussio (Newcastle University), Hue Thi Van Le (VNU-CRES), Siobhan Warrington (Newcastle University), Ly Bui Ha (CRES), Anh Nguyen (CRES). Acitivity organised by Hieu Hong Hua, Le Hoang Hai Anh, and Pham Kim Oanh (Can Tho University).

We met a team from the Forest Department and the male and female forest rangers who conduct mangrove forest surveillance in the Sóc Trăng Mangrove Forest Reserve in Vinh Chau, Vietnam. This meeting was part of our field trip during the Living Deltas’ Annual Meeting. 

Group picture with the Forest Department of Sóc Trăng province. (Credit: fieldtrip member)

Sóc Trăng

Located south of the Hậu River, the southernmost tributary of the Mekong River, Sóc Trăng is facing the impact of environmental change in the Mekong River basin. Sediment retention by dams constructed upstream, extraction of sand from the riverbed, sea level rise, increased pressure of waves on the shores, and mangrove deforestation is leading to progressive coastal erosion.   

Along the coast between Bạc Liêu and Sóc Trăng, there are10,000 hectares of forest. Within the forest, mangroves composed of 26 species including Sonneratiacea, Avicenniaceae, Rhizophoraceae, Combretaceae (Pham Trong Thinh,2011) make up 7,000 hectares .

Mangrove forests provide multiple ecosystem services to human communities living in the river delta coastal areas. They regulate multiple hazards like storms and currents, and protect critical infrastructures (such as sea dikes) and communities' agricultural lands and settlements. The mangroves work as a buffer that absorb the waves and the sediments which helps to alleviate the pressure exerted on the seashore. The sediments retained by the mangroves provide a rich habitat for crabs, snails and fish. Local stakeholders and communities are working together to restore and expand the mangrove forest.

Protecting the mangrove 

A co-management project to protect the mangrove was established in Âu Thọ B village in Vĩnh Châu Town’s Vĩnh Hải Commune in 2007, with the aim of strengthening the link between the people of the coastal area and the conservation authorities. Under the mangrove co-management model, local people together with authorities protect the forests, replant, protect, maintain, and finally restore the mangrove. To restore and expand the forests, 19 teams of forest guards were established. Each team is made up of 10 to 13 people of local villages, mainly men with some women. They become members of the forest conservation team and are employed as forest guards to patrol the forest and control whether anyone has entered the forest to cut down the mangroves (for firewood or construction) or establish illegal ponds. The guards directly report to the local authorities. They need to be committed to their task and they are paid for it, as it can be sometimes unpleasant to track people who cut down mangrove trees. Under the Forestry Law, any action which might affect mangrove trees negatively needs to get permission from the government.  

The co-management model for mangrove forest protection in Sóc Trăng Province can improve the livelihoods of local communities if they gain benefit from the activities, either as an income or through the ecosystem services restored. Apart from their responsibilities in forest management, they witness the collection of crabs, fish, and snails by local people. Collection is permitted if it does not affect the mangrove forests. The aim is to sustainably harvest resources, whilst efficiently protecting both aquatic resources and the woods. 

Mangrove trees ready to be transplanted. (Credit: Emilie Cremin)

Funding to protect the mangroves 

Funding to support the plantation of mangrove trees has come from the cooperation between the Sóc Trăng Provincial People’s Committee and the INGOs - GIZ Germany and Japanese NGOs. The funds are used to expand the mangrove forest area, but forest managers have expressed the need for increased funding to better protect existing forests and plant new mangrove trees. As people increasingly use gas instead of wood for cooking, forest guards report that illegal cutting of trees has reduced, however, the current threat is illegal cutting to extend the area for shrimp ponds.  

The current extension plan, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, is to increase the area of the forest by 200 hectares per year. However, the plan faces challenges. It takes three years for the planted mangrove trees to make roots, and they can get covered by sediments within their first year. This erosion can be severe due to the lack of sediment deposits, especially due to the strong waves and water current, particularly in the stretches of land which are severely eroded (between Vinh Chau and Bac Lieu). As a result, a significant amount of newly planted mangroves can be lost. To counteract this risk mangrove seedlings are now planted between the two dikes so that the young trees can be better protected.  

A mangrove seed tries to find a place to grow. But the beach is eroding. (Credit: Emilie Cremin)

Erosion along the beach.  (Credit: Emilie Cremin)

How can scientists help identify suitable areas to plant mangrove trees?  

The coast is very dynamic and the tide changes the sediment deposits daily. As islands are created, mangrove trees can be planted, but often a storm will cover the newly planted mangroves and they won’t survive. By monitoring sediment measurements areas with accretion and erosion along the coast can be identified. Our Living Deltas research on mini buoys is dedicated to investigating this issue. The findings and recommendations from this research can be extended to the Mekong coast. 

References and further reads:  

Coastal Protection for the Mekong Delta (CPMD) a decision support tool: https://coastal-protection-mekongdelta.com/

Campbell, I.C., 2012. Biodiversity of the Mekong Delta, in: Springer Environmental Science and Engineering. Springer Environmental Science and Engineering, pp. 293–313.doi:10.1007/978-94-007-3962-8_11  

Pham Trong Thinh (2011) Mangroves of Sóc Trăng  1965-2007: http://coastal-protection-mekongdelta.com/download/library/126.STMangroves1965to2007.2011_EN.pdf 

Schmitt, K., Albers, T., Pham, T.T., Dinh, S.C., 2013. Site-specific and integrated adaptation to climate change in the coastal mangrove zone of Sóc Trăng  Province, Viet Nam. Journal of Coastal Conservation 17, 545–558.. doi:10.1007/s11852-013-0253-4  

Vietnam News: https://vietnamnews.vn/society/569526/soc-trang-forest-co-management-model-helps-protect-mangroves-improve-locals-incomes.htm