Monitoring Changes In Mangrove Forests Extents In Phu Long Gia Luan Coast Cat Hai District Hai Phong Viet Nam During 2010 2019

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF FORESTRY

FOREST RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FACULTY

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STUDENT THESIS PROPOSAL

MONITORING CHANGES IN MANGROVE FORESTS

EXTENTS IN PHU LONG- GIA LUAN COAST, CAT HAI

DISTRICT, HAI PHONG, VIET NAM DURING 2010 – 2019

Major: Natural Resources Management

Faculty: Forest Resources and Environmental Management

Student: Pham Nhu Quynh Student ID: 1553100723

Class: K60 Natural Resources Management

Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hai-Hoa Nguyen

Vietnam National University of Forestry

Course: 2015-2019

Advanced Education Program

Developed in collaboration with Colorado State University, USA

Ha Noi, 2019

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ABSTRACT

Mangrove forests are important coastal ecosystems located at the interface of the land

and sea, that support fisheries production, coastline protection, water quality control and

provide a nursery habitat for fish and other marine life. Monitoring mangrove forests changes

plays an important role for effective mangrove conservation and management. The study has

been conducted in Phu Long - Gia Luan region, which have the largest mangrove area in the

Cat Ba Archipelago Biosphere Reserve, Hai Phong City, Vietnam. However, the mangrove

ecosystem of this island has suffered severe deforestation and forest degradation due to the

conversion to shrimp aquaculture, increase in tourism and natural disaster. The aim of this

research to (1) investigate the status of mangrove forests and management scheme in Phu

Long, Gia Luan commune, Cat Hai district, Hai Phong province, (2) quantify changes in

mangrove forests extents in Phu Long and Gia Luan communes, Cat Hai, Hai Phong coast

during 2010- 2019 and identify drives of changes, (3) Estimate soil organic carbon of

mangrove forests and (4) Propose solutions to better manage mangrove forests in this area.

The land cover map was obtained by using unsupervised classification. Estimate soil organic

carbon stock by using Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW)- based interpolation approach in

study site. The research presents results obtained from study in the period of 2010-2019 in

Phu Long-Gia Luan including (1) Mangroves area in 2010 was 523.2 ha, in 2014, it increases

to 900.6 ha but in 2019, it decreased to 576.0, in which region with large fluctuations mainly

concentrated in Phu Long southern region meanwhile Gia Luan region is less changed. (2)

from 2010-2014, the implementation of many policies and projects had improved the quantify

and quality of mangroves but from 2014-2019 mangroves area decreased due to conversion of

mangrove forests to shrimp ponds, tourism development, mangroves rehabilitation and

restoration projects had been implemented, but they were not effective, (3) The soil carbon

stock of the mangrove forests in Phu Long- Gia Luan averages 200.38 ± 18.47 ton/ha, ranging

from 175.50 ton/ha to 253.93 ton/ha. This research shows the potential use of Satellite image

combined with techniques in monitoring mangrove forests change in Vietnam.

KEYWORDS: Phu Long, Gia Luan, GIS, Remote Sensing, Landsat image,

Mangrove forest management, Polices.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This research is supported by Vietnam National Foundation for Science and

Technology Development (NAFOSTED) under grant number 105.08-2017.05.

With the consent of Vietnam Forestry University, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural

Development faculty, we conducted the study.

First and foremost, I would like to give sincere thanks to my supervised and supported

by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hai Hoa, who gave helpful advices and always patiently

supervising me and urging me during implementation of thesis study. I have learned a lot

from him. Without this helping, I could not have finished my study successfully.

Secondly, I would like to thank for the encourage and suggestions of the teachers of

the Forest Resources and Environment Management Faculty, Vietnam Forestry University

that helped me complete the thesis with the best quality.

In addition, the field research could not be finished and achieved good results without

enthusiastic support of my friends, friendliness of local authority of Phu Long, Gia Luan

commune and especially supporting of Cat Ba National Park during my field research period.

Last but not least, I would like to say big thanks to my family and friends who always

supported and encouraged when I most needed it. To my parents, thank you so much your

unconditional love and moral support.

Due to the limited research capability and knowledge, the shortcoming of thesis is

inevitable. I am looking forward to receive comments, feedbacks from teachers, friends to

enhancing the quality of my thesis

Ha Noi, 10 October 2019

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TABLE OF CONTENT

ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................. i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .....................................................................................................ii

TABLE OF CONTENT ..........................................................................................................iii

ABBREVIATION ................................................................................................................... v

LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................ vi

LIST OF DIAGRAMS ............................................................................................................ vi

LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................. vii

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1

CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................. 3

2.1. Overview of mangrove and remote sensing data ............................................................... 3

2.1.1. Mangrove ....................................................................................................................... 3

2.1.2. Remote sensing .............................................................................................................. 7

2.2. Remote sensing application for mangrove monitoring .................................................... 12

2.2.1. In the world .................................................................................................................. 13

2.2.2. In Vietnam ................................................................................................................... 14

2.2.3. In Phu Long and Gia Luan communes. ........................................................................ 16

CHAPTER III STUDY GOALS, OBJECTIVE AND METHODOLOGY ........................... 17

3.3. METHODOLOGY.......................................................................................................... 17

3.3.1. Study site ..................................................................................................................... 17

3.3.2. Data collection ............................................................................................................. 18

3.3.3. Landsat images processing and classification ............................................................... 21

3.3.4. Data analysis ................................................................................................................ 24

CHAPTER IV NATURAL, SOCIAL ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL CONDITIONS ..... 26

4.1. Natural characteristics .................................................................................................... 26

4.1.1. Geography .................................................................................................................... 26

4.1.2. Topography, climate, hydrology, soil, coast and sea, natural resources ........................ 27

4.2. Socio-Economic and cultural conditions ......................................................................... 31

4.2.1. Economic conditions .................................................................................................... 31

4.2.2. Social and cultural conditions ...................................................................................... 32

CHAPTER V RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ................................................................... 34

5.1. Current status and management scheme of mangrove forests in Phu Long and Gia Luan

communes .............................................................................................................................. 34

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5.1.1. History and current status of coastal mangrove forests in Phu Long and Gia Luan

communes .............................................................................................................................. 34

5.1.2. Management scheme and policies framework on coastal mangrove management ........ 36

5.2. Spatial-temporal dynamics of coastal mangrove extent during 2010-2019 ...................... 42

5.2.1. Thematic maps of coastal mangroves in different year and accuracy assessment ......... 42

5.2.2. Quantification of changes in mangrove forests and drives of changes .......................... 46

5.3. Soil organic carbon stocks ............................................................................................... 48

5.3.1. Spatial distribution map of Soil carbon stock of mangrove forest in 2019.................... 48

5.3.2. Carbon price.................................................................................................................54

CHAPTER VI CONCLUSIONS, LIMITATIONS AND FURTHER STUDY ..................... 60

6.1. Conclusions ..................................................................................................................... 60

6.2. Limitations ...................................................................................................................... 61

6.3. Further study ................................................................................................................... 61

REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 62

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ABBREVIATION

CMMP Coastal Mangroves Management Polities

LULC Land Use/ Land Cover

MSS Multi-Spectral Scanner

TM Thematic Mapper

ETM+ Enhanced Thematic Mapper

OLI Operational Land Imager

TIRS Thermal Infrared Sensors

PEES Payment for Forest Environment Services

REDD+ Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation

GIS Geographic Information System

RS Remote Sensing

GPS Global Positioning System

NGOs Non-Government Organization

MARD Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

MONRE Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment

PPC Provincial People’s Committee

DPC District People’s Committee

FPD Forest Protection Department

FPsD Forest Protection Sub-Department

VNFOREST Vietnam Administration of Forestry

GDLA The General Department of Land Administration

VEA The Vietnam Environment Administration

MCD Center for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development

ERA Ecological Risk Assessments

JRC Japanese red cross

IFRC International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

WWF World Wild Fund

FFI Fauna & Flora International

CER Caron Emission Redution

CDM Clean Development Mechanism

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LIST OF FIGURES

Fig 2.1. Physical and biological components of mangrove ecosystems. ................................... 3

Fig 2.2. Remote sensing process. ............................................................................................. 8

Fig. 3.1. Study site ................................................................................................................. 18

Fig. 3.2. Plot Positions in Study site. ...................................................................................... 21

Fig. 5.1. Land cover in Phu Long and Gia Luan in 2010 (Landsat 5, 03/10/2010).………….48

Fig. 5.2. Land covers in Phu Long and Gia Luan in 2015 (Landsat 5, 03/10/2010) …....…...48

Fig. 5.3. Land covers in Phu Long and Gia Luan in 2019 (Landsat 8, 18/05/2019)................ 45

Fig. 5.4 Changes in mangrove forests in Phu Long and Gia Luan communes during October

2010 - May 2019....................................................................................................................46

Fig. 5.5. Land cover change from 2010 -2019........................................................................47

Fig. 5.6. Carbon stock in different depths in 4 sample plots ................................................... 49

Fig. 5.7. Soil organic carbon stocks of mangroves in Phu Long and Gia Luan in different soil

layers. .................................................................................................................................... 53

LIST OF DIAGRAMS

Diagram 3.1. Flow chart of overview methodology of research in Phu Long and Gia Luan

communes. ............................................................................................................................. 22

Diagram 5.1. Administrative structure of mangrove forest protection and management. ....... 37

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1. Mangrove Area and Loss, 2000-2012 in the Top 10 Mangrove Rich Countries and

by Region. ................................................................................................................................ 5

Table 2.2. The extent of mangrove forest in Vietnam (in hectares).......................................... 5

Table 2.3. Current distribution and origin of mangrove in Vietnam. ........................................ 6

Table 2.4. Characteristics of Landsat 8 Sensors. .................................................................... 10

Table 2.5. Landsat 5 Thematic mapper (TM). ........................................................................ 11

Table 2.6. Land Image (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS). ...................................... 12

Table 3.1. Satellite Images used in the research. .................................................................... 19

Table 5.1. Mangroves changes per commune in the Cat Ba island from 2010- 2015. ............ 35

Table 5.2 Mangrove plant species in Phu Long Gia Luan area (surveyed in March, 2008). ... 35

Table 5.3. Accuracy Assessments of the classified images in 2010, 2014 and 2019 by using

Supervised classification (%). ................................................................................................ 42

Table 5.5. Soil carbon stock data set in different soil layers (ton/ha). .................................... 48

Table 5.6. Total soil carbon sequestration and storage in Phu Long and Gia Luan coummunes.

............................................................................................................................................... 54

Table 5.7. The commercial value of soil carbon sequestration of mangrove forests in Phu

Long and Gia Luan communes. ............................................................................................. 54

1

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Mangroves are dominant along many tropical and sub-tropical coastlines and are of

the most productive ecosystems on Earth with a mean production of 8.8 t C/ha/yr (Jennerjahn

and Ittekkot, 2002), play an important role in stabilizing shorelines and in helping reduce the

devastating impact of natural disasters such as tsunamis and hurricanes. As reviewed by

Barbier (1994, 2007), mangrove forests provide not only indirect uses, including air pollution

reduction, nutrient cycling, and watershed protection, they also provide important ecological

and societal goods and services including breeding and nursing grounds for marine, food,

medicines, fuel, and building materials for local communities (Wilkie and Fortune, 2003). In

addition, they have a staggering ability to sequester carbon from the atmosphere, and serve as

both a source and repository for nutrients and sediments for other inshore marine habitats,

such as seagrass beds and coral reefs.

With 3260 km of coastline in Vietnam, mangroves are recognized as a highly valuable

resource. There are 30 provinces and cities that have been associated with coastal mangroves

and coastal wetland areas (Hoa and Binh, 2016). But the area of mangrove forests has

declined dramatically during the century in Vietnam. Due to the lack of an integrated

approach to sustainable management, utilization and protection of the coastal zone and

economic interests in shrimp farming have led to the unstainable use of natural resources so

Mangroves have been overexploited or converted to various other forms of land use,

including agriculture, aquaculture, salt ponds, urban and industrial development and coastal

roads and embankments (Schmitt et al,2013; Kirui et al, 2013). The mangrove forests are also

affected by the impacts of climate change. Climate change is predicted to cause increased

intensity and frequency of storms, floods and droughts, increased saline intrusion, higher

rainfall during the rainy season and rising sea levels (Kirui et al, 2013). In the early 1940s,

Vietnam had more than 400,000ha of mangrove forests (Vietnam Environment Protection

Agency [VEPA] 2005). In 2014, the mangrove forests area was reduced to 85,000 ha, with

much lower biodiversity and biomass, and a very small percentage of that is natural forest

(VNFOREST, 2015; Powell et al, 2011; Luu, 2000).

Nowadays, the development of science and technology, especially the births of

Geographical Information System (GIS), Remote Sensing (RS) and satellite images, help us

so much to research forest cover change, study and propose some methods to manage the

natural resources and environment without direct contacts. Remote Sensing (RS) information

with many advantages like synchronous and updating information, broad covering ability and