Towards sustainable coastal management and development in three coastal districts of Ben Tre province: Binh Dai, Ba Tri and Thanh Phu

The Ben Tre coasts have been extensively used for aquaculture and agriculture purposes for many decades resulting in widespread mangrove degradation and deforestation in the province. The loss of coastal mangroves contributed significantly to severe coastal erosion in Binh Dai, Ba Tri and Thanh Phu in 2009 becoming more serious between 2012 and 2013. Severe coastal erosion has caused in the Ben Tre shoreline to be squeezed significantly and mangroves to be lost. Since local agriculture is extremely vulnerable to coastal erosion, farmers have been losing crops and revenues. Between 2008 and 2013, there were a number of failed attempts to restore mangroves, despite there being technical guidelines in place and a favourable legal and policy environment. In July 2014, a survey was undertaken employing participatory action research methods to recommend options for sustainable coastal management and development at preselected sites in three coastal Districts of Ben Tre province (Ba Tri, Binh Dai and Thua Duc). This report presents the underlying causes of coastal erosion, evaluates the current policies and plans for coastal protection in Ben Tre Province, records local initiatives in coastal protection and recommends options for sustainable coastal management and development in Ba Tri, Binh Dai and Thua Duc Districts. While land tenure conflicts resulted in poor mangrove management and further mangrove degradation, poor pond construction and operation and inadequate farming techniques contributed greatly to mangrove loss and coastal erosion. The planting of a single species (Rhizophora apiculata) weakened the protection provided by coastal mangroves against erosion and increased the vulnerability to sea level rise and storm surge. Planting without proper protection, especially on eroding areas did not assist in establishing the mangrove belt in Ben Tre province. The current strategies employed by the Ben Tre province have had limited success mainly because these strategies only dealt with symptoms and had insufficient local involvement in planning. While various local initiatives in coastal protection worked temporarily, many naturally vegetated coastal locations have been found to be effective in minimizing the negative impacts of coastal erosion, sea level rise and storm surge

Coastal land use planning in Ben Tre, Vietnam: constraints and recommendations

There have been few reviews of the effectiveness of the management of coastal mangrove protected areas and coastal land use planning at all levels in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Ben Tre province provides a good case study to enable the assessment of typical management practices in the provinces of the Delta. The study aims to critically review the current strategies for managing the Ben Tre coast and to consider what changes are required to ensure effective coastal management. The current coastal management strategies only dealt with symptoms and worked temporarily. There has been insufficient coordination in land use planning and coastal management among the Ben Tre government agencies, substantially contributing to mangrove loss and degradation. Natural regeneration of local mangrove species and secondary succession, although having been practically effective for protecting from coastal erosion, have not been used as coastal management measures. Three strategies, hold the existing defence line, managed realignment, and no active intervention, are recommended to assist in managing the Ben Tre coast for adaptation to climate change and sea level rise, and livelihood improvement

Marine algal species and their distribution in Phu Quoc marine protected area

This article presents the raw data in relation to the status of, and the distribution of, the 41 marine algal species occurring around and within the An Thoi coral reef strictly protected zone, Phu Quoc Marine Protected Area. The data, which were collected in May 2017, include the detailed description of the locations, the oceanographical conditions, and the photographs of the 41 marine algal species. For more insight, please see “Marine algal species and marine protected area management: A case study in Phu Quoc, Kien Giang, Vietnam” Huynh and Nguyen, 2019

Ecological Engineering and Restoration of Eroded Muddy Coasts in South East Asia: Knowledge Gaps and Recommendations

Ecological engineering (EE) was employed for developing strategies for stabilizing eroded muddy coasts (EMCs). However, there was a limited analysis of these EE strategies with respect to design, performance, and lessons learned. This study employed a critical review for addressing the limitations. There were four EE models designed with different restoration interventions for stabilizing EMCs. The models using active interventions have not been cost-effective in controlling erosion because the interventions failed to achieve their goals or were costly and unnecessary. Of the two passive intervention models, the one with structures constructed from onshore proved to be more cost-effective in terms of construction costs, the survival rate of transplanted seedlings, and levels of sea mud accumulation. Interventions with adequate consideration of the muddy coastal ecological processes and the ecological reasoning for the positioning of these interventions play a crucial role in stabilizing EMCs. A passive restoration model using gradually expanded interventions should be promoted in order to ensure sustainable management of EMCs in the future

Using Fine-Grained Sediment and Wave Attenuation as a New Measure for Evaluating the Efficacy of Offshore Breakwaters in Stabilizing an Eroded Muddy Coast: Insights from Ca Mau, the Mekong Delta of Vietnam

Offshore breakwaters can be effective in reducing the energy of incident waves through dissipation, refraction or reflection. Breakwaters are increasingly constructed to stabilize eroded muddy coasts, particularly in developing countries. Accumulation of fine-grained sediment and wave attenuation are two attributes of a stable muddy coast. Effective interventions in stabilizing eroded muddy coasts include two important elements: accumulation of fine-grained sediment and wave reduction. The efficacy of offshore breakwaters in stabilizing eroded muddy coasts is, however, not yet adequately understood. A crucial question needing attention is whether accumulation of fine-grained sediment and wave attenuation should be used in evaluating the efficacy of these offshore breakwaters in stabilizing eroded muddy coasts. To address this issue, a pile-rock offshore breakwater in Huong Mai, Tieu Dua of Ca Mau, Vietnam was selected as an appropriate example in this regard. Accumulation of fine-grained sediment and wave attenuation were tested as means to investigate the efficacy of the Huong Mai structure in stabilizing the eroded muddy coast. The study was undertaken using field-based measurements and semi-structured interviews in three stages between October 2016 and December 2020. We found that this structure has had limited efficacy in stabilizing the eroded muddy coast. The structure was effective in dissipating the energy of incident waves, but we found no evidence of fine-grained sediment accumulation due to an inappropriate structural design. There was also no monitoring system in place, leading to difficulties in evaluating its efficacy in terms of wave attenuation and accumulation of fine-grained sediment. The gaps between the shoreline and the structure have not been adequately explained, resulting in substantial challenges in replicating the structure elsewhere. The Huong Mai structure should be strengthened using supplementary measures and granulometric tests in order to improve the efficacy in stabilizing eroded muddy coasts. The methods in this study provide new insights in this regard

Regulations on PPP contracts in Vietnam: Status Quos and Solutions

PPP investments have been in practice in Vietnam for more than 20 years, yet, many shortcomings and constraints have been revealed. This paper analyzes applicable legal regulations on Public-private partnership contracts of investment in Vietnam, and demonstrates barriers encountered by parties, particularly private sector, including discrepancies and non-coherence among legal documents resulting in losses, wastes of resources; absence of standard agreements/ contracts making negotiations and contract signing hard to conclude; insufficient clarity in provisions about concessioning, and responsibilities, among others. The analysis, hence, suggests how to deal with the situation by amendments, supplements to provisions on the agreements between public and private partners

Insights into PCI and DDCI as Key Metrics for Measuring Subnational Competitiveness in Vietnam

The purpose of this study is to review and understand Vietnam’s measurement of competitiveness for its local authorities. This paper delves into the application of two fundamental metrics, namely the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) and the Department and District Competitiveness Index (DDCI). As Vietnam continues its trajectory of rapid economic development and regional integration understanding the dynamics of competitiveness at subnational levels has great importance. Drawing upon an overview of the competitiveness concept, case study, and perspectives, the article provides a holistic understanding of subnational competitiveness metrics in Vietnam. Results offer valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders involved in subnational development strategies and economic governance frameworks in Vietnam and beyond. This study also indicates future opportunities and challenges within research on pillars/indices, indicators and their impacts on creating the ease of doing business at subnational level

Immobilization of microorganisms in activated zeolite beads and alkaline pretreated straws for ammonium-nitrogen removal from urban river water

The non-treated wastewater from residential areas contains high concentrations of ammonium-nitrogen (NH4+-N). When discharged into the drainage water system, it deteriorates the water quality in urban rivers. This study used two types of materials to form eco-bags, using activated zeolite bead (AZB) and alkaline pretreated straw (APS), in geotextile bags for easy recovery and reuse. The AZB and APS provided the breeding habitat for the microorganisms that promoted biofilm formation on their surface. The immobilization of engineered denitrification microorganisms facilitated the removal of NH4+-N from the urban river water. The NH4+-N removal in the AZB and APS bags were in the range of 64–73%, and 56–61%, respectively, while the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal in the AZB and APS bags ranged from 33–36%, and 30–31%, respectively. In addition, as evident from DNA and microbial community analysis, the microorganisms demonstrated a greater proclivity to grow and proliferate on the surface of AZB and APS and improved the water quality of urban rivers

Risk Factors for Human Infection with Avian Influenza A H5N1, Vietnam, 2004

TOC Summary: Risk factors include direct or household contact with sick or dead poultry and absence of an indoor water source

Study on designing a diesel firefighting pump system for residential building

Currently, on-site diesel firefighting pump systems are significantly necessary for high-rise buildings. This study presents a process for designing diesel fire pump systems for high-rise buildings using AVL BOOST software associated with mechanical calculations. The Kirloskar CPHM 80/32 pump and DESSUN 4DSP-75 diesel engine were selected based on preliminary calculations to match the requirements of Vietnamese standards for a 79-meter building. AVL BOOST software has been used to simulate the full load performance characteristic of the engine; then, a partial load characteristic is determined for the adequate pump that requires input power at a rated speed of about 2975 rpm. The transmission consists of the propeller drive, and flanges were designed to connect the engine and pump. The findings show that utilizing AVL BOOST software is considerably helpful in determining the engine's partial load characteristics, saving time and costs. This study contributes a foundation for practical research to calculate and design the firefighting pump mechanical systems in high-rise buildings