Dr. Klaus Schmitt, Chief Technical Advisor, GIZ CZM Project, Soc Trang, Vietnam
This presentation is about an example of ICAM in Vietnam which is our project in Soc Trang. Before talking about actual implementation, I would like to briefly summarize key issues of ICAM. ICAM is about site-specific and appropriate solution. These solutions must be applied both along the coastline as a linear structure as well as along the coastal zone from the sea to the land. It is very important to consider complex processes and many different interests from different stakeholders in the coastal zone. The decisions must be made with the participation of these stakeholders and based on an interdisciplinary and cross-border consensus.
The project in Soc Trang aims to protect and sustainably use the local wetlands for the benefit of the local population. This can be achieved by effective mangrove management with emphasis on resilience to climate change. We deal with mangrove rehabilitation and mangrove management. We always look at lesson learnt from the past and also test new approaches.
For mangrove rehabilitation, we have developed a toolbox and we look at innovative approaches. But planting mangrove alone is of little use. Plantation must be protected afterward. And this means management, in our case, it is co-management. Co-management must be part of integrated coastal management which involves livelihood of local people. All of these activities must be carried out within the framework of capacity building for staffs of local authorities and environmental awareness raising for people. Because we deal with climate change, we are dealing with uncertainties. Therefore, we need to put in place risk spreading strategies. We cannot just have one solution.
To understand our intervention, it is important to understand the setting of coastal zone in Soc Trang. One important aspect of Mekong Delta is the highly dynamic coast line. This dynamic is caused by the discharge regime of the Mekong River, long-shore currents (by monsoon winds, northeast and south-west along the coast) and the tidal regime of the East Sea.
In addition, another characteristic of the Mekong is the narrow belt of mangrove along the coast line. These mangroves are approximately of 200 m width. Mangrove is essential as the first line of defense. Adapted to brackish water, mangroves form a natural barrier against sea erosion. However it is estimated that about half of mangroves in Vietnam have been cut down, mainly for shrimp farming. These are the threat from human, cutting down the mangrove, but we also have other threats, and these are climate change. More storms, more extreme events, sea level rise, flooding, saline intrusion, changing in temperature.
About erosion protection and sea level rise, what can we do in terms of adaptation? We can plant mangrove as soft solution. Building dyke is hard solution. There are places that we can combine soft and hard solutions. Whatever it is done, it must be a site-specific solutions and ICAM. Although ICAM is integrated coastal area management, it does not only reflect in management. ICAM covers the entire cycle of information collection, planning, through decision making, management and monitoring.
What is extremely important in situation like in the Mekong Delta is that looking at the status quo, at the current situation is just not good enough for decision making. Now I take you back to the future.
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The map on the left was Cu Lao Dung 110 years ago (1901), consisted of 3 separated islands. Now I take you back into the future, the map on the right is what Cu Lao Dung looks like nowadays (2006). Within these 105 years, part of the island has grown by 7 km, accretion of 65 m on average per year. Therefore, using historic information and understanding this dynamic of the coastal zone is very important for sustainable coastal development and climate change adaptation measures. Thus, just looking at current situation and planning based on that is not sufficient.
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For mangrove rehabilitation, based on lessons learnt, we have developed the toolbox and we also look at additional innovative approach such as mimicking nature, imitating successful regeneration by nature.
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| If you look at these 2 pictures, on the right hand side, you see the way forests are planting, on the left hand side, you see the way nature is planting. Nature has been successful for millions of years. So let’s just imitate it and see what they work. While following this, we follow the precautionary principle. Our aim is to create diverse coastal forests in terms of species composition as well as horizontal and vertical structures (to increase resilience against climate change and to protect the coast). |
Planting mangrove alone is not enough. We need management. Again we look at past experience. It has shown that land allocation or coast protection contracts do not work in such situation where you have narrow belt of mangrove along the highly dynamic coast. Therefore we try a new form of management, co-management, a form of management based on negotiation, joint decision making, a degree of power-sharing and fair distribution of benefits among all stakeholders. Co-management is a process which can be broken down into 4 steps, and 4 principles must be applied. There are 3 key elements of co-management. It is a participatory process; it requires agreement and a pluralistic governance body. And in addition, we provide sustainability through payment for ecosystem services (PES).
These kinds of move from open access to sustainable use through rules and zonation has actually has an effect. Co-management has improved people’s livelihoods. People have to go less far to collect their resources. That means using zonation concept, having a protection zone, restricting use in the other zone actually has effects, aquatic life is protected, and more resources are available.
“Before we were afraid of forest rangers, now we are working together, and there are fewer outsiders entering our area”, this statement from local people is a clear sign of improved governance.
“Vietnam’s experience suggests that adaptation approaches with a single objective, such as protecting coastal infrastructure from sea level rise, can lead to conflicts of interest that hinder implementation, especially when local communities are not involved” (World Resource Report 2010-2011).
We also have to look at Sustainability of financial mechanism. Again, we look at the coast as integrated parts, not as parts of isolation. This is basically mangrove co-management. Mangrove provides nursery ground, food and shelters for human and aquatic species. In front of the mangrove, you have the mud flat where people collect clams. On the mud flat we have established a clam cooperative. This two things, mangrove co-management and clam cooperative, we would not look at this as isolated things but as parts of integrated approach. Therefore, a strong, well managed, protected mangrove forests provide a lot of non-monetary benefits that flow to the mud flat. Since the clam cooperative utilizes the mud flat, therefore shared monetary benefits (PES) must flow from the clam cooperative to the co-management. We pilot it in Soc Trang.
It is very important to understand the natural processes (naturally dynamic equilibrium). Here is a situation of severe erosion and how to deal with this requires a good understanding of the processes and put in place a wide range of solutions.
For mangrove rehabilitation in erosion sites, it is very important that mangrove grow along sheltered coast lines. Therefore, in erosion sites where mangrove cannot grow, it is necessary to first reduce erosion, increase (stimulate) sedimentation and, then mangrove can grow. As far as possible, we should avoid down drift erosion. Reducing erosion can be done by putting in place wave breakers. We have to put it in appropriate solution and we have to understand the natural situation.
This is to show that the dynamic changes, dynamic equilibrium just does not go in only one direction; it changes, goes backward and forward. This must be understood and must be take into consideration where we want to put in place hard infrastructure for coast protection.
And in order to do this, we carried out study on morphodynamic, numerical modeling which stimulates hydrodynamics and shoreline development with the aim to design breakwaters in terms of their position and dimensions. In addition, we carried out physical modeling of the wave flume to design the actual wavebreaker in terms of materials used. When sedimentation starts then we can plant mangrove.
In summary, co-management is an effective way of maintaining and enhancing the protection function of the mangrove forest belt and at the same time it can improve the livelihood of local people.
Payment for ecosystem services contributes to sustainability (co-management) and livelihood improvement.
It is important that we have a number of site specific solutions, which are part of an holistic approach along the coastal zone (not just looking at one area, or one sectoral approach).
Because of the threat of coastline climate change, we have to put in place risk spreading strategies, where we just don’t go for one solution, we have to look for innovative solutions, things like mimic nature, and a good zonation concept.
And also it is very important to have full political support from all levels. We need agreement from all stakeholders, we need consensus and participation.
And finally, computer modeling helps to understand complex processes and coastal dynamics. It will not make decision, but it will help the decision-makers to make, hopefully.
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One overall principle for everything we do is ICAM (integrated coastal area management). So, co-management must be part of it. The next principle is participation. And another important principle part of ICAM is zonation. Overall here you see the 4 steps and how they link together. The agreement talk about the 6W: Who can do what, when and where, how, using which tool and how much.
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The picture on the left side is normal situation in front of the coast. We have an open access area, people come and they fish, using pool net, push net, long net in front of the mangrove. If we have regeneration of planting mangrove in these areas, they will be destroyed. Therefore, we move the co-management from open access to sustainable use through an agreement of rules: who can, in which area, using zonation, during which time, do what, using certain tools. In this area, in front of the mangrove forest, the so-called rehabilitation zone, people have put a rule which said, “Access only allowed when mud is clearly visible”. During other time people will not go there. And during the time when access is allowed, they use only hand help tools for harvesting of resources.
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These kinds of move from open access to sustainable use through rules and zonation has actually has an effect. Co-management has improved people’s livelihoods. People have to go less far to collect their resources. That means using zonation concept, having a protection zone, restricting use in the other zone actually has effects, aquatic life is protected, and more resources are available.
“Before we were afraid of forest rangers, now we are working together, and there are fewer outsiders entering our area”, this statement from local people is a clear sign of improved governance.
“Vietnam’s experience suggests that adaptation approaches with a single objective, such as protecting coastal infrastructure from sea level rise, can lead to conflicts of interest that hinder implementation, especially when local communities are not involved” (World Resource Report 2010-2011).
We also have to look at Sustainability of financial mechanism. Again, we look at the coast as integrated parts, not as parts of isolation. This is basically mangrove co-management. Mangrove provides nursery ground, food and shelters for human and aquatic species. In front of the mangrove, you have the mud flat where people collect clams. On the mud flat we have established a clam cooperative. This two things, mangrove co-management and clam cooperative, we would not look at this as isolated things but as parts of integrated approach. Therefore, a strong, well managed, protected mangrove forests provide a lot of non-monetary benefits that flow to the mud flat. Since the clam cooperative utilizes the mud flat, therefore shared monetary benefits (PES) must flow from the clam cooperative to the co-management. We pilot it in Soc Trang.
It is very important to understand the natural processes (naturally dynamic equilibrium). Here is a situation of severe erosion and how to deal with this requires a good understanding of the processes and put in place a wide range of solutions.
For mangrove rehabilitation in erosion sites, it is very important that mangrove grow along sheltered coast lines. Therefore, in erosion sites where mangrove cannot grow, it is necessary to first reduce erosion, increase (stimulate) sedimentation and, then mangrove can grow. As far as possible, we should avoid down drift erosion. Reducing erosion can be done by putting in place wave breakers. We have to put it in appropriate solution and we have to understand the natural situation.
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| The map shows the coast line of 1904, with 2 km in distance to the coast line 1952. So here we have the accretion over 50 years for about 20 m per year. And exactly in this spot, now we have erosion about 30 m per year. |
This is to show that the dynamic changes, dynamic equilibrium just does not go in only one direction; it changes, goes backward and forward. This must be understood and must be take into consideration where we want to put in place hard infrastructure for coast protection.
And in order to do this, we carried out study on morphodynamic, numerical modeling which stimulates hydrodynamics and shoreline development with the aim to design breakwaters in terms of their position and dimensions. In addition, we carried out physical modeling of the wave flume to design the actual wavebreaker in terms of materials used. When sedimentation starts then we can plant mangrove.
In summary, co-management is an effective way of maintaining and enhancing the protection function of the mangrove forest belt and at the same time it can improve the livelihood of local people.
Payment for ecosystem services contributes to sustainability (co-management) and livelihood improvement.
It is important that we have a number of site specific solutions, which are part of an holistic approach along the coastal zone (not just looking at one area, or one sectoral approach).
Because of the threat of coastline climate change, we have to put in place risk spreading strategies, where we just don’t go for one solution, we have to look for innovative solutions, things like mimic nature, and a good zonation concept.
And also it is very important to have full political support from all levels. We need agreement from all stakeholders, we need consensus and participation.
And finally, computer modeling helps to understand complex processes and coastal dynamics. It will not make decision, but it will help the decision-makers to make, hopefully.
I would like to conclude my presentation with this drawing by a ten years old pupil in Soc Trang. It not only to me quite an example of coastal zone management, and threats to the coastal zone, it is also a fine example of another important aspect of eco area management which is information and communication. The people, who living in the coast they must know about it, otherwise they cannot be part of the process, and for that communication is important. Information and communication can be done through environmental awareness raising, involving people, empowering them to understand the processes. Within the project we use a lot of different kinds of communication, one of these is reaching the children and their parents through the teachers. We have carried activities for teachers on mangroves. So this is a very fine example that the teacher has understood the message, because he was able to pass the message on to his pupil.
Q & A
Dr. Pham Tran Le, Tia Sang magazine: In the process of development ICAM in Soc Trang, what is your biggest challenge that you have faced and how have you managed it?
There are many players and issues involved and this made the main challenges. In Soc Trang, we are working at pilot sites. We are working in one village, from the mudflat through the mangrove, the dykes, through shrimp ponds. We are working in the village and on environmental sanitation, water supply and other aspects. So we are working on small scales, which actually make it possible to pilot and to achieve things. We are working with a lot of different departments, with local authorities at village level, commune level, at district and provincial levels. With just one pilot site, we can bring different departments, different stakeholders together, we can further facilitate for them to work together, and then see in the pilot sites how it succeed. Hopefully it can be up-scaled.
This up-scaling presents crucial issues. Then this is where we need local authorities to take over the role of the project. The pilot sites somehow initiate was pushed by and facilitated by the project. When come to the up-scaling, this then must be done under the leadership with the local authorities and in cooperation with the local people. It is the most challenging thing. That’s why the workshop is very important because we need to think about how we can institutionalize integrated coastal zone management in a place like Soc Trang. What are the appropriate bodies for that? How can we ensure that this institution adapt changes and learn from these processes of implementation of ICAM?
Q & A
Dr. Pham Tran Le, Tia Sang magazine: In the process of development ICAM in Soc Trang, what is your biggest challenge that you have faced and how have you managed it?
There are many players and issues involved and this made the main challenges. In Soc Trang, we are working at pilot sites. We are working in one village, from the mudflat through the mangrove, the dykes, through shrimp ponds. We are working in the village and on environmental sanitation, water supply and other aspects. So we are working on small scales, which actually make it possible to pilot and to achieve things. We are working with a lot of different departments, with local authorities at village level, commune level, at district and provincial levels. With just one pilot site, we can bring different departments, different stakeholders together, we can further facilitate for them to work together, and then see in the pilot sites how it succeed. Hopefully it can be up-scaled.
This up-scaling presents crucial issues. Then this is where we need local authorities to take over the role of the project. The pilot sites somehow initiate was pushed by and facilitated by the project. When come to the up-scaling, this then must be done under the leadership with the local authorities and in cooperation with the local people. It is the most challenging thing. That’s why the workshop is very important because we need to think about how we can institutionalize integrated coastal zone management in a place like Soc Trang. What are the appropriate bodies for that? How can we ensure that this institution adapt changes and learn from these processes of implementation of ICAM?
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