According to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Kien Giang has a 200-km coastline, stretching from Mui Nai in Ha Tien township to Tieu Dua of An Minh district.
The eroded sections are about 70km long in total, accounting for more than one-third of the coast length, seriously affecting local people’s production and daily life. Kien Luong, Hon Dat, An Bien and An Minh districts record the most severe coastal erosion.
Facing this problem, 13 projects have been built in Kien Giang to protect the marine environment, prevent coastal erosion and natural disasters and respond to climate change between 2016 and 2020.
Among them, the project on recovering and developing coastal protection forests has initially generated positive outcomes. It has been carried out along the 60km-long coast from Mui Ranh in Tay Yen commune, An Bien district, to Tieu Dua canal in Van Khanh Tay commune, An Minh district.
Tran Phi Hai, Director of the An Bien – An Minh forest management board, said two sub-projects are underway to recover and develop protection forests long the coast and create the ground for planting submerged water plants to protect sea dykes. Coastal alluvial grounds have been afforested with about 290 hectares of “mam” (Avicennia) and 88 hectares of “duoc” (Rhizophora apiculata) trees.
At least 85 percent of the newly planted trees have survived, helping to recover coastal protection forests and reduce coastal erosion. These forests have also helped speed up sea encroachment and protect forestry and fishery production behind the protection forests, he noted.
Hai added his management board also surveyed areas subject to the afforestation along the An Bien – An Minh coast. Accordingly, eligible areas will be planted with Avicennia trees, a species able to keep land and create alluvial grounds to support the development of other submerged plant species like “duoc” (Rhizophora apiculata), “ban” (Sonneratia caseolaris), “su” (Aegiceras corniculatum) and “vet” (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza).
Meanwhile, bamboo or cajeput barriers will be erected on the edge of vulnerable areas to create alluvial grounds for planting Avicennia trees.
Aside from these two sub-projects, the An Bien – An Minh forest management board will also implement some other projects funded by the World Bank and the KfW bank of Germany. These projects also aim to recover and develop coastal protection forests in the two districts.
VNA/VNP
