Nghe An: The sea is "encroaching" on the mainland

(Baonghean) - The current situation shows that coastal districts of Nghe An province are being seriously eroded by seawater. Changes in the area of ​​protective forests and mangrove forests are affecting erosion and climate change in coastal districts today.

The total coastal forest area of ​​Nghe An province is more than 7,200 hectares (out of a total of 29,240.6 hectares of coastal area), but there are only 1,738 hectares of forested land, of which 569.9 hectares are mangrove forests mainly in the areas of Hoi estuary (Ca river), Van estuary (Bung river), Lach Quen estuary, Lach Con (Mai Giang river); 688.1 hectares of coastal sandy beach forest commonly known as coastal beach.

Mangrove forest along Lam River in Hung Hoa Commune (Vinh City). Photo: Mai Hoa

Recently, the most worrying thing is that due to the development of motels, hotels, shrimp farming, agricultural crops and construction of coastal tourist areas... the area of ​​coastal protection forests and mangrove forests in Nghe An has decreased significantly.

Wherever coastal forests are lost, coastal erosion follows. According to a recent survey, of the 45 coastal communes, 19 communes have erosion, with a total length of more than 19,200m, of which 11,050m is at the mouth of the creek and 8,240m is on the beach. With an average erosion rate of 42m, Nghe An loses nearly 100 hectares of coastal land each year. Many erosion sections have reached close to residential areas such as Son Hai and Quynh Long; some sections such as Quynh Bang and Quynh Ngoc have an erosion rate of 150 - 200m/year. Particularly in the coastal section of Dien Kim commune (Dien Chau), the erosion section is up to 6km long.

The most severely eroded section of the coastline in Quynh Phuong ward, Quynh Bang commune (Hoang Mai town) is the high-tide coastline south of Con Ngoai temple. The section from Cua Lo to Cua Hoi, before the dike and embankment were built, was severely eroded. The French bunker built in 1950, about 100m from the shore, is now at the edge of the sea...

Nghe An's coastline is gradually shifting inland. Meanwhile, some areas of previously exploited coastal natural forests that cannot regenerate are only reeds, sim, mua. According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, recently more than 5,300 hectares of eucalyptus, acacia, lim, gio, cajuput... have been replanted. That area has not yet overcome the consequences of most of the land being eroded. Management agencies and people need to clearly see that the loss of coastal land is associated with the loss of mangrove forests and coastal protection forests.

One can clearly see the vast green of Hung Hoa mangrove forest forming a "green wall" to block waves and wind at the estuary from the island on the Hung Hoa dike, Vinh City along the Lam River dike, the end point is Cua Hoi, then the coastal and coastal areas of Nghi Loc, Dien Chau, Quynh Luu.

Coastal mangrove forests in the above localities not only contribute to reducing the impact of climate change but also balance the ecological environment for people's lives.

In 1997, when the mangrove planting project was funded by the Japanese and Danish Red Cross, the province directed coastal localities to urgently implement it. After the first years of implementing the project, localities such as Quynh Luu, Dien Chau, Nghi Loc, Cua Lo Town, Vinh City, Hung Nguyen implemented mangrove planting, and after only 3 years, the greening rate was rapid. This is also an ideal habitat for aquatic species under the tree canopy. In addition, with thick cover, many species of birds have flocked here to breed and develop into flocks, creating biodiversity.

Dozens of kilometers of sea dykes in Quynh Luu, Dien Chau, Nghi Loc districts... have been shielded and protected, creating a peaceful landscape for each countryside.

To cope with climate change, to avoid coastal erosion and saltwater intrusion deep into the fields, the long-term solution that provincial managers need to focus on is: To create a thicker "green wall" in coastal areas, and in the immediate future, there must be strict sanctions to handle violations, to avoid the situation where people massively destroy protective forests for shrimp farming, use them for the wrong purposes, and violate the law.

Besides, propaganda and mobilization work for people to participate in protecting mangrove forests also needs to be further promoted.

Minh Thu