Preventing erosion on Cua Dai beach through green corridors and parks
Cua Dai Beach, close to Hoi An City in Quang Nam, has been suffering from beach and forest erosions. With intensified sea encroachment, more than 20 hectares of beach have been washed away between 2009 and 2014. In addition, nearly 70 per cent of the protective forest of Cua Dai Beach have been eroded, mostly due to rising sea levels. This IKI Small Grants project pilots a green corridor and parks to address beach erosion and the consequences of climate change with community participation at Cua Dai beach. Activities include an analysis of the urban planning capacities and possibilities for the tree planting. The project starts with a participative workshop for residents and local administration to support the development for tree corridors and parks. It further implements tree planting and adaptation measures. Awareness raising sessions and ensuring financial sustainability are secondary project goals.
INITIAL SITUATION
Hoi An is the World Heritage city of Vietnam. Its famous Cua Dai beach is considered a valuable tourism resource for the local economy. Nevertheless, the beach has been seriously eroded because of climate change. Just ten years ago, the beach stretched for 200 meters. Now it has narrowed to 40 meters due to rapid erosion. In addition, nearly 70 per cent of protective forest of Cua Dai Beach was washed away by large waves, intense rains, and a higher sea level since 2018.
TARGET GROUP
The project mainly supports the city government of Hoi An, the ward authorities of Cua Dai, and residents in Cua Dai ward. All 5,700 residents at Cua Dai Beach area potentially benefit from the project.
APPROACH AND ACTIVITIES
This IKI Small Grants project prevents beach erosion and increases climate change adaptation through piloting a green corridor at Cua Dai beach.
Initially, a research team identifies appropriate sites for tree planting in cooperation with local authorities and residents. The Cua Dai City Council has already approved a development plan with designated areas for tree planting, which serves as a blueprint for this project.
Afterwards, the project conducts design workshops, involving especially women, old people, and children. The participants are encouraged to express their vision, concerns and desires of the ideal tree corridor and parks. After that, the project develops the final designs for the tree corridor and green parks in consultation with the City Council.
Community meetings with residents and local businesses raise awareness about the importance of the tree corridor for beach protection. Furthermore, discussions with residents on the development of regulations and plans for maintaining trees and parks are planned. The maintenance of the green corridor is financed by the city government’s annual budget.
To move into implementation, the project team works together with the Youth Union and the Women’s Union of Hoi An City to mobilise young people and women to plant trees and participate in building parks in accordance with the designs. Communities receive trainings on taking care of the trees and training on using compost, using household waste.
Finally, the project organises an opening event, inviting local communities, policy makers, city officials as well as the media.
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
IKI Small Grants supports ICUE in their organisational capacity development through funding a study tour to some provinces where similar projects regarding planting trees to prevent erosion and adaptation of climate change are implemented.
ABOUT THE ORGANISATION
ICUE is an organisation working in the field of science, technology, and consultancy on urban development. Its main research and consultancy activities are on urban planning, development, and economics in urban construction.
According to the applicable law of Vietnam, urban planning projects need to have environmental impact assessments. These assessments are particularly looking on exploitation of natural resources for urbanization, such as the availability of forests, water, and agricultural land. This is the main field of work for ICUE.