Tracking Mangrove Ecosystem Changes in An Hoa Lagoon, Central Vietnam: A Two-Decade Analysis of Drivers and Responses

Abstract

Abstract

The mangrove forest in An Hoa lagoon, Quang Nam province, Central Vietnam is a vital natural ecosystem that provides significant economic and environmental services in coastal wetlands. However, this mangrove forest has been declining due to human activities. Despite its importance, there have been limited studies evaluating the temporal and spatial changes of the mangrove forest in An Hoa lagoon. This study utilized multi-temporal Landsat satellite imagery and GIS technologies to create mangrove change maps over the past two decades (2000–2020). The classification results demonstrated high accuracy ( Ҡappa coefficient > 0.81, Overal accuracy reached 89.2%). The analysis revealed significant changes in the mangrove forest during the period 2000–2020. In 2000, the mangrove forest covered 108.7 hectares, but this area decreased to 78.5 hectares by 2010 due to deforestation for aquaculture expansion by local communities. Over the next decade, however, the mangroves forest area increased to approximately 73.8 hectares, reflecting the efforts of local authorities in mangrove restoration and improved management policies. This study contributes to evaluating the effectiveness of mangrove management and rehabilitation of projects and provides valuable insights for improving policies aimed at the sustainable development of mangrove ecosystems.