Ethnic women in northwest Vietnam hold a treasure trove of knowledge about their forest biodiversity, including the uses of different trees and plants as medicine. But they face a number of challenges, chiefly from language barriers in sharing and disseminating their valuable knowledge to the next generation.
Restoring the Can Gio mangrove forest in the Mekong Delta
The history of the lush Can Gio wetlands in the Mekong Delta is inseparable from the ravages of the US-Vietnam war. It was here that thousands of gallons of herbicidal defoliants were poured over, shriveling the undergrowth and killing animals in vast numbers. Now the area is thriving with plants, animals and birds, listed as a UNESCO biosphere reserve, and attracts huge number of tourists. Bui Van Dai, a University student in Ho Chi Minh City writes about the natural beauty of Can Gio and the need for young people to conserve this invaluable ecological heritage for future generations.
Keeping alive the spirit of the mountains: Tai people’s lives in Hanoi
The ethnic Tai Dam have many legends and folk songs about the history, life and culture of the community passed down the generations usually in song and stories. But when ethnic people come to the city to study or work, they often lose their sense of ethnic culture or try to hide their identity. This Tai Dam author is trying to keep alive her mountain culture in a capital city through her writings and stories.
Counting the costs of resettlement: Seven years of resettled life from the Pleikrong dam in Vietnam
Ethnic communities relate their stories of resettlement by the Pleikrong dam in the Se San River in Vietnam’s Central highlands: unfair compensation, poor or infertile soils, and lack access to their forests has degraded their livelihoods and made them cheap wage labourers.
Hanoi’s largest public lake mulls over visitor fees to solve pollution problems
Hanoi’s largest freshwater lake is facing mounting pollution problems. Authorities are mulling over demanding visitor fees to get funding to improve lake management and conservation.
Local communities voice their frustrations on the Hoi Xuan dam in Vietnam
Dams are touted as bringing “development”. But in Vietnam, they often end up bringing hardship and frustration for local people especially in mountain areas. In many cases, dams are built without the full participation of affected communities, and fail to offer fair compensation or adequate resettlement programs.
As salinity intrudes into the Mekong Delta, farmers lose yields and income
Increasing seawater intrusion into the intricate system of rivers and streams in the Mekong Delta is affecting freshwater supplies and threatening its hugely productive rice and sugarcane fields and fruit and vegetable gardens.
Greening the troubled waters
More than 2,000 canals in Ho Chi Minh City are breathing their last breath. But a group of young people are putting in efforts to raise awareness and help restore them.
Blackening the Mekong Delta
Up to 14 coal fired-power plants are set to be built in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta as part of Vietnam’s Power Development Plan (PDP). Nguyen Thi Ha looks at how the coal plants already operating in the delta area are affecting the health, salt and fish farms, and local livelihoods of thousands of communities living in the delta.
Hanoi’s iconic lakes need urgent clean-up help
One of the most beautiful sights in Vietnam’s capital of Hanoi is the large number of lakes and streams dotted around the city. The more than 100 small and large lakes are an icon, part of the local culture and benefiting Hanoi’s tourism. The lakes also provide environmental benefits like regulating city floods and providing quiet and green spaces for the city residents. But rapid urbanization is resulting in pollution, encroachment and degradation that is threatening the lakes. Without urgent and concerted action, the city’s lakes may become mostly dumps for rubbish and affect the health and livelihoods of the city’s residents and the scenic beauty of Hanoi.
- 1
- 2