Estimating Values of the Can Gio Mangrove Ecosystem Services Using Remote Sensing

Abstract

The identification of the economic values of mangrove ecosystem services is important information for managers to select appropriate solutions for sustainable management of mangrove forest ecosystems. The objective of this study was to estimate the values of Can Gio mangrove ecosystem services. To obtain the objective, a combined approach of remote sensing and the household survey was used to determine the values of ecosystem services provided by Can Gio mangrove forest, including provisioning service (wood, fish-related products), regulating service (carbon sequestration), and cultural service (ecotourism). Landsat data in 2017 was utilized to identify the land-use status and the household survey based on a semi-structured questionnaire on different ecosystem service types of the Can Gio mangrove forest was conducted in the study area in April 2019 to estimate the values of mangrove ecosystem services using market price and replacement cost approaches. The total economic value of all three ecosystem services of Can Gio mangrove is between 17,395 billion VND/year (756.3 million USD/year) and 15,012 billion VND/year (652.3 million USD/year). The obtained results of this study provide a scientific basis for local managers in sustainable natural resources management and provide a reference for other studies in Vietnam.