Application of Remote Sensing Technology in Restoration of Mangrove Wetlands in Abandoned Shrimp Ponds in Vietnam

Abstract

Mangrove is a general term for plants that inhabit coastal intertidal zones in the tropical to subtropical regions. We focused on the green infrastructure function of this mangrove wetland. In addition to ecological restoration, we are also supporting restoration activities in the coastal area of Vietnam from the viewpoint of Eco-DRR (Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction), which contributes to mitigating the effects of climate change. The purpose of using remote sensing (partially GIS database) for this project is to detect primary mangrove habitats by analyzing past satellite images before the coastal area was developed. In this activity, we regarded the native mangrove area as the suitable place for the original mangrove habitat (a place suitable for wetland restoration), and used the image analysis results in the selection of plantations effectively. The most part of the native mangrove area detected as a result of this analysis was concentrated in the coastal delta (especially near the estuary where the island is located offshore). This approach of integrating native (potential) mangrove habitats with huge amounts of big data to detect natural restoration sites in a wide area can reduce the cost of field surveys. Therefore, future application in nature restoration is strongly expected.