Landslide in Lai Chau province. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) –
Scientists have created a map that warns land degradation risks in the northern
mountainous provinces of Dien Bien and Lai Chau.
The research, led by Associate Professor Pham Quang Vinh at the Institute of
Geography under the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology, investigates
and assesses the status of land degradation in these localities using remote
sensing technology and geographic information system (GIS) mapping. The goal is
to safeguard socio-economic development and ensure sustainable land use.
According to experts, land degradation in Vietnam in general and in the
northwest region occurs following various natural and social impacts.
The warning map against land degradation risks was made based on the
combination of a map on current land degradation status and a map showing
potential factors causing land degradation.
The map on current land degradation status demonstrates land degradation types
and levels. It was created based on analyses on natural factors such as
geological, geomorphological and hydrological conditions, ecological
diversification and socio-economic factors such as methods of cultivation, land
use, population density and urbanisation.
The land degradation risk level is divided into three levels: high, medium and
low risk.
Areas at low risk account for 48.9 percent of the two provinces’ areas,
comprising mostly flat terrains such as deltas and valleys.
Areas at medium risk account for 31.64 percent of the total researched area
(589.128ha).
Areas such as Than Uyen, Tan Uyen, Sin Ho districts of Lai Chau province; and Tua
Chua and Tuan Giao districts of Dien Bien province are warned to be highly
exposed to severe land degradation.
These areas, making up more than 19.4 percent of total natural area, are
located mainly on high positions with high density of rivers and streams,
relatively thin soil layer and a large volume of rain.
Experts also found out that natural factors such as slope, rain volume, and
plant layer affect the land degradation in these two provinces.
Land degradation is occurring in many major areas in Vietnam, especially mountainous
areas which make up three quarters of the nation’s land fund. According to
experts, causes of land degradation range from erosion, soil with low
fertility, acid soil, saline soil, soil emaciation, flooded land to landslides,
desertified soil and polluted soil.-VNA