Researchers have shown that Mangrove forests help stabilize the climate, protect coastal landscape, control erosion, save sea dikes... Especially, mangrove cleans environment by reducing the concentration of heavy metals in wastewater flowing into estuaries, coastal areas while preserving ecological balance of flooded lands. Also, mangroves prevent marine environment from pollution.

In the context of climate change, planting mangroves along coastlines plays an important role and need preserving, so mangrove should be protected and developed than ever. Annually, coastal areas are heavily affected by climate change such as sea level rise, saltwater intrusion, flooding or typhoons, which leads to bad impacts on the economy of coastal communities.

"Forests for preventing waves, Feeding the community" – Da Loc commune, Hau Loc, Thanh Hoa

"In 2005, the most powerful storm impacted the coasts in Thanh Hoa province, many protective dikes except mangrove belt surrounding the sea dike were damaged, so local people in Hau Loc were not affected by storms as other districts" – Mr Vu Ngoc Van - Deputy Director of Community Learning Center in Da Loc commune.

Hon Ne and a part of the mangrove forest in Da Loc commune, Thanh Hoa

Beneficiaries from mangrove are the most clearly demonstrated for the advantages of mangrove forests. That is the reason why mangroves in Da Loc commune are developed and expanded in neighboring districts in the annual action plan of Thanh Hoa province.
In the framework of the project "Vietnam Forests and Delta", the coastal areas like Da Loc comunce, Hau Loc district have noticed that the importance of implementation of communication activities on mangrove forests.
"A story"

"I would like to thank the Project Management Board for conducting a contest for the local people to help them understand the communication on the mangrove. Firstly, people need plant breakwater and windbreaks forests and then can benefit from marine resources. Later, this may help us achieve economic efficiency from ecotourism destinations for the people in Da Loc commune, especially poor households" Mrs Bui Thi Din – the President of Women's union.
The Project has co-operated with the People's Committee of Da Loc commune and Community-based Learning Center of Da Loc commune to conduct a media contest on mangrove for people of 10 villages in Da Loc commune such as: Hung Thanh, Yen Loc, Dong Hai, Ninh Phu, My Dien, Van Thang, Dong Hoa, Dong Cheng ...
Based on contest, the People's Committee of Da Loc commune wanted to choose good skits relating to mangrove forest planting, protection and development to turn into dialogues that will be used to broadcast in the project area as well as in the neighboring commune growing mangrove.
Results of weeks: 5 teams from 10 villages of Da Loc commune showed excellently. There were three rounds which included Round 1: Greeting and the message of mangrove protection, Round 2: Short skit, Round 3: Competition, the teams showed creativity in media content.
In the first round, greeting of each team brought a number of colors from poetry, rhymes for contract. In the second round, skits of teams were prepared from clothes to instrument. Each team brought a message about planting and mangrove conservation

Greeting – Convey the message

Short skit

The last contest required team spirit, solidarity and cooperation: puzzle contest

Puzzle contest

The contest not only had enthusiastic participation of local people from the young generation to the old generation when the Judging Board questioned.

People joined answer questions of the organizing committee

The competition was attractive. Despite winning or losing, all the teams understood the meaning of the propaganda brought to contest. The most inspiratory thing was that at the end of the competition, all the teams and participants shouted together the slogan "Our Mangrove Forest, Cradle of life, Peace House".

 Da Loc commune, Hau Loc, Thanh Hoa

Communication is one of the project's activities to promote the participation of people and local government in the conservation, development and sustainable use of mangrove. Besides, the project also called upon authorities, social organizations and businesses to support seedlings to plant, forming mangrove belts in Hau Loc, Thanh Hoa province.
Da Loc, 06/30/2016