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Land use changes and GIS-database development
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| Title Page | Introduction | Methodology | Analysis |
 Halong Bay |
Nguyen Dinh Duong Senior researcher, Institute of Geography |
| Eddy Nierynck Researcher, Department of Human Ecology, (VUB) |
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| Tran Van Y Senior researcher, Institute of Geography |
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| Luc Hens Head of department, Department of Human Ecology, (VUB) |
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a unique natural scenery of thousands of limestone islands. It is also an area of conflicting issues, which all matter in a sustainability context. Quang Ninh province, bordering the P.R. of China, is part of the strategic economic development triangle Hanoi-Haiphong-Quang Ninh. It is the heart of Vietnam's coal industry. Also, Halong Bay is a prime tourism area. Finally, Halong Bay is also the scene where a major deep sea port at Cai Lan is proposed. Current planning is ad hoc and uncoordinated, with little environmental consideration.
Halong Bay provides a fine example of (environmental) conflicts to be analyzed in a framework of competition for control of resources. Actual conflicts of interest, between ministries, institutions and interest groups, and between the central and local governments, will intensify in the future.
The authors report on database development, based on the application of remote sensing and GIS techniques. The effort aims to support local and national authorities with a systematic and scientific basis for decision-making. This is exemplified through a Strategic Environmental Assessment of development planning. Also, the database provides a means to objectify present environmental conflicts. The database constitutes a major structural information source, with a high potential for expansion, both in thematic and spatial scope. The report presents database design, tools and methods applied, and data used. The database is composed of physical, socio-economic and biological/ecosystems components. Data are generated from remote sensing images (LANDSAT TM and aerial photography), existing maps, statistical data, and fieldwork. The database is complemented with Geographical Positioning System field photos. The physical component is finalized. Overlay of the "Master Plan of Ha Long City" on thematic data layers (e.g. land cover/use maps) enables a preliminary impact analysis. Statistical computations document significant potential environmental impact and land cover changes, in particular for the mangrove areas. The socio-economic and biological/ecosystems components are being added to allow full impact assessment. Modeling of interactions between human activities and the environment aims to generate impact scenarios of different development alternatives. The ultimate aim is to support improved planning.
Introduction and objectives
