Meeting November 2014
Second Project Meeting "Networking on Land Use / Land Cover Change by GIS & Remote Sensing" at Hue, Vietnam from November 24th until 28th 2014
The second meeting in the course of the DAAD project that is funded until 2017, again joined by Prof. Dr. Martin Kappas and Dr. Jan Degener and this time as well Prof. Dr. Renate Bürger-Arndt, Prof. Dr. Elke Pawelzik and M.Sc. Ariane Bernecker, was used extensively to discuss and develop on local topcis that can be adequately incorporated into the aspired curriculum and showing promise to be the grounds for further scientific collaboration in the future.In a first step the progress that was made to date in the planning and conceptualization of the curriculum was discussed. The main purpose was further to include forest and agricultural aspects, to have a dialogue on the ideas of each group with all participants and to foster the governing principles and concepts of the larger project.
Prof. Chuong opening the official meeting with about 20 participants
A field trip to the A Luoi District west of Hue introduced a wide variety of problems in this mountainous area, which haven't been under the scientific scope thus far and seem to be extensive enough to be a basis of a long-term collaboration in science and education in this area. Local authorities introduced their most urging problems and questions that were further discussed with the present German and Vietnamese scientists. An outdated agricultural system, degradation of soils or an already starting climatic change are only some of those, known by local people, but hardly researched to date.
Local Authorities of the A Luoi District illustrate local problems and questions
Furthermore there exist some more unique problems within the district where no strategies for their mitigation have been developed as of today. This especially relates to high dioxin values in the soil at the site of a former US Army airstrip. This results in land areas that cannot be used for agriculture or is sometimes used nevertheless what might be even worse. When the dioxin reaches local water resources, like a close-by river, the more or less local problem becomes a more spatial contamination along the riverbed and thus the affected residents.
Visiting Agent Orange contaminated areas in the A Luoi District
Another topic that is rapidly gaining importance in Vietnam is the maintenance and management of natural reserve areas. First established in the 1990s this is still a relatively young development for Vietnam and its people. Thus, even 20 years after its funding, the actual floral and faunal structure of the reserves are often not well known. This also includes any dynamics that might be happening within the preserved areas. Also quite pragmatic questions can be discussed, as for example how to make the reserves more attractive for tourists, thus attracting more people.
Field trip to the "Bach Ma" natural reserve south of Hue, including discussion with the administration and visit to the reserve area
The entire visit was further documented by the local Vietnamese media. One article on the website of a Hue based News outlet (Vietnamese) and a TV News broadcast below are mentioned here as an example:
Video ansehen
2. Visit Website of the Vietnamese Partners