Name in full: Mangrove Ecosystem Research Centre (MERC)

Hanoi University of Education

Address: No. 22, Luong Su B lane, Quoc Tu Giam St., Hanoi, Vietnam

Tel: 84 4 7335625/8232604

Fax: 84 4 7335624

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Web: http://www.mangrovesvn.org

Leader:

Director: Prof. D.Sc. Phan Nguyen Hong

Address: No. 123, Nguyen Khuyen St., Hanoi, Vietnam

Tel: 84 4 8438492 (Home); 84 4 7335625/8232604 (Office)

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Staff

1 professor

4 associate professors

3 doctors

3 masters

5 bachelors

Research activities to serve production and training

- Coordinating with the Faculty of Agro-biology, Hanoi University of Education in scientific training about mangrove ecosystem related issues. Speciality: Ecology. (24 masters and 10 doctors have been trained at MERC.

- Implementing and leading projects at state and ministerial levels in the fields of mangrove ecosystems, biodiversity resources and management and development of coastal environment, building of draft strategies for management of mangrove ecosystem in Vietnam. (4 and 3 projects at state and ministerial levels were excellently completed)

- Assisting international organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in building and appraising projects on mangrove planting for wave prevention, shrimp rearing in mangrove area and providing technical guidelines for localities during project implementation based on sustainable use of resources and environment since 1992.

- Cooperating and receiving financial and technical supports from international organizations and scientists in conducting research projects related to sustainable use of natural resources and environment in coastal areas in order to improve socio-economic conditions in localities. (A Mangrove Ecosystem Research Station (MERS) is set up in Giao Lac Commune, Giao Thuy District, Nam Dinh Province - to serve undergraduate and postgraduate study and environmental education. This is a place where photos, pictures and specimen on biodiversity in coastal areas are on display and postgraduate students are accommodated during their study field trip).

- Compiling materials with the purpose of propagation and education about sustainable use and protection of coastal environment, mainly in mangrove areas . (5 materials on mangrove benefits with 4,500 copies have been published so far).

- Organizing training courses for local farmers, fishermen, teachers, and students about the above issues, mainly techniques for aquaculture and mangrove planting and nursery making in localities (with financial support of NGOs). (From 1992 to 2003, 402 courses have been held in 10 provinces with mangrove coverage).

- Being membership of some regional or international mangrove related institutions (namely ISME, IUCN); attending and organizing national and international seminars. (3 scientific research projects have been conducted in collaboration with foreign universities and institutions).

- Carrying out education and propagation activities on the benefits of mangroves for local communities and secondary schools in coastal mangrove areas. (16 trips of mobile exhibition "For the green of mangroves" have been done; study visits to MERS were held for good and policy family students with high academic records in 14 coastal secondary schools in Thai Binh and Nam Dinh Provinces).

Follow-up development orientations of MERC to the year 2010:

- Continue to train masters and doctors in the field of ecology and human ecology in coastal and estuarine mangrove areas

- Coordinate with research institutions at home and abroad in research and sustainable use of natural resources and environment in coastal mangrove areas
Extending propagation activities about mangrove benefits in localities where there are conflicts between shrimp farming and protection and sustainable use of mangrove ecosystems.