Nam Can Mangrove Forest
Location:	8°33'-8°50'N, 104°43'-105°10'E; at the southern tip of the Mekong Delta, soutn and west of Nam Can District Town, Nam Can, Ngoc Hien and Cai Nuoc Districts, Minh Hai Province.
Area:	76,308 ha.
Altitude	Sea level.
Biogeographical Province:	4.5.1.
Wetland type:	06, 07 & 10.
Description of site:	A large area of mangrove forest and associated intertidal mudflats around Cua Song Bay at the extreme southern tip of the Mekong Delta, bounded to the west by the Gulf of Thailand and to the southeast by the East Sea. The entire area is subject to tidal inundation twice daily, the tidal amplitude varying between 0.53m at neap tides and 1.09m at spring tides. The water in the channels is either brackish or saline, and there is no fresh water in the area. The average salinity at Ca Mau Cape is 24.5-26.0 p.p.t., decreasing to 18.0-20.0 p.p.t. after heavy rainfall. Accretion is occurring at a rapid rate, the mudflats extending westwards at about 60m per year. About 45,000 ha (40%) of the mangrove forest in Minh Hai Province were destroyed by toxic chemicals during the period 1968-1970, and since then many thousands of hectares have been cut down for timber and fuelwood or cleared for the construction of shrimp and fish ponds.
Climatic conditions:	Tropical monsoonal climate with a dry season from November to March and a rainy season during the southwest monsoon from April to October. The average annual rainfall is 2,250 mm (range 1,940 to 2,950 mm), the heaviest rainfall occurring in August and September. Mean monthly temperatures range from a minimum of 25.0°C in January to a maximum of 27.8°C in February; mean relative humidities range from 79% to 88%. Storms are frequent in April and May, with wind speeds sometimes exceeding 100 km/hr.
Principal vegetation:	Extensive mangrove forests dominated by species of Avicennia and Rhizophora. The following species have been recorded in the forests: Avicennia lanata, A.officinalis, A. alba, Rhizophora apiculala, R. mucronata, R. orientala, R.stylosa, Bruguiera parviflora, B. gymnorhiza, B. sexangula, Lumnizzera racemosa, Ceriops tagal, C.decandra, Xylocarpus granatum, Sonneratia ovola, Excoecaria agallocha, Phoenix paludosa, Nypa fruticans, Kandelia candel, Aegiceras corniculatum, Acanthus ilicifolius, A. ebracteatus, Pluchea pieropoda, Paspalum vaginatum, Acrostichum aureum, Derris trifolia and Sarcolobus globosus. The three main groups of algae are Baccilariophyta, Cyanophyta and Chiorophyta. Forty-four genera have been recorded, the commonest being Rhizozienia and Cyclotella.
Land tenure:	Under provincial ownership.
Conservation measures taken:	A protected area of 7,547 ha was established by the National Government in 1985. Reafforestation activities are being promoted by the Forestry Department and by the local people themselves.
Conservation measures proposed:
Land use:	Forest exploitation for timber, fuelwood and charcoal, and fishing for finfish and shellfish. Aquaculture is becoming important, and there are now 7,158 ha of shrimp ponds. Shifting agriculture occurs in areas where the sulphate content of the soil is low.
Possible changes in land use:	There are plans to construct additional fish and shrimp ponds in the area.
Disturbances and threats:	The main threat is clearance of mangrove forest to make room for fish and shrimp ponds. Thousands of hectares have already been cleared, and this destruction continues. The uncontrolled cutting of mangroves for construction materials, firewood and charcoal is also a major problem. It is widely assumed that waterbirds, especially the large colonial species, are harmful to aquaculture, and as a result these birds are persecuted in some areas.
Economic and social values:	Approximately 70,000 people are dependent to some extent on the Nam Can mangrove forests for their food, fodder, medicines, housing materials and other construction materials. Of a total work force of 27,000, 18,500 are employed in agriculture, almost 4,200 in fishing and 320 in forestry. The local fishery yields an annual harvest of about 10,000 metric tonnes, and thereby constitutes a very important source of protein for the local people. The forest is also a recreation area for local people and other visitors.
Fauna:	The mangrove forests are very important for wildlife especially birds. At least two or three new breeding colonies of large waterbirds have been established in recent years. Resident waterfowl include Pelecanus philippensis, Phalacrocorax carbo, Anhinga melanogaster, Ixobrychus sinensis, I. cinnamomeus, I. flavicollis, Nycticorax nycticorax, Ardeola bacchus, A. speciosa, Bubulcus ibis, Butorides striatus, Egretta sacra, E. garzetta. E. intermedia, Ardea purpurea, A. cinerea, A. sumatrana, Anastomus oscitans, Ciconia episcopus, Threskiornis melanocephalus, Plegadis falcinellus, Dendrocygna javanica, Rallus striatus, Amaurornis phoenicurus, Gallicrex cinerea and Gallinula chioropus. The extensive intertidal mudflats are an important staging and wintering area for large numbers of migratory shorebirds such as Himantopus himantopus, Recurvirostra avosetta, Pluvialis dominica, P. squatarola, Charadrius dubius, C. mongolus, C. leschenaulitti, Limosa limosa, Numenius phaeopus, N. arquata, Tringa erythropus, T. totanus, Xenus cinereus. Actitis hypoleucos, Gallinago stenura and G. gallinago. Mammals include Macaca mulatto, Lutra perspicillata. Viverra zibetha, Felis chaus, F. viverrina, Neofelis nebulosa, Sus scrofa and Cervus unicolor. Reptiles and amphibians include Python reticulatus, P. molurus, Enhydris spp, Varanus sp, Mabouya multifasciata, Bufo melanostictus and four species of Rana. Fifty-three species of fishes have been recorded, representing 13 orders and 29 families. Perciformes comprise 47% of the total (25 species).
Special floral values:	The site contains the largest stands of mangrove forest remaining in Vietnam.
Research and facilities:	A considerable amount of research has been carried out in the Nam Can mangrove forests by Vietnamese scientists. A scientific workshop on the mangrove ecosystems of Vietnam, held in Hanoi in 1984, reviewed much of this work.
Criteria for inclusion:	123.
References:	Hoang Thi San & Phan Nguyen Hong (1984); Karpowicz (1985); Le Diets Duc (1984); Nguyen Hoang Tn (l984a & l984b); Phan Nguyen Hong (1984a, 1984b, 1984c & 1984d); Vo Quy (1984); Vo Quy & Le Dien Duc (1984); Vo Quy & Phan Nguyen Hong (1984).
Source:	Le Dien Duc.