Landscape Architecture Of Dan Xay Eco-Tourism Area Combined With Income Improvement Activities Of Vulnerable Communities – An Thoi Dong Commune – Can Gio District – Ho Chi Minh City | Masters Design Thesis on Landscape Architecture

Site Context

Mangrove ecosystems are among the most diverse and ecologically important globally, with Vietnam’s long coastline hosting rich mangrove areas. Worldwide, mangroves cover 14–15 million hectares (down from 19 million in the 1980s), mainly in tropical and subtropical regions. Southeast Asia holds over one-third of global mangroves, with Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, and the Philippines having extensive coverage. Vietnam currently has 150,000–200,000 hectares, reduced from over 400,000 due to war, shrimp farming, and land conversion.

Can Gio’s mangroves are shaped by semi-diurnal irregular tides, river inflows from the Dong Nai–Saigon and Vam Co systems, and seasonal salinity changes (20‰ in the rainy season, over 30‰ in the dry season). The landscape is low-lying, flat, and dissected by canals and rivers, with clayey-silt soils prone to erosion, tidal inundation, and salinity—ideal for mangrove growth but challenging for construction.

Plant diversity includes over 150 species, dominated by Rhizophora, Avicennia, Sonneratia, Bruguiera, and Lumnitzera, which stabilize soil and aid land accretion. Ecologically, mangroves protect coasts, regulate hydrology, support biodiversity, and provide resources for local communities.

Animal diversity is high, including mammals (e.g., macaques, otters), reptiles (e.g., crocodiles, monitor lizards), birds, fish, and invertebrates. Mangroves offer habitats for feeding, breeding, and shelter, maintaining food chains and ecological balance while serving as stopovers for migratory birds.

Local livelihoods rely on fisheries, aquaculture, non-timber forest products, and ecotourism, but remain vulnerable to environmental threats. Sustainable development requires integrating mangrove conservation with livelihood diversification, community awareness, and governmental support.

Design Process

From the analysis of the five key issues, the central challenge is identified as the hardship faced by local people. This stems from the difficult living conditions of communities within the mangrove forests (both buffer and core zones, with a population of around 716). Their primary livelihood—forest guarding—accounts for only about 7% of income and generates very limited financial returns, mostly concentrated at guard stations.

Consequently, many households have turned to infrastructure expansion and aquaculture ponds as alternative income sources. However, these unsustainable practices have degraded the mangrove ecosystem, further worsening community livelihoods.

To address this, the project is titled: “NHÀ NƠM – Ecotourism Landscape Architecture at Dần Xây,” which integrates livelihood improvement activities for vulnerable communities. The project is guided by three main goals supported by specific action strategies.

Final Outcome

Inspired by the unique root structures of mangrove trees, the design creates not only a striking landmark but also a functional space that enhances the visitor experience. Elevated viewpoints offer perspectives across the Can Gio mangrove forest, with special focus on the Dần Xây area.

The observation tower is organized into three levels: the ground level brings visitors close to the forest floor and mangrove roots; the second level provides views of wildlife activity beneath the canopy; and the top level opens to a wide, panoramic vista of the core mangrove zone. Together, these varied vantage points immerse visitors in the forest from water to land.

Integrated within the landscape are four small-scale aquaculture models—floating cages, submerged cages, net enclosures, and mud-crab farming—distributed across three types of ponds interwoven with mangrove vegetation. These models generate employment and income for local communities while ensuring ecological sustainability and minimizing harm to the forest.

Restoring the Can Gio mangrove ecosystem is a long-term process, requiring persistence and adaptive strategies. The Dần Xây Ecotourism Area functions as a pilot project—modest in scale but crucial as a model that can be expanded to surrounding areas of Can Gio District. Without timely intervention, continued degradation will endanger both the ecosystem and the communities, human and ecological, that depend on it.

Conclusion: Ultimately, The NHÀ NƠM vision symbolizes this effort—a sustainable home where people and nature can coexist, offering hope that natural growth and human settlement can evolve in harmony.

[This Academic Project has been published with text and images submitted by the student]