Willingness to pay for mangrove restoration in the context of climate change in the Cat Ba biosphere reserve, Vietnam

The Cat Ba Archipelago is an island chain bordering Hai Phong City in North Vietnam and has been recognized as a biosphere reserve by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) since 2004. However, the mangrove forest ecosystem of this reserve has suffered severe degradation due to its partial conversion to shrimp aquaculture. The restoration of the mangroves is expected to play an important role in dealing with climate change impacts, given their ability to mitigate the impact of tropical storms. This study examined the factors influencing the willingness to pay (WTP) for mangrove restoration in the context of climate change in the mangrove forest ecosystems of the Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve (CBBR), Vietnam. We employed a contingent valuation method to estimate household WTP for mangrove restoration, drawing upon data from a survey of 205 respondents in four villages in the buffer and transition zones of the biosphere reserve where mangrove forests are found. The mean WTP is estimated to be 192,780 VND (US$8.64), while the total annual benefit from the mangrove conservation programs of the CBBR is estimated at 712.3 million VND (US$31,943). The results revealed that gender, education level, occupation, the participation of respondents in mangrove restoration activities, and their attitudes toward the impact of climate change were significant factors in their WTP for mangrove restoration. Since mangroves can significantly contribute to mitigating climate change impacts by easing the effect of tropical storms and protecting dyke systems, the local government of Hai Phong City should implement the necessary regulations and policies to conserve the mangrove forests of the Biosphere Reserve.