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- ISSN: 2333-2581
- Modern Environmental Science and Engineering
Proposition of Economic Valuation Index for Sustainable Ecosystem Management: An Island Case Study in Vietnam
Institute of Marine Environment and Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Vietnam
Abstract: Economic valuation indices of ecosystems in Con Co Island, Vietnam were developed for translating scientific results into management and user friendly systems. Main methods employed for the study are indicator and index development published worldwide. With data set collected for years in the study area, indices were proposed and calculated using three sub-indices, including direct use value index (Idev) of factor 0.40, indirect use value index (Iidev) of 0.55 and non-use value index (Inuv) of 1 (one). A total economic valuation index (Ieev) of the coastal island ecosystem that composed of coral reefs, seagrasses and rocky reefs was calculated for 2015 based on the combination of Idev, Iidev and Inuv. At the scale of 100 points with Ieev between 50 and 100 points indicating the ecosystem in sustainable use and Ieev from 0 to 49 points presenting the ecosystem in sustainable use, Ieev for the coastal ecosystem of Con Co Island in 2015 was a factor of 65.1, indicating that the ecosystem was in sustainability. Developing these indices can well be applied for coastal ecosystems as beaches, mangroves, corals in Vietnam, particularly in regions of international importance like Ha Long Bay Heritage, Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve and etc.
Key words: sustainability, indices, coastal ecosystems, values
