Ecological Resilience In southeast Asian Mega delta cities: The contribution of urban ecosystem services for

Master Thesis

Professors:Eugenio Morello, Scott Hawken

Politecnico Di Milano 2015/2016

This Thesis describes an integral approach to recognise grene infrastructure and ecosystem service by spatial analysis that allow for an active involvement of landscape architecture and flood risk interventions within the Southeast Asia deltas.

The cities of Ho Chi Minh city in Vietman and Yangon in Myanmar with different sizes and land covers have been selected as the case studies. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate in the ecosystem services in order to rectify or minimise the risk of ecological phenomenon such as flood. A spatial assessment framework is used to test the physical impact of different ecosystem services intervention at different location, and determine where the intervention is more required from a spatial point of view.

Furthermore, spatial assessment and analysis of ecosystem services will lead to determining landscape pattern from an urban ecology point of view. Based on the above-mentioned type of analysis and also considering the concepts of adaptation and mitigation methods in accordance with the green infrastructure approach sustainable actions can be introduced. These might be effective to prevent natural hazards and preparation in both urban and rural environments with different types of landscape pattern. All requires a review of urban environment resilience and sustainability by using soft infrastructure rather than hard infrastructure.

Assessing Adaptation Strategies

HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM

YANGON, MYANMAR

Source: https://knoema.com/atlas/Viet-Nam/Ho-Chi-Minh-Sai-Gon

Source: http://sdwebx.worldbank.org/climateportal/index.cfm?page=country_vulnerabilities&ThisRegion=Asia&ThisCcode=VNM

Hazards

Typhoons with excentive flooding

Terrain

Mekonge delta in the south and Red river delta in the north central highlands mountains in north and northwest

Density 293 Inhabitants/Sq Km

Water network 17702 km

Highest point of country 3144m

Coastline 3444 km

Hazards

Vulnerable to a wide range of hazards, including floods, cyclones, earthquakes, landslides and tsunamis.

Terrain

It is rimmed in the north, east and west by mountain ranges forming a giant horseshoe. Enclosed within the mountain barriers are the flat lands of Ayeyarwady, Chindwin and Sittaung River valleys

Density 82 Inhabitants/per Sq Km

Water 23,070 sq km

Highest point of country 5,881 m

Coastline 1,930 km

Source: https://knoema.com/atlas/Viet-Nam/Ho-Chi-Minh-Sai-Gon

Source: http://sdwebx.worldbank.org/climateportal/index.cfm?page=country_vulnerabilities&ThisRegion=Asia&ThisCcode=VNM for instance adding some water storage to existing and poor buildings also could be valuable in order to collect rain water in monsoonseasons and prevent flow water along streets, inaddition this water could circulate and reuse for some kind of cosume inside the buildings.

Based on general knowledge about cities from different aspect of historical, environmental and socio-economical, some areas have been chosen to start doing of land cover mapping plan. Recognizing ecosystem services and variety of biodiversity in each of them compare each area with others internal of city and externaly with counterpart area base on location and landscape coverage.

Investigation about green infrastructure opportunities and how soft infrastructure could be efficient in order to solve obstacles and improve people life style.

Consciously cognition of urban issues they are deal with because of geographical location and natural hazards such as rising level of sea and rivers then flooding because monsoon rainfall and poverty conditions of informal settlements, might leads to rethink of design with landscape in the way of use mostly soft and green infrastructure in order to prevent natural hazard distribution and preserve crucial elements of landscape for next generation.

Basically here actions for improve, increase green areas, preserve natural element, prevent artificial man made intervention and etc, have divided to two categories of Hi-tech actions and low-tech actions. Hi-tech actions are mostly some kind of interventions which have need and require more alerts or sometime stronger construction or basic changes of infrastructure. Besides, they are base on new urban technologies such as green roofs or sloral panels on roof and etc. Additionally most of these actions need financial supports as well.

Second categories is low-tech actions, which these actions acts as more sustainable and natural interventions. they are basiclly intervention by design landscape or efforts for preserv and prevent hazard with natural elements and simple ideas. Besides, they are mainly cheap ideas which could implement quickly and being effective in short term plannings.

Section proposal ideas have been shown in order to emphasize on opportunities and capacities of each area to adapt base on ecosystem approaches. Since, the case studies are different from each other and after all analysis and understanding of landscape pattern, basic knowledge abot different species and green elements which live in these areas, proposal are base on contribution of ecosystem services and green infrastructure, to improve quality of area and make better spaces which provide quality of life from different point of view for inhabitants. More green spaces, not only provide better air quality, and invite more species which are effective, but also, the local species such as mangroves ,are specific species which could be quite effective in order to prevent flooding with strong roots which live in water.

Therefore, recognising these kind of species that unfortunately some of them have been disturbed along years with man made intervention. It might be new approaches for sustainable adaptation. Then, this sections have been effort to show some possible intervention through add green species, green areas, provide water channels or basins in order to collect water, add water collectors along streets, provide more green boulevard which are not only aesthetic and liveable, but also helpful for decreasing temperature and also prevent water flowing in monsoon seasons and etc.