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13. Exploring donation willingness for urban public parks in Vietnam through socio-demographic factors, motivations, and visitation frequency
13. Exploring donation willingness for urban public parks in Vietnam through socio-demographic factors, motivations, and visitation frequency
Thi Mai Anh Tran, Ni Putu Wulan Purnama Sari, Manh Tan Le, Minh-Hoang Nguyen, Quan-Hoang Vuong
Urban public parks are increasingly vital to sustainable city development, particularly in rapidly urbanizing countries like Vietnam. Yet, despite national policy efforts, many parks remain underutilized, underfunded, and neglected. This study investigates the factors influencing Vietnamese urban residents’ willingness to donate to planting projects in public parks, utilizing the Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (BMF), which combines Granular Interaction Thinking Theory (GITT)'s ’s informational entropy-based notion of value with Bayesian analysis. Based on survey data from 535 residents in major Vietnamese cities, we found that while men visit urban parks more frequently, they show less willingness to donate to planting projects. Older residents visit parks more often and are more willing to donate, while higher-income individuals show greater willingness to donate. Most motivations, such as relaxation, physical activities, nature enjoyment, socializing, and family time, are positively linked to park visit frequency and indirectly linked to donation willingness. However, only relaxation and enjoyment of nature are directly associated with willingness to donate. Interestingly, higher education levels and visiting parks for children’s educational activities are associated with lower donation willingness. These findings suggest the possible presence of free-rider behavior, gender inequality, and ineffective environmental education. At the same time, they suggest opportunities to cultivate an eco-surplus culture through interactive nature experiences in urban parks.
12. What makes readers love a fiction book: A statistical analysis on Wild Wise Weird using real-world data from Amazon readers' reviews
12. What makes readers love a fiction book: A statistical analysis on Wild Wise Weird using real-world data from Amazon readers' reviews
Minh-Hoang Nguyen, Ni Putu Wulan Purnama Sari, Minh-Phuong Thi Duong, Manh-Tung Ho, Thi Mai Anh Tran, Dan Li, Phuong-Tri Nguyen, Hong-Hoa Thi Nguyen, Viet-Phuong La
For centuries, fiction—particularly fables—has seamlessly combined storytelling, moral lessons, and societal reflections to engage readers on both emotional and intellectual levels. Despite extensive research on the benefits of reading and the emotional responses it evokes, a critical gap remains in understanding what drives readers to form deep emotional connections with specific works. This study seeks to identify the characteristics of a book that foster such connections. Using the Bayesian Mindsponge Framework analytics, we analyzed a dataset comprising 129 Amazon reviews of Wild Wise Weird by Professor Quan-Hoang Vuong, an influential Vietnamese scholar in the social sciences and humanities. The book is a collection of 42 fables that intertwine traditional storytelling with contemporary sensibilities, offering life lessons, humor, and social commentary. Of these reviews, approximately 66% expressed love for the book. The findings reveal that readers who describe the book as unique, whimsical, quirky, or innovative are more likely to express emotional attachment to it. Similarly, readers who are drawn to the book’s illustrations and characters tend to form stronger emotional connections. The cultural richness and representativeness of the book also emerged as significant factors in fostering readers’ emotional attachment. The book successfully captures the depth, charm, and moral essence of Vietnamese culture to a global audience while conveying a minimal sense of humor in the Zhuangzian (莊子) tradition. Readers have expressed heartfelt gratitude after engaging with the book, underscoring its success in fostering meaningful emotional connections. Thus, insights from this analysis offer actionable recommendations for stakeholders in the literary ecosystem, from authors and publishers to marketers, to enhance readers’ emotional attachment and commitment to books.
11. Innovation curse: the wastefulness of technologies believed to mitigate climate change
11. Innovation curse: the wastefulness of technologies believed to mitigate climate change
Minh-Hoang Nguyen, Valoree Gagnon, Thanh Tu Tran, Thi Mai Anh Tran
Technological innovations are increasingly promoted as solutions to climate change. However, many innovations, including Carbon Capture and Storage, bioplastics, and glacier geo-engineering, suffer significant limitations from high costs, speculative efficacy, and adverse ecological consequences. Using Granular Interaction Thinking Theory (GITT), a transdisciplinary framework grounded in information theory, quantum mechanics, and mindsponge theory, in this study, we explain how such technological innovations become systemically favored despite their flaws. We introduce the concept of the “innovation curse,” which arises when institutional and cognitive filtering systems, operating under high informational entropy, default to familiar but ineffective techno-solutions while marginalizing Indigenous and Local Knowledges and nature-based approaches. To address this dysfunction, we propose the Eco-Surplus Transformation Framework, a new model for environmental decision-making designed to foster an eco-surplus culture. Guided by a core semiconducting principle that prohibits offsetting environmental harm with monetary value, the framework establishes a rational hierarchy for climate action that prioritizes harm prevention and proven ecological strategies. We provide the Eco-Surplus Governance Matrix as a toolkit for implementing this paradigm shift through institutional reform. Ultimately, our study argues for a fundamental reorientation of climate strategy away from technological solutionism and toward regenerative, community-driven practices rooted in Indigenous and Local Knowledges to foster long-term environmental resilience.
10. Determinants of Mangrove Dependence and Implications for Sustainable Livelihoods: Insights from Xuan Thuy National Park’s Buffer Zone
10. Determinants of Mangrove Dependence and Implications for Sustainable Livelihoods: Insights from Xuan Thuy National Park’s Buffer Zone
Hai Dinh Le, Thi Mai Anh Tran, Nguyen Thi Hao, Nguyen Thuy Phuong, Nguyen Thanh Thao
This study aimed to answer three research questions (1) How do mangroves contribute to household income in the buffer zone of Xuan Thuy National Park, Vietnam? (2) What factors determine households’ dependence on mangroves? and 3) What are the climate-related observations and changes that mangrove-dependent households have noticed in the last five years? Data were collected from 186 households across three rural communes through questionnaire surveys, 10 in-depth interviews, and three focus group discussions. Results indicate that mangroves-related income contributed 52.5% of total annual profits for surveyed households, followed by non-farm activities (40.6%), offshore fishing (6.7%), and agriculture (0.3%). A multivariate regression analysis revealed that experience in mangrove aquaculture, market knowledge, occupation type, and participation in training programs positively influenced household dependence on mangroves. Conversely, higher income from crops, non-farm jobs, and offshore fishing reduced mangrove resource extraction. Surprisingly, factors like land area and number of laborers did not impact mangrove dependence. Policy implications emphasize the need for mangrove conservation, value-addition of aquaculture products, sustainable farming practices, livelihood diversification, and community-based mangrove management approaches. The study contributes to the understanding of socio-ecological dynamics in mangrove-dependent communities and provides insights for balancing conservation efforts with livelihood development.
9. Influence of communication channels on forestry programs participation: Evidence from smallholders in Vietnam
9. Influence of communication channels on forestry programs participation: Evidence from smallholders in Vietnam
Thi Mai Anh Tran, Kyungmook Lee, Dongwook W. Ko
Communication plays a pivotal role in enhancing rural households' engagement in forestry programs, yet its impacts have not been thoroughly explored. In this study, we examine the influence of communication channels on the participation decisions of 300 randomly sampled households across 30 communities in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data on communication aspects, household characteristics, socioeconomic status, institutional considerations, farm attributes, and biophysical factors. Logistic regression and Bayesian model averaging were utilized for data analysis. Our findings revealed that government-led formal communication channels were more influential in increasing forestry participation than informal farmer-to-farmer communication. Further, information on forestry programs, planting knowledge, forest area, formal communication channels, and household wealth ranking jointly predicted landholders' participation decisions. As for policy interventions, we suggested improving transparency and monitoring of formal communication channels, extending educational outreach initiatives, and utilizing informal networks to disseminate technical information/supports to local households. Implementing tailored support instruments for resource-constrained households is further recommended. Collectively, our study offers a foundation for understanding communication's role in forestry program participation, contributing to the development of context-tailored strategies to enhance the efficacy and socioeconomic viability of forestry development projects in rural Vietnam.
8. The Battery Bubble
8. The Battery Bubble
Quan-Hoang Vuong, Minh-Hoang Nguyen, Thi Mai Anh Tran, Viet-Phuong La
The global push for electrification has placed battery technology at the forefront of climate solutions, but this almost singular focus is creating a precarious economic and environmental bubble. This article presents a multidimensional analysis – encompassing economic, scientific, and anthropological perspectives – of the impending battery industry crisis. We examine the rise of a “battery bubble” driven by the electric vehicle (EV) revolution, using Granular Interaction Thinking Theory (GITT) to highlight how a narrow technological focus can backfire. Nickel, a critical metal for batteries, is explored as the first casualty of this bubble. Soaring demand for it and price volatility have led to severe environmental degradation and market instability. Drawing parallels to historical manias such as Tulip Fever and the Dot-com bubble, we discuss how hype and herd behavior inflate expectations of battery dominance, risking “immiserizing growth” – an economic expansion that paradoxically worsens social, economic, and environmental well-being. Finally, we propose a pathway to escape the battery bubble through a shift to an eco-surplus culture underpinned by the “semiconducting” principle of environmental-economic value exchange. This approach calls for reorienting our value system to prevent solving one environmental problem at the cost of exacerbating others. The analysis underscores the urgency of recalibrating climate strategies before the battery bubble busts, with potentially cascading consequences for global stability.
7. Exploring Italian consumers' willingness to pay for sustainable fashion: the roles of eco-consciousness and vintage preference
7. Exploring Italian consumers' willingness to pay for sustainable fashion: the roles of eco-consciousness and vintage preference
Minh-Hoang Nguyen, Minh-Phuong Thi Duong, Thien-Vu Tran, Hong-Hue Thi Nguyen, Thi Mai Anh Tran, Quan-Hoang Vuong
The former study suggests that Italian consumers are willing to pay premiums for new bio-based products but expect discounts on second-hand clothing, revealing a sustainability bias. This study adds more insights into such a bias by examining factors influencing consumers’ willingness to pay a premium for bio-based clothing and their expected discounts for second-hand items. Using Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (BMF) analytics on a dataset of 402 Italian consumers, the findings reveal that environmental concerns are positively associated with premiums for bio-based clothing, while higher income and education levels are also associated with the higher premium that consumers are willing to pay. For second-hand clothing, the preference for vintage appeal is linked to lower expected discounts. Men and younger consumers tend to expect higher discounts for second-hand clothing. By providing insights into Italian consumers’ sustainable fashion choices, this study offers implications for businesses, policymakers, and researchers aiming to promote eco-conscious consumption and sustainability in the fashion industry.
6. Decentering humans in sustainability: a framework for Earth-centered kinship and practice
6. Decentering humans in sustainability: a framework for Earth-centered kinship and practice
Thi Mai Anh Tran, Cassandra Reed-VanDam, Kendall Belopavlovich, Elizabeth Brown, Katherine Higdon, Shelby Nicole Lane-Clark, Katherine M. McGowen, Emily Shaw & Valoree Gagnon
Contemporary Earth crises are challenging ideologies that enthrone humans at the center of existence and separate from nature, problematizing common notions of sustainability. Further inquiry, particularly sustainability of what and for whom, requires decentering the human experience toward other-than-human beings (e.g., plants and animals). In this article, we, as the Kinship Circle book club, share reflections from our monthly dialogue with the five-part book series Kinship: Belonging in a World of Relations, built on a foundation of partnership experiences with the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Lake Superior Band of Ojibwa. Together, we discuss three major departures from our previous modes of thought at the individual, community, and global levels. First, as students, mentors, and relatives to many, we aim for (research) practices that affirm relationships to place, an approach we understand as remembering what it means to be human. Second, to rebuild shared responsibilities across communities of many kinds, we move beyond an anthropomorphization debate toward “animism," recognizing the sentience and autonomy of other-than-human beings on Earth. Third, in support of a transformative and collective human ethic, we hope to contribute to restoring relationships with the many that gift us life, using connections between migration, justice, and introduced species. Finally, we present a practical Kinship Circle framework for applying these concepts in educational settings. Our conclusion provides central kinship lessons for decentering humans in the sustainability sciences, rooted in humility, responsibility, and an Earth-centered ethics.
5. A review of traditional ecological knowledge in resilient livelihoods and forest ecosystems: lessons for restoration sciences and practices
5. A review of traditional ecological knowledge in resilient livelihoods and forest ecosystems: lessons for restoration sciences and practices
Thi Mai Anh Tran, Valoree Gagnon, Chelsea Schelly
In recent years, Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) has gained prominence in ecosystem science and governance, enhancing understanding of landscape conditions, systems dynamics, and ethical restoration practices. However, Indigenous community engagement in science and practice remains limited. In this paper, we investigate TEK’s contribution to forest ecosystem research for resilient livelihoods, methods for bridging TEK with Western science, and share insights from Ojibwa perspectives on ecological restoration and well-being. A systematic review of TEK literature from 2001 to 2022 was conducted using Web of Science, with bibliometric analysis and narrative review using VOSviewer and Biblioshiny. Our findings suggest that while TEK is prevalent in social-ecological resilience and climate change mitigation research, forest ecosystem restoration receives less attention. Most literature considers Indigenous peoples as research participants rather than collaborative research partners. Differences in ontologies and sociological barriers between Indigenous peoples and government agencies may hinder TEK’s inclusion in restoration practices. Reflecting on the wild rice restoration efforts of Ojibwa in the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, we discuss timescale dimensions of research partnerships and restoration projects with Indigenous communities. Guided by Indigenous knowledge systems, we conclude that restoration activities have the potential to strengthen human-ecosystem livelihoods in our shared landscapes and futures.
4. Analyzing determinants of long-rotation plantation decisions by local households in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam with Bayesian Networks
4. Analyzing determinants of long-rotation plantation decisions by local households in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam with Bayesian Networks
Hai Dinh Le, Tran Thi Mai Anh, Vo Thi Hai Hien, Luu Thi Van, Ngo Thi Mai
Vietnam is one of the most dynamic furniture industries in the world. However, the domestic raw wood is struggling to meet the demands of the booming furniture industry in quantity and quality. Long-rotation plantations are expected to be a potential solution to improve local livelihoods and mitigate climate change impacts. In this study, we used binary logistic regression to analyze four groups of factors that affect the adoption of long-rotation plantations, including household characteristics, socio-economic factors, biophysical and technical factors, and institutional and policy factors using data collected from 315 households in Vinh Linh and Cam Lo districts, Quang Tri province, Vietnam. We also developed a Bayesian Network model to identify key drivers influencing small-scale forest planters' adoption of long-rotation plantations. The study results indicated that FSC participation, assurance of seedling source, understanding of the long-rotation timber market, and distance from house to plantation site positively influence households' decision on long-rotation plantation. In contrast, the lack of capital in years 4 to 5 and the typhoon impact rate negatively affect long-rotation plantations. The research findings suggest that supporting policies that provide forest planters with better access to FSC projects, low-interest credit systems, and better-quality planting material and equipment could encourage local households to adopt long-rotation plantations in the coming years.
3. Key factors influencing forest tree planting decisions of households: A case study in Hoa Binh province, Vietnam
3. Key factors influencing forest tree planting decisions of households: A case study in Hoa Binh province, Vietnam
Hai Dinh Le, Tran Thi Mai Anh, Huong Thanh Pham
In coping with significant deforestation, forest degradation, and a lack of raw materials for the wood processing industry, currently in Hoa Binh province, massive reforestation projects have been implemented. However, when remarkable attempts and investments have been made in reforestation, interaction of household characteristics, socio-economic and institutional factors with small-scale forest tree planting decision are still little understood in Vietnam in general and in the study area in particular. In this study, 250 households of 2 districts, namely Cao Phong and Kim Boi, in Hoa Binh province were surveyed on factors influencing forest tree planting decision by households. We found that five main factors – including attitude to forest tree planting, knowledge of household head on silviculture, investment capital, participation in forest programs, and age of household head – significantly influenced forest tree planting decision by households in the study area.
2. A bayesian network analysis of reforestation decisions by rural mountain communities in Vietnam
2. A bayesian network analysis of reforestation decisions by rural mountain communities in Vietnam
Thi Mai Anh Tran, Dongwook W. Ko, Chan Ryul Park, Hai Dinh Le
Reforestation is a primary factor in protecting upland forests providing economic sustenance for livelihood and keeping watersheds intact. In this study, we evaluated the importance of several direct and indirect drivers that can influence people’s decision for reforestation. Acquiring data from Cao Phong district of Vietnam, we utilized Bayesian Network (BN) to analyze how household characteristics, socio-economic status, biophysical environment, institutional support, and farm characteristics influenced reforestation decisions of local people. BN allowed us to identify 1) the main drivers that affect landholders ‘planted forest area, 2) how the key drivers affect among themselves, and 3) what causes constraints in tree planting. We surveyed 100 households for potential drivers, identified significant drivers by using bivariate analysis and stepwise linear regression, and created a BN to predict scenarios with different household’s perception regarding the planted forest area. The results revealed five direct drivers (attitude of household to tree planting, sources of investment capital for planting practice, land area, distance from household to market, experience of participating in forestry program) and seven indirect drivers (information about forestry program, incentives supported for tree planters, land tenure, accessibility to plantation forest, rotation length of planting trees, forest area, household income) that significantly influenced farmers’ reforestation decisions. Constraints in planting trees were due to the difficulties in protecting property from mortality and unreliable profit. Our results can assist design efficient forestry programs in Vietnam and in other comparable areas.
1. Remote sensing and GIS application in the management of payment for forest and environmental services in watershed of Huong Son hydropower in Ha Tinh province
1. Remote sensing and GIS application in the management of payment for forest and environmental services in watershed of Huong Son hydropower in Ha Tinh province
Nguyen Van Thi, Tran Thi Mai Anh, Nguyen Thi Ha, Phung Van Khoa, Vu Tien Thinh
Since 2010, Payment for forest and environmental services (PFES) has been applied nationwide in Vietnam. By applying GIS and remote sensing, the project had identified the boundary of Huong Son survey area map and the foreststatus map which are based on 45 survey sampling plots combined with the supervised classification method. As a result, the forest status map at surveyed area was divided into 10 types including forest land and non-forest land cover. The K coefficient value is calculated to conduct the payment measurement according to Decree No. 99/2010/NĐ-CP. Based on the results of classification indicated from ground survey and K values, the PFES map was then created and applied directly in Huong Son Hydroelectric PowerPlant’s watershed, Ha Tinh Province.
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