There is increasing recognition of the potential of natural ecosystems to provide valuable services to urban areas. These ecosystem services may include flood control, water purification, slope stabilization, and erosion prevention. In addition, ecosystems may help to reduce urban temperatures, providing cooling and shade; as well as providing cultural and recreational amenities for nearby urban residents. Economic studies in other countries have shown that services delivered by ecosystems, if they are carefully designed and managed, may cost less than conventional engineering approaches (Atkins 2015; Landscape Institute 2013).

This “green infrastructure” can be defined as a system of linked natural vegetation areas and water channels, ponds, lakes and wetlands, which can be designed, engineered and managed to provide flood retention and runoff buffering services to reduce flood risk in urban areas (Benedict & McMahon 2012). A study was conducted in Can Tho city’s central Ninh Kieu district to assess the potential value of green infrastructure to reduce the pressure on the city’s drainage system and improve water quality in existing water bodies.