The principal functions promoted through mangrove restoration and rehabilitation differ regionally. In North and Central Vietnam, mangrove restoration and rehabilitation has been promoted for disaster risk mitigation and thus its protective function is prioritized. This is reflected in North Vietnam’s most significant mangrove restoration and rehabilitation program, the International Red Cross Disaster Risk Program. Projects have been run in eight provinces in mostly in northern Vietnam with 18,000 ha of mangroves planted along a 100 km stretch of sea dike. Since the program comes from the disaster risk perspective, the stated purpose was protection of human lives and infrastructure. More specifically, mangrove restoration and rehabilitation is seen as a means to enhance and improve the sustainability of