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Formal urban land is market unable to supply adequate residential plot that could shoulder the prevailing demand from low- and middle-income people and hence, the aim of the paper was meant to explore the informal land buyers’ expectations of infrastructure and various related municipal services that they deprive themselves of. A mixed-method approach was used, combining a survey of 186 respondents in informal land markets, observation, and focus group discussions with municipal experts. Secondary data from formal land markets in Dilla municipality from 2017-2023 were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The result of the study revealed that the pushing factors of informal land market proliferation in Dilla city is due to the lack of formal land supply from Dilla municipality which is only 6.6% so that the remaining great majority (97.3%) of the study area residents expect at least one service (road, water, electricity, drainage, monitoring services) from Dilla municipality to improve deprivation of basic infrastructural services, notwithstanding the need of land monitoring services such as surveying and title deeds. The situations call for design a pro-poor land and housing policy, adequate compensation during expropriation of farmers for serviced supply of land, creating awareness about formal land markets, and working in collaboration with rural counterparts in basis of rural – urban collaboration frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve growth in fiscal revenue and the regional economy under the Chinese decentralization system, the land resources misallocation (LRM) among different industries was promoted through the differentiated land supply strategy, which has a vital role in carbon emissions. This study theoretically analyzes the overall effect and the effect of the intermediate LRM mechanism on carbon emissions and empirically tests the impact of LRM on carbon emissions based on panel data collected from 30 provinces in China from 2005 to 2017 using the environmental Kuznets curve theory. The results show that (1) the local governments have monopolized the primary land market across the nation, leading to resource misallocation among industrial, commercial, and residential land. This inefficient and unsustainable allocation aggravated the release of carbon emissions. (2) The impact of LRM on carbon emissions has varied among different regions. LRM in the eastern and central regions significantly exacerbated carbon emissions. A greater impact on carbon emissions occurred in the eastern region, while the impact was insignificant in the western region. (3) There are two mechanisms through which LRM affects carbon emissions. One is the restraint of upgrading industrial structure, and the other is the restriction of technological innovations. In conclusion, speeding up the reform of the tax sharing system is suggested to reduce the excessive dependence of local governments on land resources. Meanwhile, in order to reduce carbon emissions, the land acquisition and transfer system should be reformed to gradually achieve the market-oriented allocation of land resources, and the benefits coordination mechanism of different land transfer modes should be established. Finally, we propose different carbon emission reduction policies for the heterogeneity of regional economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A spatial and temporal heterogeneity analysis of residential land prices, in general, is crucial for maintaining high-quality economic development. Previous studies have attempted to explain the geographical evolution rule by studying spatial-temporal heterogeneity, but they have neglected the contextual information, such as school district, industrial zone, population density, and job density, associated with residential land prices. Therefore, in this study, we consider contextual factors and propose a revised local regression algorithm called the contextualized geographically and temporally weighted regression (CGTWR), to effectively address spatiotemporal heterogeneity, and to creatively extend the feasibility of importing the contextualization into the GTWR model. The quantitative impact of contextual information on residential land prices was identified in Shijiazhuang (SJZ) city from 1974 to 2021. Empirical analyses demonstrated that school district and industrial zone factors played important roles in residential land prices. Notably, the distance from a residential area to an industrial zone was significantly positively correlated with residential land prices. In addition, a positive relationship between school districts and residential land prices was also observed. Finally, the R² value of the CGTWR model was 92%, which was superior to those of ordinary least squares (OLS, 76%), geographically weighted regression (GWR, 85%), contextualized geographically weighted regression (CGWR, 86%), and GTWR (90%) models. These evaluation results indicate that the CGTWR algorithm, which incorporates contextual information and spatiotemporal variation, could provide policy makers with evidence for understanding the nature of varying relationships within a land price dataset in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historic reconstruction of residential land cover is of significance to uncover the humanenvironment relationship and its changing dynamics. Taking into account the historical census data and cadastral maps of seven villages, this study generated residential land cover maps for the Bursa Region in the 1850s using a model based on natural constraints, land zoning, socio-economic factors and residential suitability. Two different historical reconstructions were generated; one based on a high density residential model and another based on a low density model. The simulated landcover information was used as an ancillary data to redistribute aggregated census counts to fine scale raster cells. Two different statistical models were developed; one based on probability maps and the other applying regression models including Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) models. The regression models were validated with historical census data of the 1840s. From regression models, socio-economic and physical characteristics, accessibility and natural amenities showed significant impacts on the distribution of population. Model validation analysis revealed that GWR is more accurate than OLS models. The generated residential land cover and gridded population datasets can provide a basis for the historical study of population and land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on the history of turfgrass use in the landscape in the U.S. including production and management of turfgrass in the country, rampant consumerism and a disregard for the natural environment. Topics include advertising by lawn care companies, residential landscapes and experimental grass garden.

Problem, research strategy, and findings: Residential landscapes are homogenizing the ecology of cities, and decisions about yard structure and management practices are the result of a complex mix of actors and institutions operating at multiple scales. In this study we examine how one such institution, the homeowners association (HOA), homogenizes yard ecology at the neighborhood scale through formal institutional rules. We examine a random sample of publicly recorded covenants, codes, and restrictions (CCRs) documents and a nonrandom sample of private architecture and landscaping guidelines for HOAs in Maricopa County (AZ). We find landscaping rules in CCRs have increased over time but are relatively small in number and generic in content, sometimes repeated municipal rules, and increasingly outsourced rules to architectural and landscaping guidelines. Rules about yard aesthetics or maintenance were required, whereas rules relating to environmentally sensitive landscaping were encouraged. We propose HOAs facilitate ecological homogenization by aggregating heterogeneous rule types to formulate a club good. Takeaway for practice: Our findings suggest planners can enact ordinances that influence residential landscape ecology in HOAs via statutory mandates because CCRs reinforce existing rules at the neighborhood scale. However, HOAs potentially inhibit adoption of voluntary programs directly or indirectly via approvals and restrictions. Moreover, the finding that HOAs are increasingly shifting regulations from publicly recorded CCRs to private documents reveals a challenge for planners because private contract law allows land use provisions in HOAs to remain "hidden" from the public domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines an unusual type of ‘cultural theme park’, one that is not based on simulating existing cultural diversity or historical places, but based in some senses on a ‘double simulation’. The theme park is based on an historical painting assumed to represent the North Song Dynasty period in Kaifeng, China; however, it is a representation that historians argue may never have existed. Utilising on-site interviews and participant observation, this paper traces the connections between the classic painting (清明上河图) and the actual historical landscape of Bianjing (the first simulation), and in so doing, unravels the links between the painting and the theme park (the second simulation) and the simulacra that are envisioned to form within the spaces of the theme park as a result of the interplay of simulations during theme park visits. The simulations and intended simulacra are ‘consumed’ to various degrees, suggesting that the representations of Kaifeng's historical past and culture have been impactful and (in)authenticity has not been an issue. Moreover, the theme park has served to entertain and, in some cases, inspire through playful appropriations of Kaifeng's past and culture. The resultant simulacra and its double simulations (in simulating both the real Bianjing and the neo-real landscape painting) contrast and simultaneously connect with rampant replications of the Occident in contemporary Chinese residential landscapes, townships and themed spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts on urban restoration related topics which include the use of a framework for adapting urban forests into climatic changes and the strategies for incorporating ecological goals of urban birds and planting designs into residential landscapes.

The microclimate of a residential landscape can affect both the energy use in your home and the human thermal comfort in your garden, ultimately affecting the heat in the neighbourhood or precinct. A thermal imaging camera provides information about the temperature of surfaces. By using Stefan–Boltzmann’s law and the surface properties, these temperatures can be used to calculate the emission of longwave radiation (radiant exitance) in W m−2. A thermal camera was used to determine the amount of radiant exitance from a range of residential landscape elements. A standard procedure for capturing these images was developed, taking into account factors which affect the quality of the radiometric data. A quantitative database comparing this radiation has been compiled for different times of day and different seasons. The sky view factor of these elements was chosen such that it was as close to 1 as possible. For a particular landscape design, areas of each landscape element can be measured and the amount of radiation reduced or emitted at different times can be calculated. This data can be used to improve landscape designs to reduce home energy use and human thermal comfort through shading and reduction of surfaces which emit longwave radiation close to the house. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]