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The conflict between economic development and ecological protection in land use (LU) has been a significant and widely discussed topic. The city circle concept has been proposed to promote economic growth through its strong agglomeration effect. It contains the core city and its surrounding area, and economic activities and ecosystems are highly intertwined within this geographic unit. Meanwhile, population, industry, and infrastructure are often concentrated within the urban sphere, which results in a concentrated demand for land, water, and ecosystem services. As a result, LU conflicts are more pronounced in urban areas. Here, we used gross domestic product (GDP) and gross ecosystem product (GEP) to reflect economic and ecological levels, then linked LU change into the coupling relationship between GDP and GEP of the Wuhan City Circle (WHCC), China, to analyze the economic and ecological developments of WHCC. Finally, we constructed a partial least squares structural equation modeling to explore the key drivers affecting the coupling of real GDP and GEP. Our results revealed significant LU changes between 1990 and 2020 for the WHCC. Paddy fields, dry lands, and some forestlands decreased, while built‐up lands and water areas both increased. Real GDP of the WHCC increased from $1.04 × 106 in 1990 to $3.04 × 107 in 2020. While the GEP of the WHCC increased during 1990–2010 and decreased during 2010–2020. Additionally, GEP exhibited a significant spatial heterogeneity, with high GEP concentrated in the central and southeastern regions. Moreover, we constructed a conceptual model for coupling real GDP and GEP, then used structural equation modeling to reveal their relationship. Real GDP had a positive effect on GEP. Furthermore, the proportion of construction land and ecological land as intermediate variables played an important direct and indirect role in real GDP and GEP. Consequently, landscape planning was proposed to enhance the green infrastructure of the WHCC. Our findings provide a reference and experience on land resource allocation for maintaining sustainable development in the city circle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Afyon Kocatepe University Journal of Science & Engineering / Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Fen Ve Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Afyon Kocatepe University, Faculty of Science & Literature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, water ecological environmental protection work in river basins will pay more attention to water ecological protection and restoration based on water environment improvement. The construction and ecological restoration of river and lake ecological buffer zones play an important role in restoring and stabilising the function of water ecosystems, improving water quality and landscape enhancement. This paper takes the ecological buffer zone of village-type rivers and lakes as the research object and explores the construction and landscape planning strategy of ecological buffer zone of village-type rivers and lakes under the perspective of ecological restoration by using literature research and interdisciplinary research methods. By analysing the spatial architecture of buffer strips and delineating their width, we constructed a 1+5+1 landscape strategy model, i.e., one ecological restoration strategy, five spatial structures(the water environment space, the berm space, the artificial wetland space, the terrestrial vegetation space, the pathway space) landscape strategy, and one humanistic landscape strategy. The study aims to provide ideas and theoretical support for the ecological buffer zone restoration programme of village-type rivers and lakes, as well as to provide reference and significance for the planning of projects of the same type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Planning Education & Research is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Mapping the production of Ecosystem Services (ES) is imperative for sustainable ecosystem management. Likewise, incorporating expert knowledge enhances ES research. Here, we calculate eight multi-temporal ES indicators for mainland Portugal using a spatial modelling approach. These indicators are then integrated into the novel ASEBIO index—Assessment of Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity—which depicts a combined ES potential based on CORINE Land Cover, using a multi-criteria evaluation method with weights defined by stakeholders through an Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Outputs from the modelling show how ES have changed in Portugal in relation to land use changes, including trade-offs between 1990 and 2018. The composed ASEBIO index is compared against the stakeholders’ valuation of ES potential for the year 2018. The results reveal a significant mismatch between the ES potential perceived by stakeholders and the models, with stakeholder estimates being 32.8% higher on average. All the selected ES were overestimated by the stakeholders. Drought regulation and erosion prevention have the highest contrasts, while water purification, food production and recreation are the most closely aligned among both approaches. Providing the first national overview about the status of multiple ES over a 28 year-period, our findings highlight potential disparities between data-driven and stakeholder-based evaluations. Therefore, we suggest the need for integrative strategies that consider scientific models with expert knowledge for more effective ES assessments and land-use planning. This approach could help bridge the gap between data-driven models and human perspectives, resulting in more balanced and inclusive decision-making.

The development of blue-green infrastructure is a new, but dynamic trend in urban ecology and city planning, especially relevant in the global climate change context, that in addition to increasing temperatures leads to intensification of storm precipitation unusual for the middle zone. The situation with surface flooding is significantly worsened not only by the high percentage of impermeable surfaces in the city, but also by small slopes, which lead to the difficulties of surface runoff. This factor is typical for old city districts or former industrial areas. The increasing storm rainfall leads to additional load on engineering communications and forces to think about alternative solutions, such as rain gardens. The paper evaluated the efficiency of flood risk reduction due to the application of rain gardens on the territory of the projected residential complex in the Moscow megalopolis. The results of modeling the surface slopes of the territory showed that ⅓ of the territory excluding highways has an unfavorable slope (less than 0.5%) for the formation of surface runoff in green areas. At the same time, the most unfavorable areas with slope below 0.003 (0.3 %) account for 13.7% of the territory. It was also determined that the predominant type of catchment surfaces of the territory are catchments of depressional landforms, the most suitable solution for surface runoff drainage for which are rain gardens. At the same time, an increase in the area of rain gardens from 1.5 to 5% of the catchment area of various functional zones showed a decrease in the calculated surface runoff rates from 0 to 78%. The greatest reduction was observed when increasing the area of rain gardens up to 3%, and further increase gave insignificant effect. At the same time, for recreational areas, replacing lawn to rain gardens by more than 2% is excessive, so when the proportion of rain gardens in parks in the study area is increased, the value of overflow tends to zero. Thus, the most effective area of rain gardens for the case study (area - 95 ha) is 2.5 ha, while in recreational zones it is recommended to use only 0.5 ha for rain gardens.

Cities serve as both political and economic hubs. Sustainable development has long been acknowledged as crucial to the well-being of the environment, people, and society. In order to improve the current state of spatial affairs and attain long-term resilience, humanity is looking for reliable and sustainable urban planning approaches. Urban agriculture has received a lot of attention in recent years as an enduring and pervasive kind of landscape. Although the contribution of urban agriculture has been well documented in many studies on economic, social and ecological aspects, there has been little discussion of its practical value as a tool for spatial development. Additionally, the potential of urban agriculture as a landscape approach remains underdeveloped. In summary, current research and practice lacks a scientific framework for considering urban agriculture as a landscape approach to intervene in urban spaces. To this end, this paper explores the potential of urban agriculture as a landscape approach in sustainable urban planning and design through qualitative case study. Taking Songzhuang in Beijing as an example, we discuss and summarise the operational value and potential of urban agriculture from a design perspective. The findings suggest that landscape-based urbanism that includes urban agriculture can harmonise social, economic, environmental and ecological elements. Finally, in order to provide a generalised approach, this paper proposes a scientific framework for articulating a landscape approach to urban agriculture to guide future research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The achievement of international forest restoration goals requires economically viable land‐use options. The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is a priority area for ecosystem restoration, as it is widely deforested to make place for intensive agriculture and one of the most threatened biodiversity hotspots in the world. We systematically reviewed existing scientific literature on the biome to highlight the evidence on economic benefits and costs of forest restoration. A total of 15 publications were identified that quantify costs and/or economic benefits of forest restoration. We observed that most studies (11) [Correction added on 15 May 2024, after first online publication: In the preceding phrase, (12) was corrected to (11) in this version.] were published after 2018 and that research on the topic was biogeographically biased as 12 publications referred to study sites in Brazil's Southeast Region. Given its beneficial natural conditions, the Atlantic Forest is predestined for a wide range of restoration‐related opportunities, yet economic benefits of restoration are underexplored (seven studies). Moreover, benefits from a multifunctional use of restored forests are almost absent in the literature with only three studies presenting primary data. Elaboration of restoration costs is also limited to 10 studies that focus predominantly on active restoration. Thus, we argue that the economic costs and benefits of forest restoration are not well understood. Clarity thereon is, however, critical for policy formulation and to mobilize private investments. We therefore call for studies to fill in the knowledge gap on restoration economics in the Atlantic Forest biome, and to study restoration economics in other biomes as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization without planning causes concerns about biodiversity loss, congestion, housing, and ecosystem sustainability in developing countries. Therefore, resilience and regeneration following urbanization are critical to city planning and sustainable development. Integrating multi-criteria decision-making methods (MCDM) with geographic information systems (GIS) can be a promising method for analyzing city resilience and regeneration. This study aims to use two MCDMs, the Analytic Network Process (ANP) and the Best–Worst Method (BWM), to evaluate the resilience of metropolitan neighborhoods in Tehran. Fourteen criteria were selected to represent the city's resilience, and the weights of two models were evaluated for their spatial patterns using GIS. The results showed that the building age was the most important criterion in both methods, while the per capita green space was the least important criterion. The weights of the most important criterion, the building age, for the ANP and BWM, were 19.56 and 18.98, respectively, while the weights of the least important criterion, the per capita green space, were 2.197 and 1.655, respectively. Therefore, the MCDM with GIS provides an approach for assessing city resilience and regeneration priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sanjiangyuan region, situated on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, constitutes an exceptionally delicate ecological environment. Alterations in the region's ecological landscape stem not only from natural factors but also from significant anthropogenic influences, exerting a notable impact on the sustainable economic and social development of the region's middle and lower reaches. Consequently, investigating changes in the landscape pattern of Sanjiangyuan National Park holds paramount importance for comprehending the formation mechanism of spatial landscape distribution in the area. This study analyzes the ecological sensitivity and landscape pattern of Sanjiangyuan National Park in Qinghai Province, China, utilizing ArcGIS 10.8 and Fragstats 4.2. Employing the bivariate spatial autocorrelation analysis method, the research uncovers the spatial distribution characteristics between ecological sensitivity and landscape pattern, along with their aggregated change traits. The findings reveal that ecological sensitivity areas within the park encompass varying degrees, ranging from extremely sensitive to insensitive. The area of moderately sensitive zones in the Yellow River source region is 7279.67 km2 (39.17%), whereas the corresponding area in the Yangtze River source region is 32,572.34 km2 (36.30%). The eastern and northern parts of the Sanjiangyuan National Park exhibit significant landscape fragmentation. Ecological sensitivity varies markedly across different regions, with the southern and some northern areas showing higher sensitivity. In the Lancang River source park and the southern part of the Yellow River source park, the Largest Patch Index (LPI) and Ecological Sensitivity Index exhibit a high–high (HH) clustering pattern, indicating strong ecological connectivity in these areas. These regions also feature high Total Edge (TE), Number of Patches (NP), Patch Density (PD), and Edge Density (ED), indicating a complex landscape structure and abundant habitat edge areas. The study recommends restoring ecological connectivity in highly fragmented areas and implementing strict protection measures in sensitive regions to maintain ecosystem health and biodiversity. These findings provide a foundation for developing targeted ecological protection measures to enhance ecosystem health and biodiversity conservation in the area. This research aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Climate Action, Life on Land, and Clean Water and Sanitation, by promoting sustainable ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Museums have played an important role in the spread of national and international culture in the historical process, in transferring it from generation to generation and in increasing intercultural interaction and awareness. In this study, where the Kilitbahir Castle Museum is examined in this respect, the inside of the castle and its immediate surroundings are examined within the scope of landscape values. The village of Kilitbahir, which contains the museum within its borders, is located opposite the province of Çanakkale. The distance between this village, which is separated by the Dardanelles Strait, and the Çanakkale province, to which it is politically connected, is about 3 km. The examination of the museum within the scope of landscape criteria was carried out in two steps. First, structural and vegetative analysis is included depending on the observations made in the field. In the second step, the opinions and thoughts of the user factor depending on the recreational approaches on the research area are revealed. For this purpose, mutual interviews were provided with 100 visitors by chance. The results obtained by the questionnaire were evaluated by using SPSS 15.0 statistical analysis program. The basis of the said evaluation was user satisfaction/dependent variable and the structural and vegetal landscape elements/independent variables affecting it. According to the analysis, the significance level of the relationship between the variables was found to be 0.000 and the R square value was 0.825. In the light of these and similar results, in this study, which is designed to contribute to the optimal use of the research area, suggestions have been developed with common or similar approaches derived from both strategies followed depending on the method.

As part of efforts to promote urban green spaces in increasingly urbanized cities of Africa, urban crop farming (UCF) has become a necessary pillar of urban environmental sustainability. Beyond the primary functions of food security and employment, UCF contributes to greening the urban environment and provides valuable options for urban regeneration within the broad components of environmental, social, and economic sustainability. We draw on interviews and focus group discussions in Tamale, a rapidly urbanizing Ghanaian metropolis, to examine the potential of UCF and the question of urban environmental sustainability. Our findings revealed the tremendous contributions of UCF to the provision of greenery, beautiful scenery, healthy spaces, socio-economic inclusion, and environmental restoration. We argue that reflecting and incorporating these findings in policy will be helpful for urban landscape planning and management.

Floods pose a significant threat, exceeding other natural disasters in economic and social impacts (Agrawal et al. 2020; Zuo et al. 2023; Kurata et al. 2023). Urbanization exacerbates this risk by altering hydrology and increasing flood exposure due to population growth in floodplains (Mustafa et al. 2018; Cao et al. 2022). Climate change further intensifies this, potentially raising the number of flood-prone people by 2030 (Nguyen et al. 2021; Tellman et al. 2021; Keenan-Jones 2023). Disaster mitigation, particularly spatial planning for risk reduction, is crucial for sustainable development in rapidly urbanizing areas. Current plans often rely solely on static land-use data, neglecting dynamic landscape changes. This study utilizes land-use data (Landsat 8 OLI, 2014–2022) and landscape metrics to simulate 2030 flood risk under urban expansion. We show increased urbanization leads to wider and deeper floods due to land-use changes and fragmentation. Spatial planning needs to consider these dynamics, not just elevation. Our model demonstrates that expanding residential and non-residential areas by 5.54% and 1.47% increases flood-prone areas by 6.5% and 36.9%, respectively. This information can inform policymakers in developing more robust spatial planning for flood mitigation.

Ontological approaches are rarely used to investigate US public lands controversies and collaborative planning efforts, specifically among non-indigenous groups. This paper examines the potential role of ontological differences in driving persistent disputes within a national forest planning process in the southern Appalachians. Using participant observation and interviews with planning participants, I found contention not over the resources of a single forest but rather the social and ecological relationships that constituted five distinct forests whose threats and needs were made obvious through personal experiences, community histories, and scientific and local knowledge. Collaborative efforts sought to work through controversies in part by appealing to shared principles. However, what appeared to be shared terms of debate transposed ontological conflicts into narrow technical disputes that often remained intractable. The ontological dimensions of contention in collaborative planning suggest the need to broaden dialogue and revisit core themes in collaboration scholarship and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide a comparative analysis of two koala management plans for populations in two Australian municipalities, based on principles of landscape management: Ballarat (Victoria) and Bellingen (New South Wales). A landscape-based approach is required to protect the species, but evaluation of landscape management is limited. We present an assessment framework for evaluating local koala management plans. The plans are evaluated against a common set of principles and criteria, despite very different approaches stemming from context-specific factors. Interestingly, despite a variation in the number of indicators in the plans, the overall results of the evaluation demonstrate a similar level of performance against the criteria, and common strengths and weaknesses. In the absence of consistent standards for the protection of the koala across Australia, the species will continue to decline, and management practices will fail to protect the koala from extinction, as is currently predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountainous regions have disadvantages in economic development because of harsh physical and climatic conditions. However, winter tourism activities are one of the key components for supporting economic development in the highlands. Establishing a ski resort area supports direct and indirect employment in a region, and it stops immigration from mountainous regions to other places. This research aimed to assess the potential ski areas using a multi criteria evaluation technique in the Van region which is located in the eastern part of Türkiye. In this context, snow cover duration, sun effect, slope, slope length, elevation, population density, distance from main roads and lake visibility were used as input factors in the decision making process. Each factor was standardized using a fuzzy technique based on existing well-known ski centers in Türkiye. The weight of inputs was defined by applying a survey to the professional skiers. The most important factors were detected as transportation opportunities and snow covers whereas, the least important factors were elevation and population density. Additionally, lake visibility was very important to make a difference from other existing facilities in the region. Therefore, it was included as constraints and lake visible areas were extracted at the final stage of the research. Potential ski areas were mapped in three levels as professional, intermediate and beginner skiers. One of the suitable areas was selected as a sample projection and for the 3D simulation of the ski investment area. Potential costs and benefits were discussed. It was found that a ski tourism area investment can be amortized in 3 years in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are about 180 villages in Mentougou District. The typical regional landscape characteristics and profound cultural, historical and geographical value of these ancient villages have rendered the district a unique tourism resource in the west of Beijing. With the ongoing social development and population migration, the cultural values carried by these villages are faced with the risk o f diminish ment. It is therefore of great significance to integrate and protect the traditional villages to promote the tourism development of this area. Based on 62 ancient villages, this paper uses the concept of linearity to define the spatial influence of each village culture from macro, meso and micro perspectives with the help of ArcGIS spatial analysis software to construct the corridor pattern of the ancient villages in Mentougou District. On this basis, the spatial levels, functional nature and characteristics of the corridor are finely delineated in conjunction with the actual situation. In this way, the fragmented ancient village resources are integrated from natural, social and transportation aspects to achieve spatial consistency, complete the existing roads, and form a comprehensive development pattern for the tourism of ancient villages in area of Mentougou District, especially the organisation of tourism routes, and the overall planning of heritage utilisation.

In the history, the main roles of inland rivers in Beilun Port City of Ningbo were desalination, blocking tides, shipping, and flood control. Nowadays, with the continuous spread and deepening of urbanization, the ecological environment of river courses has been destroyed. In the past, remediation measures based on engineering and technology played a certain role, but can not “cure the root cause”. It should respect the historical evolution process of river courses, and highlight the ecological service function and leisure tourism value of river courses from the coordination perspective of urban and rural ecological environment, economic industries, society and culture in the planning ideas of ecology, production, and life integration. Four aspects of the measures are as below: protecting and repairing the ecological matrix of river courses; building green space system and maintaining flood control functions through the water network; protecting cultural heritage along the rivers; developing waterfront leisure tourism scenic area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) method from the UK has proven effective in identifying landscape values and characteristics through a comprehensive mapping process. However, it is predominantly expert-led and lacks an evaluation of scenery, hindering the inclusion of the broader community's preferences and visual attachment to their landscape. In Australia, the application of the Scenic Amenity Methodology (SAM) using Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping has engaged communities but has often overlooked the importance of landscape character. To overcome these limitations, this study presents an innovative scenic assessment methodology, referred to as modified Scenic Amenity Methodology (modified SAM). The methodology establishes landscape character types (LCTs) to map scenic preference ratings derived from community photo surveys. Simultaneously, it incorporates the visual exposure of the landscape from publicly accessible viewpoints, modelled using a Digital Elevation Model (DEM). The combination of scenic preferences and visual exposure enables mapping of the scenic amenity values held by the community. This methodology was first trialled in Bundaberg, then Cairns, the Whitsunday Islands, and, most recently, Toowoomba in Queensland, Australia. This paper presents the results of the Toowoomba study and reports on the challenges and limitations of informing landscape character type (LCT) values through a public photo survey, developing a scenic preference map from ratings of photos across a region, a map of the visual exposure of landscape elements from key public viewing locations, and, ultimately, a map of scenic amenity values across the Toowoomba Region. It indicates that integrating previous LCA approaches with public participation through community preferences is indeed feasible for regional landscape planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A crucial component of ecosystem services (ES) that represents social and humanities values is the cultural ecosystem service (CES), which refers to the non-material advantages that the environment provides for humans. CES are challenging to deeply understand, and little is known about the interactions between CES and landscape variables, particularly in some remote Chinese cities. In order to assess the dominant landscape variables of different CESs from physical, experiential, intellectual and inspirational aspects, this article investigates the landscape variables that may influence the public preferences of various CESs based on social media and geographic data in Anshun, China. The findings are displayed below. The public preferences of various CESs are impacted by the landscape variables in different ways. Physical CESs are influenced by both natural and infrastructure elements, demonstrating that accessibility to restaurants, accommodation, and transit affects how people interact with plays in public. Experiential CESs are primarily influenced by sensory elements, particularly the visual senses, suggesting that when people visit such settings, they place more emphasis on sensory experiences. Intellectual CESs are mostly affected by sensory and natural elements, implying that intellectual CESs with a natural perception are more alluring to tourists. Inspirational CESs are mainly influenced by natural and infrastructure elements, people usually consider nature and convenience when they go to such scenic spots. From the standpoint of promoting people's wellbeing and boosting tourism appeal, the study's results can offer fresh perspectives and content additions for the tourism landscape planning and management in Anshun. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban growth and development has significantly affected urban heat island (UHI) due to urbanization. Particularly in the cities in developing countries, the assessment of UHI has emerged as one of the core research themes as it significantly affects the ecological environment and livability in cities. Thus, the assessment of UHI is crucial for climate mitigation and sustainable urban landscape planning. This study identifies the dynamics of landscape patterns and the impact of composition and configuration on the thermal environment in English Bazar Urban Agglomeration (EBUA), Eastern India, along the urban–rural gradient (URG) approach. Geospatial approaches and spatial metrics were employed to assess the impact of the landscape pattern on the thermal environment. Descriptive and inferential statistics have also been used to find the effects of landscape patterns on the thermal environment. The result has also been validated based on the location and correlation analysis. The built-up area increased by about 63.54%; vegetation covers and water bodies declined by 56.72% and 67.99% from 2001 to 2021. Land surface temperature (LST) decreased with increasing distance from the core of the city. LST declined by about 0.45 °C per kilometer from the core of the city towards the outside. LST had a positive correlation with IS and a negative correlation with green space (GS) and blue space (BS). The mean aggregation of the impervious patches was larger (73.21%) than the GS (43.18%) and BS (49.02%). The aggregation of impervious surface (IS) was positively correlated, and aggregations of GS and BS had a negative correlation with LST. Findings suggest that the spatial composition and configuration of the impervious surface, GS, and BS must be considered in landscape planning and design framework to make the city more livable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the development of abandoned mining land has become a focal point in landscape planning. However, during the development of abandoned mining land, there often exists a phenomenon of prioritizing economic considerations over ecological concerns, leading to a failure to achieve genuinely sustainable development. An ecological sensitivity assessment, guided by the principles of protection and development, provides an evaluation framework that directs planning strategies for abandoned mining land from the perspective of balanced development and conservation. To facilitate the development and construction of abandoned mining land, this paper utilizes GIS technology, on-site surveys, analytic hierarchy processes, etc. Taking the abandoned mining land in Haining, Zhejiang, China, as the research subject and considering its unique site conditions, ecological sensitivity is divided into topographic conditions, surface water systems, and plant landscapes. Ecological sensitivity factors are selected, and an ecological sensitivity assessment system is constructed from the perspectives of ecological conservation and sustainable development. Using ArcGIS 10.2 and Fragstats 4.2 software, landscape pattern analysis is conducted, exploring the relationship between landscape patterns and ecological sensitivity assessment results from the perspectives of landscape fragmentation, diversity, and aggregation. By comparing the results of single-factor sensitivity analysis and comprehensive sensitivity analysis, as well as landscape pattern indices before and after classifying ecologically sensitive areas, the practicality of the evaluation system is verified, facilitating planning studies and providing design recommendations for abandoned mining land. Landscape pattern indices serve as supplementary explanations for ecological sensitivity. Based on the results of ecological sensitivity assessment and landscape pattern indices, the ecological conservation levels in the research area are classified into five categories: the Level I Comprehensive Protection Zone, Level II Moderately Developed Zone, Level III Construction Suitable Zone, Level IV Core Construction Zone, and Level V Core Development Zone. These correspond to ecological protection zones, sightseeing experience zones, historical exhibition zones, core commercial zones, and themed amusement zones, respectively. The I-level sensitive area in the research area has the smallest range, while IV-level and VI-level sensitive areas have larger extents, exhibiting a high degree of overall landscape fragmentation but with diverse and dominant landscape types. Integrating ecological sensitivity assessment results and landscape pattern indices aids in delineating ecological conservation levels and regional functional recreation zones, guiding the rational recreation allocation of resources for abandoned mining land and promoting its development into a scenic area integrating ecology and tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protecting forest ecosystems is a critical action for addressing both the climate and biodiversity crises. Effective long-term management of forests requires landscape approaches, but evaluating the management actions is a key challenge. Previous research has suggested evaluation should focus on three interrelated pillars: ecosystem integrity, effective planning, and strong governance. This paper presents a framework for evaluating ecosystem integrity based on the 'Principle, Criteria, Indicator and Verifier' (PCIV) method. The key principle used is ecosystem autopoiesis – the ability of a system for self-generation and maintenance by creating its own parts. Four key criteria are applied, accompanied by a set of nine indicators. Verifiers for each indicator are suggested for which feasible data sources are likely available. The use of the three-pillar framework, including ecosystem integrity, is illustrated using three hypothetical cases representing different forest landscape contexts. Such evaluation can provide practical, consistent, repeatable, and comparable information for stakeholders and decision makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Culture is an essential component of Indigenous public spaces. However, a gap in knowledge exists regarding cultural influences on Indigenous public spaces in Africa. This paper, therefore, explores the impact of cultural worldviews on the landscape and functionality of Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo squares in Nigeria. It also assesses the contemporary state of the Nigerian squares. The paper employs mixed methods, including a systematic review of literature, observations, interviews, and photographic recordings, to shed light on the strengths and deficiencies of the Indigenous squares. Findings revealed that while Indigenous public spaces cater to the socio-cultural needs of different ethnic groups, they do not fully meet modern needs and expectations, especially concerning safety and comfort. This paper advocates for the fusion of Indigenous landscape practices with contemporary approaches to foster harmonious synergy between tradition and modernity and enhance public space utilisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flooding is one of the negative situations that arise as a result of climate change and urbanisation. Flood events, which occur naturally or increase due to human activities, interrupt economic and social activities in the region where they occur. The aim of this study is to identify the flood risk areas in the Ankara Stream Basin and to evaluate them within the scope of urban planning. Analytic Hierarchy Process, one of the multiple decisionmaking techniques, was applied to determine the weights of 9 different layers related to the study area and their degree of impact on flooding. In the flood risk modeling phase; weighted total values were calculated with the help of ArcMap software. In order to be protected from disasters caused by flooding, floodplains should be revealed temporally and spatially in detail with hydro-meteorological analysis and modeling while creating or renewing development plans. The impact of urbanization on the hydrological cycle primarily becomes evident through the rise in flood occurrences. This process continues with degradation in the form of decreased groundwater supply, soil loss and reduced water availability in rivers. In this context, it is of critical importance to manage flood risks in conjunction with the interconnected ecological processes that operate cyclically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades, the rate of urbanization has increased significantly worldwide, with more than half of the population already living in cities; this trend continues in numerous countries and regions. Tunisia is a North African country with a rich history and diverse cultural heritage. In Greater Tunis, its capital city, urbanization has accelerated since 1960. Rapid urbanization has increased the demand for grey infrastructure and led to changes in land-use patterns and the destruction of the environment. This study aims to understand and depict the relationship between urban expansion and the green infrastructure in the Greater Tunis area. This study uses land-use data, administrative boundaries vector data, and Google satellite imagery datasets to calculate and analyze the changes in the land use transfer matrix and landscape pattern index of built-up land and green spaces in the Tunisian capital for three periods: 2000, 2010, and 2020. We found that the expansion of built-up areas in Tunis has increased from 8.8% in 2000 to 12.1% in 2020, and changes in green spaces have decreased from 23% in 2000 to 20.9% in 2020. Without planning guidelines, the layout of green spaces has become more fragmented and disorganized. For this reason, we provide programs and suggestions for building a complete ecological network of green spaces in order to provide references and lessons for related studies and cities facing the same problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Onshore wind power is increasingly expanding to meet global and national goals to increase renewable, clean, and fossilfree energy production. In many countries and regions, however, historical and current land use is extensive, and the expansion of wind power has to be well-tuned to avoid risking irreversible legacy losses of existing and traditional land uses, landscape values, and cultures. Hence, assessments of the siting premises of current and forecasted expansion of wind power are strongly needed as a basis for sustainable planning. We present a study from alpine to temperate biomes in Sweden, where an ambitious onshore wind power expansion strategy has been put in place and will result in Swedish landscapes that are typified by wind power. We explored the existing legal framework--i.e., the national interest for wind power according to the Swedish Environmental Code--concerning the spatial interaction with other national interests for nature conservation, landscape values, and other land uses, and the land cover, landowner, and formally protected areas distribution within wind power sites and in their proximity. We found that the national interest framework does not provide sufficient guidance for locating wind power to avoid spatial overlap with conflicting interests and values. Furthermore, our analysis revealed that wind power is located mainly in forest-dominated landscapes, and on lands where private forest companies are the dominant owners but where the proportion of public and non-industrial private ownership increases in the near surroundings. Finally, we found that large areas of formally protected areas are within the proximate areas influenced by wind power. As an extensive onshore wind power expansion is already going on, and an even more extensive expansion is projected, the ways forward toward a sustainable wind power expansion calls for integrated landscape planning approaches that are based on comprehensive assessments of existing interests and values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1970s, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have gained increasing recognition in the literature, drawing the attention of numerous scientific disciplines, particularly within technical and environmental sciences. What initially began as computerized map production in the 1970s has evolved with advancements in computer processing power and capacity, supported by various software packages. This study aims to reveal the general tendencies in research studies conducted in the fields of urban planning, spatial planning, and landscape planning. To identify these trends, a bibliometric analysis was conducted by examining literature on studies published worldwide, including Türkiye. For this purpose, 2,354 research and review articles published between 1990 and 2022 and indexed in the Web of Science database were analyzed using VOSviewer software, which is suitable for scientific mapping and bibliometric analysis. The analysis focused on the most frequently published journals, highly-cited authors and countries, collaborative authorship relationships, and the most cited authors, journals, and research topics in Türkiye. As a result, it has been observed that, considering the emergence of modern GIS concepts in the late 1970s and subsequent development based on spatial data from the 1980s, studies in the fields of Urban and Regional Planning, Urban Design, and Landscape Architecture have gained momentum since the 1990s. Research establishing the relationship between GIS and planning in Türkiye has been increasing since 2004, with the primary focus of these studies being categorized into three clusters: site selection, spatial mapping, and mathematical modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greenways are important landscape ecology strategies. Landscape ecology and greenway planning were central to Julius Fábos's professional life and scholarship. This essay is a memorial to the late Julius Fábos (1932–2022), a Professor Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. It traces Julius early upbringings in Hungary before and during World War II, his academic career in the United States, and his contributions to the Iberian Greenway Planning movement. Although Julius Fábos's work was conducted primarily in Northeastern United States, it spread worldwide due to his unparalleled vision, leadership, and joie de vivre. Iberian landscape planning benefited greatly from Julius Fábos recurrent visits to Southern Europe, and indirectly from having students study with him at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. After a thirty-five year teaching career, he launched a series of conferences aimed at disseminating knowledge on ecological thinking. The 7th Fábos Conference on Landscape and Greenway Planning took place 30 June–3 July 2022 in Budapest, Hungary. Julius Fábos's successful academic career offers many opportunities for inspiration and self-reflection, especially in the post-pandemic uncertain times of today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted social life. Gardens and yards have seemingly risen as a lifeline during the pandemic. Here, we investigated the relationship between people and gardening during the COVID-19 pandemic and what factors influenced the ability of people to garden. We examined survey responses (n = 3,743) from gardeners who reported how the pandemic had affected personal motivations to garden and their use of their gardens, alongside pandemic-related challenges, such as food access during the first wave of COVID-19 (May-Aug 2020). The results show that for the respondents, gardening was overwhelmingly important for nature connection, individual stress release, outdoor physical activity and food provision. The importance of food provision and economic security were also important for those facing greater hardships from the pandemic. While the literature on gardening has long shown the multiple benefits of gardening, we report on these benefits during a global pandemic. More research is needed to capture variations in public sentiment and practice - including those who do little gardening, have less access to land, and reside in low-income communities particularly in the global south. Nevertheless, we argue that gardening can be a public health strategy, readily accessible to boost societal resilience to disturbances.

Urbanization without planning causes concerns about biodiversity loss, congestion, housing, and ecosystem sustainability in developing countries. Therefore, resilience and regeneration following urbanization are critical to city planning and sustainable development. Integrating multi-criteria decision-making methods (MCDM) with geographic information systems (GIS) can be a promising method for analyzing city resilience and regeneration. This study aims to use two MCDMs, the Analytic Network Process (ANP) and the Best–Worst Method (BWM), to evaluate the resilience of metropolitan neighborhoods in Tehran. Fourteen criteria were selected to represent the city’s resilience, and the weights of two models were evaluated for their spatial patterns using GIS. The results showed that the building age was the most important criterion in both methods, while the per capita green space was the least important criterion. The weights of the most important criterion, the building age, for the ANP and BWM, were 19.56 and 18.98, respectively, while the weights of the least important criterion, the per capita green space, were 2.197 and 1.655, respectively. Therefore, the MCDM with GIS provides an approach for assessing city resilience and regeneration priority.

The Etna natural and agricultural landscape, located on the island of Sicily in Italy, is known for its stunning views and unique geology. It is also home to a diverse array of plant and animal life, as well as a rich cultural and agricultural history and quality products. Using GIS (Geographic Information System) analysis, it is possible to quantify and evaluate the value of this landscape, providing a better understanding of the value that the Etna landscape provides to the surrounding region. The study highlights the landscape transformations of Etna over the last years to ensure market integration and support sustainable resource management strategies regarding local cultural heritage and environmental sustainability. Detailed knowledge of landscape dynamics is crucial for many applications, from resource management to governance services assessments.

In this paper, after constructing the index system of garden landscape planning, the entropy weight method and hierarchical analysis method are used to combine and assign weights to each index. Using a multi-criterion decision analysis model to establish the decision matrix of landscape planning alternatives, the weighted normative value of each indicator is obtained to obtain the weighted normalization matrix for landscape planning. According to the matrix analysis to get the positive and negative ideal solution of each index, calculate the utility function value between each alternative and the perfect solution, and get the optimal decision-making scheme of landscape planning. The analysis of the three options for landscape planning found that Scheme S2 has the largest utility function value of 0.642, which is considered the optimal scheme. The analysis of the application effect of this scheme found that the proportion of garden green space in the Xinghua garden landscape area increased by 16.23 % compared with 2010, and the proportion of enterprise and institutional land decreased by 5.04 %. The analysis results of this paper show that the multi-criteria decision analysis model plays a highly supportive role in the decision-making of landscape planning, and lays a foundation for the decision-making of the optimal scheme in future landscape planning.

At appropriate scales, optimizing landscape pattern in urban green spaces is shown to augment carbon sink. However, existing research primarily concentrates on regional or city-wide areas, often overlooking the nuanced effects of landscape pattern on carbon sink within specialized urban ecological function areas. Focusing on the city of Xi'an and emphasizing the forest within green spaces as the principal subject, this study investigated the spatial interplay between forest landscape pattern and carbon sink across the Ecological Control Area, the Urban Ecological Construction Buffer Area, and the Tsinling Mountains Ecological Protection Area. Grounded in field surveys, this study employed GF1-WFV remote sensing imagery to ascertain the 2021 land-use data in Xi'an and further classified forests into five distinct types: deciduous broad-leaved forest, evergreen coniferous forest, evergreen broad-leaved forest, coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest, and evergreen-deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest. Employing the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach model and landscape metrics methods, the study evaluated the carbon sink and landscape pattern at multi-scale. Through semi-variance analyses, we discerned the appropriate grid scales. Finally, multiple linear stepwise regression model elucidated the significant landscape metrics, while geographically weighted regression model were employed to scrutinize spatial relationships. Our findings suggested that grid scales of 5 km for the Ecological Control Area, 3 km for the Urban Ecological Construction Buffer Area, and 6 km for the Tsinling Mountains Ecological Protection Area are most appropriate for effective management and planning. Metrics related to area, edge, and fragmentation were pivotal in enhancing carbon sink, and their influence was spatially variable. This study furnished an in-depth analysis of how landscape pattern and carbon sink interact spatially within various urban ecological function areas at appropriate grid scales, thereby providing a scientific framework for the sustainable planning and management of green spaces.