Search

Copyright of Sustainable Earth Review is the property of Shahid Beheshti University 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.)

This study was aimed to prepare landslide susceptibility maps for the Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand, India, using advanced ensemble models that combined Radial Basis Function Networks (RBFN) with three ensemble learning techniques: DAGGING (DG), MULTIBOOST (MB), and ADABOOST (AB). This combination resulted in three distinct ensemble models: DG-RBFN, MB-RBFN, and AB-RBFN. Additionally, a traditional weighted method, Information Value (IV), and a benchmark machine learning (ML) model, Multilayer Perceptron Neural Network (MLP), were employed for comparison and validation. The models were developed using ten landslide conditioning factors, which included slope, aspect, elevation, curvature, land cover, geomorphology, overburden depth, lithology, distance to rivers and distance to roads. These factors were instrumental in predicting the output variable, which was the probability of landslide occurrence. Statistical analysis of the models' performance indicated that the DG-RBFN model, with an Area Under ROC Curve (AUC) of 0.931, outperformed the other models. The AB-RBFN model achieved an AUC of 0.929, the MB-RBFN model had an AUC of 0.913, and the MLP model recorded an AUC of 0.926. These results suggest that the advanced ensemble ML model DG-RBFN was more accurate than traditional statistical model, single MLP model, and other ensemble models in preparing trustworthy landslide susceptibility maps, thereby enhancing land use planning and decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores land use change plans to be utilized fairly, sustainably, and resiliently for the benefit of rural community life in Tarumajaya Village, Indonesia. This study uses a qualitative method, with a case study approach to describe the land use change plan that can be utilized for the benefit of community livelihoods in Tarumajaya Village, Indonesia. This study indicates the need to increase access to land ownership for the Village government and local community. Based on field data, several alternatives can be pursued to expand the access of the community and village government to land, including utilizing part of PT. Lonsum Indofood Tbk's land, PTPN VIII and Perhutani use change needs to be done to encourage resilient and sustainable village development innovation and realize justice and prosperity for the people of Tarumajaya Village, allocated for: (1) Agricultural Needs of the Rural Community; (2) Reserve Settlements; (3) Cemetery; (4) Health, Governance, and Education Facilities; and (5) Agricultural Areas and other productive ventures managed by the Village government. This study recommends a change of land use from PT. Lonsum Indofood Tbk, Perhutani to be managed by the Tarumajaya Village Government for the sake of sustainable and resilient village development, thus creating justice and prosperity for the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activities have a major impact on ecosystems, causing significant changes in the environment. Human activities can lead to a significant alteration and reduction in the variety of species. In the last few decades, there has been a shift in the sustainable approach to land planning and management. This article introduces a novel model for assessing land planning impact/capacity systematically, which takes into account the phytobiological value of a landscape and focuses on conserving and restoring endemic species. The land carrying capacity of a region was assessed for various land uses and potential future situations. The study took place in the province of Alicante (Spain), where the native plant Vella lucentina was discovered. Findings showed that only 34% of the proposed activities could be carried out without impacting endemism. There are only two possible activities that could be carried out without affecting endemism, namely scientific–cultural activities and the occasional harvesting of aromatic species. Simultaneously, four activities can be carried out carefully, which are maintaining current activities, restoring ecosystems, planting trees, and managing grazing. Finally, camping, extensive agriculture, and urbanization are three activities that are not compatible with the presence of endemism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use changes are of critical importance in understanding and managing environmental sustainability and resource utilization. Machine learning algorithms (MLAs) have emerged as powerful tools for analyzing and predicting land use changes, offering the potential to uncover patterns and trends that may not be readily apparent through traditional methods. This study is aimed at evaluating the efficiency of various MLAs (such as SVM, KNN, CART, Naïve Bayes, and Random Forest) in analyzing LULC changes in Northeast Iran. The analysis utilized the Google Earth Engine (GEE) to process satellite imagery spanning the years 1994 to 2021, covering a period of 27 years. Landsat 5 and TM sensor data from 1994 and 2001, as well as Landsat 8 and OLI sensor data from 2014 and 2021, were employed in this research. Additionally, post-processing tasks on the classified images were carried out using ArcGIS 10.8 software. Based on the validation results, it is evident that the Random Forest machine learning algorithm outperformed other algorithms. In contrast, for the years 2014 and 2021, the support vector machine algorithm had the highest accuracy of 85%, making it the most optimal choice during those years. The results indicated a decrease in rangeland, with a significant difference (34.04%) observed in 1994–2021. This decline could be attributed to factors such as rangeland degradation and a shift in LULC towards agriculture and orchards. Conversely, agricultural land had significant increases of 275.83%, 223.77%, and 61.97% in 2021 compared to 1994, 2001, and 2014, respectively. However, the area of forest lands decreased notably over the studied periods, with reductions of 81.66%, 64.21%, and 30.56% in 2021 compared to 1994, 2001, and 2014, respectively. The study results reveal distinction shifts in LULC patterns, indicating declines in rangelands and significant expansions in agricultural areas, which need to be considered in land use planning and environmental conservation programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comprehensive review of the accessibility measures and models used in land use and transportation planning, highlighting their evolution and recent applications. It categorizes the accessibility measures into passive and active, detailing their theoretical foundations and examining the differences between behavioral and non-behavioral models. By synthesizing the literature, this paper proposes a conceptual classification framework that integrates various accessibility measures. We aim to provide a structured classification of the accessibility measures, dividing them into various levels and grouping them into macro-areas and methodologies. This approach allows for the adaptation of the accessibility measures based on the specific study context, considering the hypotheses made beforehand and the relevant parameters for different scenarios. The findings emerging from the proposed classification framework highlight two opposite ways to measure accessibility: on the one hand, by considering the physical distance between locations, in terms of both spatial separation and proximity; on the other hand, by capturing individuals' preferences and attitudes toward reaching goods, services or activities and then measuring the "perceived" accessibility. We underscore the necessity of considering both approaches in planning processes to create equitable and sustainable urban environments. This structured classification aims to guide researchers and planners in selecting appropriate tools tailored to specific contexts and needs, which means choosing the most appropriate accessibility measure to use, depending on the characteristics of the case being examined and the specific needs of the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Human-induced land use changes have widespread effects on the landscape. Examining and quantifying these changes can be beneficial in planning and sustainable land management. Landscape metrics are tools for measuring and describing the underlying spatiotemporal patterns and structures statistically in any landscape. These metrics can be used as a basis for comparing different scenarios of landscape or recognizing changes and developments in landscape over time. The use of landscape metrics, while saving time, makes it possible to assess the environmental impact of human activities in the shortest time. Also, detecting and predicting land use changes provide beneficial information about the trend of land development and degradation. Halilroud watershed is one of the important parts of the Jazmurian watershed located in the southeast of Iran, which is one of the most important agricultural hubs in Iran. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate land use changes in the past and to predict land use in the future using remote sensing and land change modeler (LCM) and quantitative analysis of these changes based on landscape metrics in Halilrud Watershed. Materials and Methods The data of the Landsat 5 thematic mapper (TM) sensor (1991), enhanced thematic mapper plus (ETM+) sensor (2002), and Landsat 8 operational land imager (OLI) sensor (2019) were used to evaluate the trend of the land use and land cover (LULC) changes in Halilrud Watershed. The land use maps were classified into seven land uses including dam lake, residential lands, agricultural lands, rock, orchards, rangelands, and bare lands. The classification was done based on the maximum likelihood method. Then, the land use map of 2040 was simulated using a land change modeler and artificial neural network. Finally, landscape metrics were calculated at both landscape and class levels using Fragstats 4.2 to quantify structural changes. The metrics used at the class level include class area (CA), largest patch index (LPI), percentage of lands (PLAND), and number of patches (NP). cohesion index (COHESION), Shannon’s diversity index (SHDI), Simpson diversity index (SIDI), interspersion juxtaposition index (IJI), and patch density (PD) are used for quantifying changes at the landscape level. Results and Discussion The results showed that from 1991 to 2019, and the future period (2040), the landscape of the studied area changed in terms of structure and composition. A significant increase in the area of agricultural, barren, and residential lands and a decrease in the rangelands are evident in this Watershed. Shannon's and Simpson’s diversity indices show an increase in 2019 and 2040 compared to 1991, showing that the study area has become more fragmented and heterogeneous under exploitation and human activities. In addition, the value of the patch density has increased during the study period, which indicates the division of the landscape into smaller parts. The IJI also increased from 1991 to 2040, which indicates landscape diversity in the study area. The value of the contagion has decreased in the study period, which indicates that the patches have been spatially separated from each other. The results of the metrics at the class level are in line with the results of the metrics at the level of the landscape. In general, the analysis of landscape metrics has shown the extensive replacement of average rangelands by agricultural, residential lands, orchards, and bare lands. According to PLAND and CA metrics, the patches of agriculture, residential land, orchard, and bare land have increased and the patches of rangeland and dam lake have decreased during the study periods. The results obtained from the application of the metrics used in the research show the effectiveness of the metrics of the percentage of lands (PLAND), class area (CA), largest patch index (LPI), and patch number (NP) in examining and analyzing the changes. According to the results of the analysis of this metric at the level of the agricultural land class, the LPI metric was initially at the lowest level, and then with the increase of agricultural land, its values increased from 0.86% to 2.26% during 1991 to 2019 and will increase in the next period (2040) and will reach to 3.8%. Also, the rangeland class has faced an increase in the patch number during 1991-2040, and this indicates that the existing patches have fragmented and lost their integrity over time. Conclusion One of the limitations and challenges of the research is the lack of access to socio-economic and soil science data as one of the factors affecting land use changes. Therefore, it is suggested to investigate the role of other variables affecting land use changes such as soil types and socio-economic information to improve the performance of the model and prepare a more accurate prediction map. Regarding the uncontrolled growth of residential and agricultural lands in recent years, to prevent more degradation and also to preserve rangelands, it is suggested to accomplish land use planning based on the concepts of landscape. The change in the landscape structure has occurred in land use types with different degrees, and quantifying these changes using landscape metrics is one of the issues that can help to analyze the pattern of spatial changes. According to the high ability of landscape metrics to quantify the landscape pattern, the results of these studies can be used in the planning and integrated landscape planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (BRs) are pivotal for studying and fostering sustainable interactions between people and nature. In this study, a public participatory geographical information system (PPGIS) approach was employed targeting key stakeholders across the 12 Portuguese BRs, to map their place-based perception over Nature's Contributions to People (NCP). Stakeholders actively mapped NCP within their BRs, highlighting Habitat creation and maintenance (NCP 1), Physical and psychological experiences (NCP 16), and Supporting identities (NCP 17), underscoring the significance of the territories' natural and cultural values. Through our analysis, we identified NCP hotspots, pinpointing the most valued areas for conservation or restoration efforts. Zonation analysis within BRs was also assessed, revealing the perceived effectiveness of the different BR zones by stakeholders. Although our study did not quantify NCP supply through biophysical data, it provided valuable insights into non-material NCP from key stakeholders' perspectives, as well as place-based perceptions of regulating and material NCP provision. We outline that PPGIS may serve as a useful GIS-based decision support system, offering a comprehensive assessment of NCP, especially for cultural values which are not easily quantified by remote methods. Participatory approaches such as PPGIS may play a crucial role in BR governance, enhancing sustainability and equity by integrating key stakeholders' perceptions into land use planning. Our study's findings may contribute on the actionable knowledge advance for sustainable management practices in Portuguese BRs by incorporating stakeholder perspectives, fostering improved co-management practices, and promoting the conservation and enhancement of their ecological and cultural heritage. Key policy highlights: Effective management of territories for sustainability demands the active involvement of local communities in conserving natural resources and landscapes while promoting socio-economic well-being. Participatory approaches with stakeholders provide key outcomes to assess its accomplishment, where UNESCO's Biosphere Reserves (BRs) are pivotal for studying and fostering sustainable interactions between people and nature. We propose that PPGIS may serve as a relevant GIS-based tool to support decision-makers and land managers, depicting the participatory place-based assessment of NCP in the Portuguese Biosphere Reserves. We highlight its relevance especially for cultural values that are not easily quantified by remote methods, reflecting stakeholders' values towards intangible non-material NCP. Our results suggest that incorporating stakeholder perspectives can enhance the co-management of Biosphere Reserves, promoting sustainable practices implementation as advocated by the MAB programme. This approach holds promise on promoting the conservation and enhancement of the Portuguese Biosphere Reserves' ecological and cultural heritage in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing land use-based changes in ecosystem service values (ESVs) is a beneficial approach for land resource planning and ecologically sustainable development. Located in the south of China, Guilin is one of the first Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Innovation Demonstration Zones set up by China. It is a typical ecotourism city with an important ecological and economic status. In recent years, the time series, model fit, and spatial scale of ESV assessment in Guilin have needed to be improved in the context of rapid urbanization and natural change. In this study, an improved ESV assessment methodology was utilized to incorporate the effects of biomass, soil conservation, and precipitation and to adjust the equivalence factors based on the ratio of geographic and environmental parameters to the national average to make them heterogeneous in time and space in improving the practical fit of the assessment results. The study analyzed the evolution of land use and its contribution to ESVs in Guilin from 2000 to 2020. County and 3 km × 3 km grid scales were combined to reveal both broad and detailed spatial and temporal characteristics of ESVs in Guilin. The results show that the expansion of building land in Guilin is notable, and the amount of land use transfer continues to increase. ESVs fluctuated in a lateral S-shape, with significant differences in ESV effectiveness between counties, consistently high ESVs near waterbodies and ecological reserves, and low ESVs near commercial and industrial land and cultivated land. Despite the recovery trend in ESVs in the later years, there is still a gap between 2020 and 2000. To a certain extent, it helps Guilin optimize land allocation from different perspectives and promote ecological improvement and resource planning optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization often changes bird species richness and affects the functional diversity. Therefore, understanding these changes helps city planners improve green space design and land use planning. Our study used multiple datasets to explore the effects of landscape patterns and natural environments on the functional diversity of birds in urban parks and campuses in the eastern and northwestern regions of China. Firstly, we used the data to calculate birds of the functional richness (FRic), functional evenness (FEve), and functional divergence (FDiv) of 68 urban spaces in the eastern and northwestern regions of China. Further, we established generalized linear models of natural factors, human factors, and functional diversity. Results showed more bird species with unique traits were in the northwestern region. This may be because the earlier urbanization in the eastern region filtered out urban-sensitive species, leaving behind urban adapters. Moreover, we found that the fractal dimension index was the most significant positive factor of FRic in the eastern region but the most significant negative factor of FDiv. Elevation was the most significant negative influence factor of FEve in the eastern region, but it was the most potent positive influence factor of FRic in the northwestern region. Population density had a significant positive effect on FDiv in the northwestern region. However, green space areas significantly negatively impacted FEve in the northwestern region. In addition, birds in parks in both regions had more functional traits than those on campuses, possibly because of the larger green space in parks, which may contain more fragments of native vegetation and reduce human interference. Our study suggests that preserving more original vegetation and reducing human disturbance in cities can increase the functional diversity of urban birds and improve urban ecosystem functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban agglomerations, serving as pivotal centers of human activity, undergo swift alterations in ecosystem services prompted by shifts in land utilization. Strengthening the monitoring of ecosystem services in present and future urban agglomerations contributes to the rational planning of these areas and enhances the well-being of their inhabitants. Here, we analyzed land use conversion in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) urban agglomeration during 1990–2020 and discussed the spatiotemporal response and main drivers of changes in ecosystem service value (ESV). By considering the different development strategic directions described in land use planning policies, we predicted land use conversion and its impact on ESV using the Future Land Use Simulation (FLUS) model in three scenarios in 2025 and 2030. Results show that: 1) from 1990 to 2020, land use change is mainly manifested as the continuous expansion of construction land to cultivated land. Among the reduced cultivated land, 82.2% were occupied by construction land. 2) The land use types conversion caused a loss of 21.85 billion yuan (RMB) in ESV during 1990–2020. Moreover, the large reduction of cultivated land area led to the continuous decline of food production value, accounting for 13% of the total ESV loss. 3) From 2020 to 2030, land use change will mainly focus on Yangzhou and Zhenjiang in central Jiangsu Province and Taizhou in southern Zhejiang Province. Under the BAU (natural development) and ED (cultivated land protection) scenarios, construction land expansion remains dominant. In contrast, under the EP (ecological protection) scenario, the areas of water bodies and forest land increase significantly. Among the different scenarios, ESV is highest in the EP scenario, making it the optimal solution for sustainable land use. It can be seen that the space use conflict among urban, agriculture and ecology is a key factor leading to ESV change in the urban agglomeration of Yangtze River Delta. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain spatial land use coordination. Our findings provide suggestions for scientific and rational land use planning for the urban agglomeration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates challenges to property rights and equal treatment in Alberta's summer villages post-1995, when regional planning commissions were disbanded. It focuses on how regulatory measures like minimum dwelling size requirements can restrict property owners' ability to use and develop their land, disproportionately affecting those with fewer resources. A case study demonstrates these potential rights intrusions, worsened by the lack of regional planning. The study examines exclusionary zoning, inconsistent decision-making, and lack of planning professionalism, underlining significant implications for rights in municipal planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land suitability evaluation is a prerequisite for sustainable agricultural production. This study was focused to assess land suitability analysis for coffee Arabica production in Gidami district, western Ethiopia. GIS and RS techniques with a multi criterion evaluation approach were used for evaluating the land suitability for coffee Arabica production. The evaluation of suitability classes was based on the method described in FAO guideline for land evaluation. Factors that were considered for evaluation of the land suitability for coffee Arabica production were topography (slope, elevation), climate (rainfall and temperature), soil texture, and landscape (land use land cover). The influence of each factor was computed by pair-wise comparison technique (AHP) method. The final coffee Arabica suitability map was developed based on the linear combination of factors with their respective weights in ArcGIS overlay extension. The results for coffee Arabica suitability classes show that highly suitable (S1), moderately suitable (S2) and marginally suitable (S3). From the total land of the study area 34.46 %(69048.65ha) is high suitable while 114917.33ha (60.69%) and 5369.52ha (2.83%) moderately suitable and marginally suitable for coffee Arabica cultivation respectively. The findings for the research indicate that the study area has a potential area for coffee Arabica production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista 180 is the property of Revista 180 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.)

This study underlines the critical function of efficient urban land use planning, recommending mixed land use for improved city sustainability. The research, which is rooted in the historical context of urban renewal, attempts to harmonize theoretical frameworks with actual implementation, giving critical insights for policymakers and urban planners in constructing sustainable urban areas. The study identifies a deficit in empirical research on the spatial distribution of urban mixed land use, as well as a gap between theory and real application. Using a mixed-methods approach, it explores mixed land use planning concerns by including stakeholder input and temporal dynamics. Using theoretical frameworks, the study explores land use trends in four Addis Ababa sub-cities. When the null hypothesis of Complete Spatial Randomness is rejected, there is a significant relationship between location and land use functions (statistical chi-square value of 47.763). Finally, the study makes crucial recommendations for purposeful land use distribution in a dynamic urban setting, shedding light on the constraints of mixed land use planning in African urban growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Songnen Plain is a significant region in China, known for its high grain production and concentrated distribution of soda saline land. It is also considered a priority area for cropland development in the country. However, the Songnen Plain is now facing prominent issues such as soil salinization, soil erosion, and deteriorating cropland quality, which are exacerbated by climate change and intensified human activities. In order to address these challenges, it is crucial to adjust the quantitative structure and layout of different landscapes in a harmonious manner, aiming to achieve synergistic optimization, which is posed as the key scientific approach to guide comprehensive renovation policies, improve saline–alkaline land conditions, and promote sustainable agricultural development. In this study, four scenarios including natural development, priority food production (PFP), ecological security priority (ESP), and economic–ecological-balanced saline soil improvement were set up based on Nondominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) and the Future Land Use Simulation (FLUS) model. The results demonstrated that the SSI scenario, which focused on economic–ecological equilibrium, displayed the most rational quantitative structure and spatial layout of landscape types, with total benefits surpassing those of the other scenarios. Notably, this scenario involved converting unused land into saline cropland and transforming saline cropland into normal cropland, thereby increasing the amount of high-quality cropland and potential cropland while enhancing the habitat quality of the region. Consequently, the conflict between food production and ecological environmental protection was effectively mitigated. Furthermore, the SSI scenario facilitated the establishment of a robust ecological security and protection barrier, offering valuable insights for land use planning and ecological security pattern construction in the Songnen Plain, particularly in salt-affected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite Guangxi's unique ecological diversity and its important role in land-based ecological security and conservation, research on the assessment and prediction of its habitat quality under the influences of rapid urbanization and environmental pressures remains limited. This study systematically analyzes the spatial and temporal dynamics of land use and habitat quality in Guangxi from 2000 to 2020 using the PLUS-InVEST model and simulates future scenarios for 2030. These scenarios include the Natural Development (ND) scenario, Urban Development (UD) scenario, and Cropland and Ecological Protection (CE) scenario. The results indicate the following: (1) Over the past two decades, rapid urban and construction land expansions in Guangxi intensified their negative impact on habitat degradation. Additionally, the disproportionate change between rural settlement land and rural population warrants attention. (2) Although ecological restoration measures have played a positive role in mitigating habitat degradation, their effects have been insufficient to counterbalance the negative impacts of construction land expansion, highlighting the need for balanced land use planning and urbanization policies. (3) The expansion of rural residential areas had a greater impact on regional habitat quality degradation than urban and infrastructure expansion. Moderate urbanization may contribute to habitat quality improvement. (4) The CE scenario shows the most significant improvement in habitat quality (an increase of 0.13%), followed by the UD scenario, which alleviates habitat degradation by reducing pressure on rural land. In contrast, the ND scenario predicts further declines in habitat quality. Furthermore, land use planning, restoration measures, and sustainable development policies are key factors influencing habitat quality changes. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating land use strategies with ecological restoration measures to balance economic growth and biodiversity conservation, especially in rapidly urbanizing regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive scientific assessment of the dynamic changes in land cover and landscape patterns in Myanmar, considering both human activities and natural factors such as climate change, is essential for a thorough understanding of the transformations in the country's ecological environment. This assessment also provides data-driven insights into the complex interactions between humans, climate, and the environment. This study aims to examine the dynamic changes in land cover in Myanmar over a thirty-year period from a comprehensive perspective. This paper, based on the MLC30 land cover dataset for Myanmar from 1990 to 2020, employs land use dynamic degree and land use transition matrix to analyze the extent and process of land cover changes in Myanmar. Furthermore, using landscape pattern indicators, the paper explores the changes in the spatial structural characteristics of land cover in Myanmar at both the patch scale and the landscape scale. The results indicate the following: (a) Areas with significant land cover changes are primarily located in the eastern, southeastern, and southwestern regions bordering China, Laos, and Thailand, as well as the coastal areas, with the change intensity from 2000 to 2020 being notably higher than before 2000. (b) Myanmar's cultivated land, artificial surfaces, and water bodies show an expanding trend, with cultivated land expansion mainly at the expense of forests, while the increase in artificial surfaces and water bodies is through the conversion of the existing cultivated land. (c) Myanmar's landscape patterns remained stable from 1990 to 2000. However, after 2000, the land cover has shown a clear trend towards fragmentation and spatial distribution dispersion, especially for the dominant forest and cultivated land types. Despite Myanmar's rapid economic development, the trend toward the fragmentation and irregularization of cultivated land patches indicates a lack of attention to cultivated land use and planning. The reduction and fragmentation of forest areas have led to a decline in ecological connectivity, posing risks of ecological environment deterioration. Consequently, Myanmar must prioritize scientific land use planning and the rational allocation of land resources to foster the sustainable development of agriculture and the protection of natural ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the intensity and constraint factors of land use conflicts provides essential insights for efficient land use planning. Currently, China's spatial development is gradually transitioning towards the coordinated development of production, living, and ecological functions (PLEFs). Previous studies have typically focused on land use conflicts from a micro perspective, examining conflicts between production, living, and ecological land uses at a fine scale. There is limited research from a macro perspective that conducts a theoretical analysis based on the production, living, and ecological functions of land use conflicts themselves. In addition, existing studies primarily analyze the influencing factors of land use conflicts, with limited literature directly addressing the constraint factors of land use conflicts. This study focuses on 12 prefecture-level cities in Hubei Province, China, using data from 2010 to 2020. It categorizes land use conflicts at the macro level into production perspective, living perspective, and ecological perspective conflicts. For each of these conflict perspectives, different pressure, state, and response indicators are introduced. This approach leads to the development of a theoretical framework for analyzing land use conflicts at the macro level. On this basis, a spatiotemporal evolution analysis of land use conflicts was conducted. Additionally, using a constraint factor diagnosis model, the study analyzed the constraint factors of land use conflicts at the macro level across cities, leading to the following research conclusions: (1) the land use conflicts from the production and living perspectives in the 12 prefecture-level cities of Hubei showed an upward trend from 2010 to 2020, while the land use conflicts from the ecological perspective exhibited a downward trend; (2) during the study period, Wuhan exhibited the highest intensity of land use conflicts from both the production and living perspectives, while Ezhou experienced the highest intensity of land use conflicts from the ecological perspective for most of the study period; (3) the main constraining factors of land use conflicts from the production perspective in the 12 prefecture-level cities of Hubei are population density, average land GDP, and effective irrigation rate. The primary constraining factors of land use conflicts from the living perspective are population density, urbanization rate, and average land real estate development investment. The main constraining factors of land use conflicts from the ecological perspective are population density, average land fertilizer input, and effective irrigation rate. This study constructs a new theoretical framework for land use conflict assessment at the macro level, providing a novel approach for studying land use conflicts at the macro scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed spatial planning serves as statutory guidance for regulating specific spatial functions, including public services, living conditions, and production spaces. It emphasizes meeting the comprehensive needs of the local population, making it crucial to understand the relationship between population distribution and the mix of various city functions, particularly in the era of urban regeneration. Therefore, this study utilized point-of-interest (POI) data representing land functions and population data to investigate these relationships via spatial analysis and Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR). Applied to the central urban area of Shanghai, the study reveals that the level of mixed land use and various functionalities affect population distribution at different adaptive scales. We also found a higher degree of functional mix does not always meet population needs. Although generally there is a positive correlation between functional mix and population distribution, they are not always closely bonded. The proposed method provides an efficient workflow for identifying the applicable scale of various functions to increase functional mix and attract the population, which can provide real-time evidence supporting detailed planning. Test results also reveal the less-considered space along the boundaries of administrative districts. We also found developing tools for detailed planning is an urgent need to facilitate cross-boundary cooperation and development, especially in the context of urban regeneration where they always are overlooked at the detailed planning level. By using open-sourced POI and population data, our proposed workflow can be easily applied to other cities or regions, enhancing their practical value for similar research contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pedestrian safety is a critical concern worldwide, as pedestrians account for nearly a quarter of all road crash deaths. In Poland, in the last decade, the number of pedestrians killed in road accidents varied from 25 to 30% of all road accident victims each year. A similar tendency is observed in EU countries, but the average number of pedestrian fatalities is lower and amounts to 20%. Numerous activities have been undertaken to improve the safety of vulnerable road users. Land planning plays a crucial role in enhancing pedestrian safety. Effective land-use planning can mitigate risks by integrating pedestrian-friendly infrastructure into urban design. Numerous measures have been implemented to improve the safety of vulnerable road users, including education campaigns, speed reduction measures, and infrastructure enhancements. One of the latest initiatives involves enhancing the visibility of pedestrian crossings through the installation of additional lighting systems. In order to assess the effects of the undertaken activities, a number of zebra crossings with and without additional luminance were investigated. Crash data gained from police statistics, along with the calculated crash rates (CRs), were utilized to evaluate changes in safety performance at selected crosswalks. For this purpose, a „before–after" method was applied. Importantly, the research results did not show a clear impact of additional lighting on reducing the number of road crashes and they highlight that other factors, including the geometric characteristics of crossings and their location and proximity to land uses generating significant pedestrian traffic, significantly influence crash rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Recognizing that walkability is a fundamental element of sustainable urban development, this study focuses on the variables affecting walkability in the living environment and aims to provide insights into land use planning strategies that can contribute to carbon emission reduction. The research specifically examines how to create a pedestrian-friendly street environment in existing urban areas, where employment and residential functions are mixed and co-exist. Methodology: By using multi-source data, this research evaluates streets based on two binary characteristics: the occurrence of walking activity and the walking experience. Findings: The results reveal a strong relationship between walking opportunities and street usage frequency, with the road network being identified as the most influential factor. Additionally, the impact of walking experience was found to be more significant than that of walking opportunity. Contributions: First, the study developed a matrix of dependent variables for street usage frequency and walking experience, and an independent variable matrix for street environment factors. Second, the research created an analytical framework to examine factors influencing street use and experience across different travel needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of synergies between rural and urban areas is one of the EU's objectives to contribute to smart and inclusive growth. Effective governance of rural–urban links is essential for balanced development but often lacks policy coherence. This study examines the role of spatial planning and food policy integration in enhancing local food system sustainability and resilience, specifically in peri-urban areas. It investigates challenges and enablers in this integration through a Living Lab experiment in Lucca (Italy) as part of the ROBUST H2020 project. The Living Lab methodology entailed envisioning, experimenting, and experiencing phases to identify key rural–urban connections and assess governance arrangements, focusing on reclaiming abandoned land in peri-urban areas together with local stakeholders. By highlighting the strengths and limitations of a multi-year collaborative research approach, the research highlights a weak recognition of rural–urban linkages and the need for improved dialogue between rural stakeholders and urban planners. Key recommendations comprise formalising public–private partnerships and cross-sectoral projects linking agriculture with education, tourism, and landscape (e.g., agricultural parks). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource-depleted cities face challenges of land structure imbalance and ecological environmental degradation, necessitating relevant research. Clarifying the land use evolution path and exploring the rationality of urban expansion are of significant importance for the sustainable development of resource-depleted cities. This study employs a comprehensive approach utilizing the land use transfer matrix, expansion intensity, expansion speed, and the equal fan analysis method to investigate the evolution characteristics of construction land in Puyang, a typical resource-exhausted city in China, from 1990 to 2020. Additionally, it identifies the driving factors based on a comprehensive approach combining the variance inflation factor (VIF), grey relational analysis, and Pearson correlation analysis. The main findings include the following: (1) From 1990 to 2020, the cultivated land area in Puyang decreased by 181,296 hectares, while the newly added construction land amounted to 24,846.30 hectares, primarily converted from cultivated land. (2) Puyang comprises five counties and one district. Among them, Hualong District exhibited the highest expansion intensity, speed, and area, whereas Taiqian County showed the lowest. This disparity is attributed to resource-centered land development and utilization. (3) From 1990 to 2020, urban expansion in Puyang primarily concentrated in the northeast direction, exhibiting a concentric outward expansion pattern. (4) Socioeconomic factors positively influenced the expansion of construction land, with the "year-end total population" having the most significant impact. Conversely, land use and natural resource factors negatively impacted construction land expansion, with "cultivated land area" being the most prominent. Additionally, policy and institutional frameworks played a regulatory and restrictive role in the evolution of construction land, while topography and location served as fundamental conditions for urban expansion. This study provides methodologies for sustainable development research in resource-exhausted cities and offers a foundation for land use planning research in resource-based regions of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use change generally varies greatly among functional zones in a large area. This study reveals land use change characteristics across seven functional zones in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region during 1985–2022 based on the latest land use planning data, with the land use dynamic degree, transfer matrix, and comprehensive index of land use intensity. Results suggested cropland, forest land, grassland, and built-up land were dominant land use types in most functional zones, generally with significant decreases in cropland and grassland and noticeable increases in built-up land and forest land. Besides, single land use dynamics of built-up land and forest land were generally above 2.00% and 0.40%, while that of grassland and cropland was generally below zero in most functional zones. Comprehensive land use dynamics were very high in the Central Core Functional Zone (Region IV), Bashang Plateau Ecological Protection Zone (Region I), and Eastern Coastal Development Zone (Region III), peaking above 0.70%, and were low in other functional zones. Additionally, the land use degree increased slowly from 267.28 in 1985 to 274.17 in 2022 on average, varying remarkably among various functional zones. These findings provide a firm foundation for formulating more targeted land management policies across various functional zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive literature on peri-urban issues has paid only occasional attention to the details of spatial planning systems and their impacts on peri-urban natural resources. This paper investigates the relationships between a deregulated land use planning system and declining natural resource and agricultural values in the peri-urban area of Melbourne, in the state of Victoria, Australia. This paper uses a case study area consisting of Melbourne's green belt and an outer peri-urban area northeast of Melbourne, concentrating on the effectiveness of an urban growth boundary and controls over land uses. A document analysis was undertaken on the provisions of the land use planning system, supporting documents, urban and peri-urban development, land ownership, land uses, and natural resources in the case study area. Threats from urban and rural–residential development, land fragmentation, and land development were identified, and the impacts of the planning system on current and future land uses were analysed. Particular reference was given to the debate on the concept of multi-functional land uses. This paper investigates the likely impacts of peri-urban development and the spatial planning framework on a range of sectors, particularly agricultural production, biodiversity, and landscapes, and highlights the failure of the spatial planning system to protect remnant peri-urban natural resources from increasing threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various soil and water constraints, such as impeded drainage and declining groundwater, along with sub-optimal input management and utilization practices, contribute to the lower agricultural productivity in the Rajpura block of the Patiala district, Punjab, compared to other areas of the state. Thus, an attempt has been made to evaluate the land resources of the block to explore the possibilities of diversified agricultural land uses. Site characteristics, limitations, and potentials revealed that the soils of the block belong to land capability subclasses IIs, IIse, IIIse, and IIIsw. Land capability subclass IIs constitutes the maximum area of the block, i.e., about 52.77%, followed by subclass IIIsw (22.89%), IIse (8.65%), and IIIse (1.68%), respectively. The soils of the block belong to land irrigability classes 1, 2sd, and 3sd. Land irrigability class 1 covers the maximum area of the block, i.e., 50.8%, followed by 2sd, which covers 33.51% of the area, while 3sd covers the minimum area (1.68%) of the block. Thus, based on the land capability and irrigability classifications, some management strategies were suggested to ensure better land utilization. Such strategies include the use of soil and water resources according to their capability instead of following non-scientific practices. The assessment of the Rajpura block's land is a crucial method for assessing the suitability of the soil and suggesting necessary management measures to boost agricultural output, which in turn promotes sustainable land use planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floods are one of the most devastating natural hazards that have intensified due to land use land cover (LULC) changes in recent years. Flood risk assessment is a crucial task for disaster management in flood-prone areas. In this study, we proposed a flood risk assessment framework that combines flood vulnerability, hazard, and damages under long-term LULC changes in the Tajan watershed, northern Iran. The research analyzed historical land use change trends and predicted changes up to 2040 by employing a Geographic Information System (GIS), remote sensing, and land change modeling. The flood vulnerability map was generated using the Random Forest model, incorporating historical data from 332 flooded locations and 12 geophysical and anthropogenic flood factors under LULC change scenarios. The potential flood damage costs in residential and agricultural areas, considering long-term LULC changes, were calculated using the HEC-RAS hydraulic model and a global damage function. The results revealed that unplanned urban growth, agricultural expansion, and deforestation near the river downstream amplify flood risk in 2040. High and very high flood vulnerability areas would increase by 43% in 2040 due to human activities and LULC changes. Estimated annual flood damage for agriculture and built-up areas was projected to surge from USD 162 million to USD 376 million and USD 91 million to USD 220 million, respectively, considering 2021 and 2040 land use change scenarios in the flood-prone region. This research highlights the importance of land use planning in mitigating flood-associated risks, both in the studied area and other flood-prone regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysing land transformation and its driving factors is of utmost importance for the optimal land use planning for development at grassroots level. The south-western zone of Punjab, India is vulnerable in terms of adverse climatic conditions, problem of sand dunes, water logging and brackish ground water for irrigation. Therefore, it was felt imperative to understand the long term land use land cover dynamics in the intensively cultivated region of south-western Punjab having more than 80% area under agriculture. The objective was to study and analyse the conversion of agricultural land to urbanization, industrialization, and other classes, which is of significant concern to food production and security. Change detection for last two decades (2000, 2010 and 2020) was carried out using Landsat archive data to observe distinct land transformation. An increase has been observed in the agricultural land from 86.60 to 88.96% during 2000–2010 whereas it decreased to 87.38% during 2020. In contrast, the area under settlement shows a gradual increase i.e. 4.43, 6.22, 7.57% for 2000, 2010 to 2020, respectively indicating major conversion of agricultural and wastelands to this category. Further, reduction of wastelands from 6.82 to 2.03 to 1.4% can be attributed to ameliorative measures taken up by the government and farmers. The waterlogged areas showed the extent as 1.24%, 1.09%, and 2.0% for 2000, 2010 and 2020, respectively. The results of this study can be effectively utilised to alter the land use practices and policies for south-western region of Punjab, as the study area represents the similar ecological conditions of the entire region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review examines current knowledge in the literature on informal settlements, specifically those contributions that include emphases on governance and the role of public administration. Given that informal settlements task the public sector with specific challenges that test the limits of infrastructure, while also presenting considerable human demands, there is a need to better understand how informal settlements and governments' capacities to respond to such phenomena potentially deepen concerns with already vulnerable populations. After an introduction to the concept of informal settlements, the paper considers the approach to the literature review, which included an initial group of 272 papers from peer-reviewed, English-language journals, from the period 2019 to June 2024. Major themes are discussed, with opportunities for future research identified. Informal settlements are still an emerging topic within the larger land use and urban planning literature, but the significance of this research extends beyond the immediate areas of the settlements themselves to critical areas of governance and vulnerability study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the importance of transport in creating a fairer and healthier society, particularly in relation to access to essential services, employment, and social interactions. It highlights the impact of inadequate transport on health inequalities and emphasizes the need for better bus services to address these issues. The article also explores the role of transport policy in improving air quality, reaching net zero emissions, and promoting active travel to reduce emissions and improve health outcomes. Additionally, it stresses the importance of considering equity in designing active travel schemes to ensure interventions are equitable and do not worsen inequalities. [Extracted from the article]

Inner Mongolia plays a critical role in both ecological conservation and food provision in China. However, some researchers have argued that focusing on and improving only one side of the equation necessarily threatens the functionality of the opposite side. To address this problem, we compared a "business‐as‐usual" scenario (BAU) with a "sustainable land use planning" scenario (SLU) constructed by simulating spatiotemporal changes in croplands and grasslands in Inner Mongolia from 2020 to 2030. Additionally, we analyzed the changes in ecosystem services and protein supply associated with changes in land use. We found that, in the BAU scenario, grasslands would decrease by 1.85% over the simulation period, while croplands would increase by 9.94%, with ecosystem services decreasing under both land uses. In contrast, land use changes over the same period in the SLU scenario are more significant, with increases of 11.33% and 2.78% in grassland and cropland, respectively, but, in this case, with ecosystem services increasing under both land uses. Moreover, protein supply increased under both scenarios, but SLU scenario can provide 33% more protein than the BAU scenario. The interconversion of cropland and grassland is the main type of land conversion in the study region, while cropland, grassland, and bare land show a triangular cycle of conversion. In addition, the implementation of scenario planning can realize multiple dividend for cultivation, livestock, and ecology in Inner Mongolia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current context of global changes, threatened flora is declining and homogenising at the expense of rare and protected species. Among conservation biology and ecological restoration techniques, plant translocation is one of the recommendations increasingly used. However, translocation remains risky and is recommended as a last resort to conserve protected flora in land use planning. Furthermore, it raises ethical questions partly linked to genetic processes. In this context, we studied how plant translocations are perceived by conservation actors in France, including their genetic aspects. The analysis of translocation perception complements that of feedback on concrete translocation operations and allows us to provide a qualitative assessment of current practices. We have adopted an interdisciplinary approach to survey different types of actors in nature conservation, involved or not in at least one stage of translocation operations (preparation, implementation and monitoring). Three main types of translocation perception divide our sample quite strongly (50% favourable/ 45% unfavourable/ 5% undecided). Surprisingly, their professional activity or the level of involvement in such an operation have no influence on their opinion on translocation, nor on the proposals of alternative measures. Only 15% of the actors involved in translocations used genetic data at least once. To conclude, it would be necessary to promote the sharing of feedback from past experiences. This would allow an up-to-date list of species unacceptable for translocation. Comparing the results of different protocols and implementation conditions for the same species or group should improve overall translocation success rates. Highlights: Plant translocation is a solution for the conservation of threatened species. This solution is currently ecologically risky and raises ethical and genetic questions. We identified three main perceptions (50% favourable/45% unfavourable/5% undecided). These ratios are similar among the different professional activities of respondents. Improving the feedback and success of translocations should improve its perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides and their resulting impacts on property and human life have become an ongoing challenge in the hilly regions of Bangladesh. This study aims to systematically review diverse landslide studies in Bangladesh, particularly focusing on landslide disaster management (LDM) from 2008 to 2023, encompassing the pre-disaster, syn-disaster, and post-disaster phases. Several key attributes of landslide studies were considered, including general trends, data types, study scales, contributing factors, methodologies, results, and validation approaches, to investigate challenges and subsequently identify research gaps. This study evaluated 51 research articles on LDM using a systematic literature review (SLR) technique that adhered to the Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. Our finding revealed that articles on LDM were dominated by the pre-disaster (76%) and the syn-disaster phases (12%), with the post-disaster phase (12%) receiving equal attention. The SLR revealed a growing number of studies since 2020 that used data-driven methods and secondary spatial data, often focused on medium-scale analyses (district level) that, however, often lacked field-based validation. From the factors examined in various landslide studies, topographical and hydrological factors were found to be the most significant attributes in assessment. This study identified key challenges, such as insufficient landslide inventories including poor site accessibility and a lack of high-resolution geological, soil, and rainfall data. It also highlighted critical research gaps, including the need for advanced technologies in susceptibility mapping for national hazard atlas, the investigation of underexplored causative factors, effective early warning systems, detailed post-event characterization, health impact assessment, risk-sensitive land use planning, and interactive web portals for landslide prone areas. This study would thus aid researchers in understanding the depth of existing knowledge and provide insights into how landslides fit into broader disaster management frameworks, facilitating interdisciplinary approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely accepted that land use and land cover (LULC) is an important conditioning factor for landslide occurrence, especially when considering the role of tree roots in stabilizing slopes and consolidating the soil. However, it is still difficult to assess the impacts of a specific LULC type on landslide distribution. The objective of the present study is to reveal the relationship between bamboo and landslide distribution at the regional scale. We aim to answer the following question: do the areas covered by bamboo have a higher susceptibility to landslides? Wenzhou City in SE China was taken as the study area, and a landslide inventory containing 1725 shallow landslides was constructed. The generalized additive model (GAM) was employed to assess the significance of LULC and nine additional factors, all of which were generated using the GIS platform. The frequency ratio (FR) method was used to analyze and compare the landslide density in each LULC category. Machine learning models were applied to perform landslide susceptibility mapping of the region. The results show that in the Wenzhou region, LULC is the second most important factor for landslide occurrences after the slope factor, whereas bamboo has a relatively higher FR value than most other LULC categories. The accuracies of the landslide susceptibility maps obtained from the random forest and XGBoost models were 79.6% and 85.3%, respectively. Moreover, 23.8% and 25.5% of the bamboos were distributed in very-high- and high-susceptibility-level areas. The incidents and density of landslides in bamboo areas were significantly higher than those with debris flow and rock collapses, indicating a promotional effect of bamboo on slope failure in the study area. This work will improve our understanding regarding the role of geological and ecological conditions that affect slope stability, which may provide useful guidance for land use planning and landslide risk assessment and mitigation at the regional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization and changing land use dynamics require robust tools for projecting and analyzing future land use scenarios to support sustainable urban development. This study introduces an integrated modeling framework that combines the Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model with Markov Chain (MC) analysis to simulate land use and land cover (LULC) changes for Montreal Island, Canada. This framework leverages historical data, scenario-based adjustments, and spatial drivers, providing urban planners and policymakers with a tool to evaluate the potential impacts of land use policies. Three scenarios—sustainable, industrial, and baseline—are developed to illustrate distinct pathways for Montreal's urban development, each reflecting different policy priorities and economic emphases. The integrated MC-PLUS model achieved a high accuracy level, with an overall accuracy of 0.970 and a Kappa coefficient of 0.963 when validated against actual land use data from 2020. The findings indicate that sustainable policies foster more contiguous green spaces, enhancing ecological connectivity, while industrial-focused policies promote the clustering of commercial and industrial zones, often at the expense of green spaces. This study underscores the model's potential as a valuable decision-support tool in urban planning, allowing for the scenario-driven exploration of LULC dynamics with high spatial precision. Future applications and enhancements could expand its relevance across diverse urban contexts globally. [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.)

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.)

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.)

Our communities must be made safe and easy to navigate by people with disabilities and by those who are seeking to age in place. This requires us to do land planning and zoning in a cost-conscious way that empowers a diverse population to readily participate in community life. Accomplishing this goal involves working at the intersection of land use law and disability law. This means we must work al the intersection of competing legal frameworks, one based on the exercise of the sovereign police powers and the other based on the prevention of discrimination under civil rights law. The fundamental problem is one of land use law regulating places and uses on the ground, while disability law regulates the prevention of discrimination as people move through the spaces and places of commun ity life. These competing interests and legal frameworks reveal a tension between land use law and disability law. Thus, our task is to determine how best to organize the law to mediate this tension and to improve accessibility infrastructure community-wide. In addressing the relationship between land use and disability, we must consider three primary methods for conceptualizing disability. The first is the "medical model," the second is the "social construction" model, and a third, suggested in this Article, is a "network capabilities" model. The network capabilities model frames disability in terms of the built environment and focuses on understanding human capabilities from a land use perspective--that is, in relation to an integrated system, of property infrastructure, assistive technology, and inclusive design. This method addresses disability as a regulatory matter focusing on public health, safety, and welfare. It balances concerns for accessibility with pragmatically achievable land planning goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the increasing commitment of numerous nations to achieving future carbon neutrality, urban development planning that integrating carbon storage considerations plays a crucial role in enhancing urban carbon efficiency and promoting regional sustainable development. Previous studies have indicated that optimizing land use structure and quality is essential for regional carbon storage management. Taking the core area of Taihu Bay as study area, this study innovatively combined high-precision urban 3D data to account for the whole urban carbon pools of buildings, vegetation, soils, water. Then, multi-objective linear programming model and PLUS (Patch-generating Land Use Simulation) model were applied at patch scale to assess and compare carbon storage in various scenarios, considering both carbon storage maximization and urban development requirements. Results: The results were presented as follows. (1) Urban woodland carbon pool accounts for only a fraction of total carbon pool, and the role of soil and building carbon pools cannot be ignored. (2) Compared with the current situation, the carbon-growth optimized scenario will lead to the increase of total carbon storage by 38,568.31 tons. (3) Carbon-growth optimized scenario has reduced carbon storage in Woodland, Cropland, Village, Water compared to the Natural growth scenario, but has increased carbon storage in Garden plots, Street, Urban district, Town and other areas. Conclusions: Therefore, we find that for fast-growing cities, rationally planning built-up areas and woodland areas can achieve the twin goals of economic development and maximizing regional carbon storage. Furthermore, the implementation of new energy policies and projects such as green roofs can help to achieve regional carbon neutrality. The study provides new insights into the accounting of carbon pools within cities and the simulation of fine-grained land use planning based on the dual objectives of carbon stock maximization and urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's urbanization has undergone a transformative journey since the initiation of the reform and opening-up policy in 1978, catalyzing economic growth while profoundly impacting its ecological and demographic landscapes. This study offers a systematic evaluation of China's urbanization trajectory over the past 4 decades through the development of an indicator system encompassing three key dimensions: population urbanization, land urbanization, and economic urbanization. Using the entropy method for weight assignment, the analysis reveals a consistent upward trend in China's comprehensive urbanization, with occasional sharp increases. Although population urbanization influences the overall index, land urbanization has outpaced both population and economic urbanization, indicating a pronounced dependence on land resources. This trend poses a potential risk of unsustainable urban growth if left unaddressed. The findings indicate that to achieve sustainable urban development, China must prioritize balancing the interplay between population and land, moving away from land-dependent strategies, and adopting a more balanced approach to urbanization. The quantitative analysis provides key insights into this imbalance, indicating that policies should integrate land use planning with population dynamics to promote holistic urban growth. Future research should investigate the long-term socio-economic and environmental impacts of land-centric urbanization and propose innovative strategies to guide China towards a sustainable urban future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the dynamics of collaborative rural planning through an in-depth single case study of participatory land consolidation. It argues that while complete consensus might be considered a utopia, effective collaboration among stakeholders requires a certain degree of alignment in perspectives. By analyzing how stakeholders’ perspectives evolve, this study investigates how this convergence occurs. Furthermore, it explores how planning professionals try to promote convergence, focusing on a project manager’s approach and insights from a focus group. The findings emphasize the complexity of achieving joint understanding for fostering cooperative decision-making. The paper proposes clear process parameters to stimulate this convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of grain production performance can provide reference information to explore multiple cropping options and further improve the resource use efficiency of farming methods. This study investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of grain production performance and efficiency of major crop production systems (CPS) in the Ethiopia's Blue Nile Basin. The results show that only 39% of the basin is currently cultivated, although a significant cropland expansion (10%) was recorded between 1985 and 2020. The study identified 11 major CPS, mostly practiced in the basin. Of these, single cropping based on the main rainy season (Meher-Only) covers the largest area (26%), followed by Meher-Residual-Intermittent (12%) and Meher-Belg-Dependable (11%). Extended-Meher, Meher-Residual-Dependable, Meher-Residual-Intermittent, and Meher-Belg-Dependable are the four more powerful CPS with higher efficiency. Comparatively, CPS practiced in Wet-Woyna-Dega and Wet-Dega have better overall performance. Findings confirm that agricultural space management (land) and green-water (rainfall) utilization are the most influential factors, followed by land use planning and land use systems (CPS) invention. As landscape suitability for grain production governs future performance, in the low elevation and flood plains parts of the basin, the possibility of creating additional space into the food system is very high. In mountainous and high-altitude regions, the efficiency of grain production will decrease because incorporating additional arable land into the food system is trivial. In the last three decades, in BNB, only 10% of arable land (equivalent to 30 million quintals of food) has been added to the good system, which can support approximately 6 million people. Compared to the population growth of the basin (12 million 1985–2020), its contribution to the food system was less than 50%. This confirms that multiple cropping systems, such as Residual moisture-based CPS, have played a significant role in boosting the food system in the basin. Therefore, improving grain production performance/efficiency requires targeted investments, including the invention of more adaptable crop varieties, efficient cropping practices, and the introduction of advanced agricultural space and water management technologies. The results of the study will help identify important policy gaps and suggest possible options to enhance residual farming and other multiple cropping systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of urban land use and habitat quality is crucial for the sustainable development of urban ecological environments. This study utilizes the land use data of Jiangsu Province for the years 2000, 2010, and 2020, applying the FLUS model to investigate the driving force behind land expansion and to simulate a prediction for the land use of 2030. By integrating the InVEST model and landscape pattern indices, this study analyzes the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of habitat quality in Jiangsu Province and uses geographical detector analysis to examine the synergistic effects of influencing factors. The results indicate that, from 2000 to 2020, habitat degradation in Jiangsu Province progressively increased, with the spatial distribution of degradation levels showing a gradual change. Under the ecological protection scenario in 2030, habitat fragmentation was alleviated. Conversely, under the economic development scenario, habitat quality further deteriorated, resulting in the largest area of low-quality regions. Minimal changes occurred under the natural development scenario. (2) The landscape indices in Jiangsu Province experienced significant changes from 2000 to 2020. The continuous expansion of urban land into other land use types led to a trend of fragmentation, with a clear increasing trend in dispersion, sprawl, and Shannon's diversity index, accompanied by a decrease in cohesion. (3) The dominant interacting factors affecting habitat quality were combinations of socioeconomic factors with other factors, indicating that the economy largely determines the spatial distribution pattern of habitat quality. The findings of this study provide optimization strategies for future spatial planning of land use types in Jiangsu Province and offer references for habitat quality restoration efforts in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An urban heat island is defined as an urban area that experiences warmer temperatures than its surroundings. This study examines how Singapore's planning efforts established after the mid-20th century have affected the thermal environment of the city in association with land transformation, using historical temperature data available from the Meteorological Service of Singapore and some historical studies. Singapore's planners have carefully regulated the growth of its downtown while promoting expansion in other parts of the city-state. These effects of planning have also unconsciously shaped the location and outline of Singapore's urban heat island. As a result, new urban heat peaks were found around the centres of newly constructed large-scale new towns compared to industrial areas. This study provides lessons for land planning in mitigating a city's urban heat island effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]