Towards Sustainable Land Use in China: A Collection of Empirical Studies

Spatial Simulation of Land-Use Development of Feixi County, China, Based on Optimized Productive–Living–Ecological Functions

Rural revitalization places higher demands on the productive–living–ecological (P-L-E) spaces of towns and cities. It is necessary, therefore, to identify, evaluate, and optimize P-L-E spaces to better guide spatial planning. Existing studies typically evaluate a single space, lacking a comprehensive consideration of whole-area integration. This study, therefore, developed a coupled spatial/developmental suitability evaluation system for Feixi County, Anhui Province, China, combining spatial quality evaluation, a coupled coordination model, and future land-use simulation (FLUS) model. The spatial quality of Feixi County in 2010, 2015, and 2020 was obtained by applying the evaluation system to the spatial development pattern. The results were analyzed and verified using the landscape pattern index and development suitability evaluation. The results showed the following: (1) The coupling coordination degree of the region increased from 0.131 to 0.372, changing from low to moderate coordination. (2) Based on the FLUS model to better capture the uncertainty and stochastic basis of the development in the study area. The kappa coefficient and Figure of Merit (FoM) index of the land-use simulation accuracy verification index were 0.7647 and 0.0508, respectively, and the logistic regression ROC values were above 0.75, thus meeting accuracy requirements. This demonstrated that the simulation model—based on a factor library of the evaluation of resource and environmental carrying capacity and suitability for development and construction—could better reflect future land-use changes. (3) The simulation showed that under the baseline development scenario, the area’s spatial layout is too concentrated in terms of construction land, ignoring P-L-E coordination. Under the ecological optimization scenario, high-quality ecological space is ensured, but other types of spaces are lacking. Under the comprehensive guidance scenario, lagging ecological space is optimized and P-L-E spatial development is enhanced through aggregation, clustering, concentration and integration. This way, the spatial quantity structure and distribution form can meet P-L-E spatial development needs in Feixi County. In this study, on the basis of scientific assessment of the current P-L-E space, the FLUS model was applied to carry out a scenario simulation according to different objectives. Moreover, based on the construction of the coupling system of human–nature system, the driving factors were improved to enhance the prediction accuracy of the FLUS model. This study’s findings can help improve the scientificity, flexibility and management efficiency of Feixi County’s P-L-E spatial layout, thereby supporting its sustainable development.

Study on the Spatial Classification of Construction Land Types in Chinese Cities: A Case Study in Zhejiang Province

Identifying the land-use type and spatial distribution of urban construction land is the basis of studying the degree of exposure and the economic value of disaster-affected bodies, which are of great significance for disaster risk predictions, emergency disaster reductions, and asset allocations. Based on point of interest (POI) data, this study adopts POI spatialization and the density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) algorithm to accomplish the spatial classification of construction land. Zhejiang province is selected as a study area, and its construction land is divided into 11 land types using an accurate spatial classification method based on measuring the area of ground items. In the research, the POI dataset, which includes information, such as spatial locations and usage types, was constructed by big data cleaning and visual interpretation and approximately 620,000 pieces in total. The overall accuracy of the confusion matrix is 76.86%, which is greatly improved compared with that constructed with EULUC data (61.2%). In addition, compared with the official statistical data of 11 cities in Zhejiang Province, the differences between the calculated spatial proportions and statistics are not substantial. Meanwhile, the spatial characteristics of the studied land-use types are consistent with the urban planning data but with higher accuracy. The research shows that the construction land in Zhejiang Province has a high degree of land intensity, concentrated assets, and high economic exposure. The approach proposed in this study can provide a reference for city management including urbanization process, risk assessment, emergency management and asset allocation.

Research on Sustainable Land Use Based on Production–Living–Ecological Function: A Case Study of Hubei Province, China

After decades of rapid development, there exists insufficient and contradictory land use in the world, and social, economic and ecological sustainable development is facing severe challenges. Balanced land use functions (LUFs) can promote sustainable land use and reduces land pressures from limited land resources. In this study, we propose a new conceptual index system using the entropy weight method, regional center of gravity theory, coupling coordination degree model and obstacle factor identification model for LUFs assessment and spatial-temporal analysis. This framework was applied to 17 cities in central China’s Hubei Province using 39 indicators in terms of production–living–ecology analysis during 1996–2016. The result shows that (1) LUFs showed an overall upward trend during the study period, while the way of promotion varied with different dimensions. Production function (PF) experienced a continuous enhancement during the study period. Living function (LF) was similar in this aspect, but showed a faster rising tendency. EF continued to increase during 1996–2011, but declined during 2011–2016. LUFs were higher in the east than in the west, and slightly higher in the south than in the north. The spatial coordination was enhanced during the study period. (2) The overall level of coupling coordination degree continued to increase during 1996–2016, while regional difference declined obviously, indicating a good developing trend. However, the absolute level was still not satisfactory. (3) The obstacle degree of PF was always dominant, and LF showed a downward trend, while EF showed an increasing trend. Benefit index (A2), Comfort index (B2) and Green index (C1) constituted the primary obstacle factor for each dimension. Added-value of high and new technology industry (A2-3) and land use intensity (A3-2) were key factors restricting PF. Number of medical practitioner (B1-4) and internet penetration rate (B2-3) were key factors restricting LF. Air quality rate (C3-1) and wetland coverage rate (C1-4) were key factors restricting EF. This study can help to give a more detailed understanding of sustainable land use for the particularity of China from a land function perspective and provide lessons and suggestions for other developing countries in the world.

An Integrated Approach to Transportation and Land-Use Planning for the Analysis of Former Railway Nodes in Sustainable Transport Development: The Case of the Vasco-Navarro Railway

The disappearance of kilometers of railways that once structured their surrounding territory has become an alarming issue in the last decades. These days, several disused railway infrastructures have been converted into non-motorized transport infrastructures. Meanwhile, most of the railway nodes have been abandoned or reused without consideration of the linear infrastructure. This paper argues that former railway nodes can have potential in their surrounding environment and as part of a non-motorized transport axis, i.e., to again be nodes of the former linear infrastructure. Accordingly, the objective of the paper is to analyze the potential of disused railway nodes, focusing on the possibilities they could offer in the area, and defining future approaches for more sustainable development. For that purpose, relations between former railway nodes and their surrounding environment are studied considering transport and land use in the non-motorized influence areas. Existing node/place models were adapted and a multiaxial model was created to measure the balance between transport and land use and typify the defined area. The proposed methodology was applied in a case study, classifying node areas in different development typologies that will be related to different future approaches.

Spatiotemporal Evolution of Land-Use and Ecosystem Services Valuation in the Belt and Road Initiative

Land-use changes can significantly affect both the ecosystem services value (ESV) and ecosystem functions. Estimating the impacts of land-use changes in ESV in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is indispensable to provide public awareness about the status of ESV, and to help in policy-making processes. To understand the spatiotemporal evolution of land-use its impact on ESV in the BRI, this study investigated the main water-resource areas of BRI. Using GLCNMO data (2003, 2008, 2013), the land-use dynamic degree, comprehensive index of land-use degree, land-use transfer matrix, and method of ESV valuation were adopted to analyze the changes in land-use and ESV. The results showed that forest and cropland area increased markedly between 2003 and 2013, whereas grassland and shrubland area notably decreased. Forest, shrubland, grassland, cropland, and bare land occupied a relatively large proportion and changed frequently. The total ESV of the study area has increased from US $74.98 million in 2003 to US $82.12 million in 2013, which was primarily caused by the transition from cropland and grassland to forest. The impacts of land-use changes on the specific ecosystem services are also tremendous. The presented results can be valuable for the government for future land-use planning activities.

Urban–Rural Construction Land Replacement for More Sustainable Land Use and Regional Development in China: Policies and Practices

With the rapid development of urbanization and industrialization, land exploitation in China has caused a decrease of cultivated land, posing a threat to national food security. To achieve the goals of both economic development and cultivated land protection, China launched an urban–rural land replacement measure supported by a new land use policy of “increasing vs. decreasing balance” of construction land between urban and rural areas in 2008. Setting China’s urban and rural land use policies in a historical context and urban–rural sustainable development, this paper discusses four practices in Jiangsu Province, Tianjin Municipality, Shandong Province, and Chongqing Municipality. These practices achieved success in impelling agricultural modernization development, improving rural infrastructure and living circumstances, releasing the potential of rural land resources, and increasing cultivated land and urban construction land in the past decade. However, in some practices, problems, and even some conflicts, exist in the protection of farmers’ rights and interests. These challenges are discussed in the context of implementation. In order to better implement urban–rural construction land replacement and achieve better results, the authors argue that farmers’ rights and interests must always be put first and their wishes should be respected more, a consolidated urban–rural land market and a better land market mechanism should be founded, the supply of public goods and services for villagers should be further improved, and supervision and evaluation mechanisms should be further strengthened.

Perceptions, Risk Attitude and Organic Fertilizer Investment: Evidence from Rice and Banana Farmers in Guangxi, China

Overuse of chemical fertilizer has led to severe land degradation and environmental pollution in China. Switching to organic fertilizer may improve soil quality and reduce pollution, which is meaningful to the sustainable development of Chinese agriculture. This study examines how farmers’ perceptions and risk preference affect their organic fertilizer investment using a representative rural household survey from Guangxi, a major agricultural region in China. Tobit and double-hurdle models are used to empirically test their impacts on organic fertilizer adoption and investment. An ordinary least squares model is used to regress chemical fertilizer use on the same set of explanatory variables to compare and contrast farmers’ different fertilizer investment behaviors. It is found that both organic fertilizer perceptions and risk attitude significantly affect organic fertilizer investment. Perceived yield-increasing and quality-improving effects encourage organic fertilizer investment, while perceived cost increases discourage it. Moreover, risk-averse farmers are more likely to invest in organic fertilizers. Most of the perceptions affecting organic fertilizer investment have an opposite impact on chemical fertilizer investment, which suggests substitutability between organic and chemical fertilizer. Interventions that aim to improve farmers’ perceptions of organic fertilizer and illustrate its risk-reduction effect could be effective in promoting organic fertilizer use, which can help achieve China’s sustainable development of agriculture.

The Impact of the Comprehensive Rural Village Development Program on Rural Sustainability in Korea

An imperative challenge emerges from the demand to apply the scientific method in the assessment of recent agricultural and rural policies throughout the world. The objective of the present study was to conduct an ex-post quantitative evaluation of the Comprehensive Rural Village Development Program (CRVDP), a representative rural development policy operated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, a central government agency in South Korea. The primary purpose of this program is to ensure sustainable rural society. This study found a moderate but significant positive impact of the policy in enhancing the standard of living in rural areas. The present paper concludes with suggesting some policy implications, limitations and future directions of policy evaluation studies.