A conceptual framework for riparian green space planning in mountainous cities

Abstract

The riparian green space covers the inner buffer zone to maintain the ecological characteristics of the river and the outer coordination green zone to serve the adjacent urban–rural functional areas. The complex topography and landform of mountainous areas make riparian green space closely connected with the natural process and spatial function, which is the focus of urban and rural construction. However, the “out-of-context” and “one-size-fits-all” means of multi-department planning have separated the natural process maintenance and constructive utilization of riparian green space in urban–rural areas, resulting in serious conflicts between protection and development and low control effectiveness. Under the background of prioritization of ecology and the control of urban–rural spatial resources in the whole region, we draw lessons from the theories and methods of related disciplines and takes the integration of protection and utilization as the basis point. We present a new conceptual framework that follows the natural ecological characteristics of rivers and appropriately integrates the demands of urban–rural development and construction, and discusses the differentiated planning and regulation method of riparian green space in mountainous urban–rural areas based on transect zoning. This conceptual framework not only ensures the healthy operation of the ecosystem inside the riparian zone, but also improves the composite service function outside the riparian zone, and minimizes the impact of urban–rural construction on the riparian zone.