The impact of exurban development on forested areas in Kurgan City, Russia

Abstract

Exurban communities—a significant form of urban sprawl—can transform natural land cover. Exurban development refers to an expansion of communities located outside a city and its suburbs. One of the main reasons these settlements develop is a desire by residents to live closer to nature and developers’ recognition of the profitability of addressing this desire. Additionally, exurbs can become prosperous regions settled by people with high income. However, exurban development not only directly affects community patterns, but also species patterns, habitat reduction and disconnection, as well as land cover and land use alterations. The purpose of this paper is a quantitative analysis of the land cover transformation and forest fragmentation in Post-Soviet Russia, based on an empirical case study of the city of Kurgan. This case study also contributes to the overall research of urban sprawl in Russian provinces by adding to the discussion of homeowners’ behavior, regional environmental policies, and their role concerning the impacts of exurban settlements on the natural environment. This paper uses remote sensing imagery, census data, and primary data to analyze land cover change due to the emergence of exurban communities around Kurgan, Russia, with specific emphasis on the changes to native vegetation resulting from human behavior and stakeholder preferences.