Terms Of Land Use Research Articles

Land: Competition for future use

Land is a finite resource; land use affects the environment and the economy. Despite its importance, decisions on land use are not always being made using science-informed policy. This paper was developed from information presented at the ‘Collision of Land Use Forum’ in August 2010, and subsequent discussion. Recommendations include the establishment of a national Land Management Forum, a review of current guidelines for land use management, accommodation of natural capital and ecosystem services considerations in land use management processes, education of the importance of soil and land use in terms of economy and environment at all levels, and advocacy and debate to ensure both understanding and that science is the basis for creation of policy.

Urban Agglomeration: A Qualitative Assessment of Landscape Patterns on a Slope in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Pernambuco

Objective: To carry out a qualitative assessment on a slope in Jaboatão dos Guararapes/PE, due to its physical-natural characteristics and significant inadequate urbanization. Theoretical Framework: Urban growth, associated with disordered occupation, causes a series of changes in the environment. This urbanization without adequate planning can have several negative consequences for the environment and the population's quality of life. Method: The Impact Matrix was used to facilitate the visualization and assessment of impacts on the different components of the environment, enabling a qualitative analysis. An assessment of possible impacts was also carried out, based on criteria, regarding environmental factors in the physical, biotic and anthropic environment, as well as actions that can be eliminated or mitigated. Results and conclusions: With the application of the methodology, it was possible to make decisions to establish planning, support environmental management and resolve land use and occupation conflicts in terms of socio-environmental impacts. As for positive impacts, environmental education raised awareness among the population. In relation to negative impacts, greater attention from the population in the hillside area and on the river bank is important, especially in the winter period, when intense rains are observed, which can alter soil parameters, increasing landslides and floods. Implications of the research: Methodologies used to eliminate or minimize impacts caused by the urban growth process. Originality/value: This study proposed to evaluate the impacts of human actions in the city of Jaboatão dos Guararapes.

Application of ArcGIS 3D modeling technology in the study of land use policy decision making in China

In this paper, a land use management information system based on ArcGIS 3D modeling technology is constructed to process land use policy decisions through ArcSDE spatial data engine and Oracle relational database to realize a land use planning management information system. Using genetic algorithm in order to use for regional land use optimization allocation, the introduction of multi-intelligent body system in this algorithm will be able to enhance the optimization search ability of the algorithm and make the genetic algorithm to obtain land use planning supported. The behavior of the main body of the integrated land use planning decision maker will guide the development of the quantitative structure of land use in terms of spatial layout toward sustainability. The experimental results prove that the target is better than the other three types of scenarios under the integrated benefit model, then it is reduced by 18.67%, 15.98% and 16.61%, and the number of spatially contiguous areas is increased by 9.4%, 13.8% and 0.8%, respectively. The proposed model can reasonably configure the regional land use quantitative results and spatial layout, and coordinate the needs of different land use decision makers.

Variation in Certain Soil Properties Based on Land Use Type, and Elevation in Arhavi Sub-Basin, Artvin, Turkiye

Knowledge of soil properties such as texture, bulk density, organic matter, soil reaction, soil electrical conductivity, and soil erodibility factor is fundamental to the sustainable management of soil resources. This study aimed to determine the changes in certain soil properties including texture, bulk density, organic matter, pH, electrical conductivity, and soil erodibility factor with different land uses, elevation zones and soil depths in the Arhavi Sub-basin, Artvin, Turkiye. For these purposes, a total of 618 soil samples (309 disturbed and 309 undisturbed) were taken from 155 sampling points located in areas with different land uses, including tea (33 sampling points), hazelnut (33 sampling points), forest (67 sampling points), and grassland (22 sampling points). The results of the statistical analysis revealed that the soils at depths of 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm showed significant differences according to the land use in terms of sand, clay, silt, bulk density, organic matter, and pH. There were significant positive correlations between elevation and soil bulk density (r = 0.495) at a soil depth of 0–15 cm in the tea areas. In the grassland areas, there were significant positive correlations between elevation and silt, bulk density, and the soil erodibility factor (r = 0.485, r = 0.794, and r = 0.442, respectively) at depths of 0–15 cm, and significant positive correlations between elevation and both silt and bulk density (r = 0.468 and r = 0.691, respectively) at depths of 15–30 cm. Similarly, there were significant positive correlations between elevation and both sand and organic matter at soil depths of 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm (sand: r = 0.351 and r = 0.638, respectively; organic matter: r = 0.277 and r = 0.587, respectively). On the other hand, significant negative correlations were found between elevation and silt, bulk density, pH, and the soil erodibility factor at depths of 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm (silt: r = −0.400 and r = −0.461, respectively; bulk density: r = −0.593 and r = −0.545, respectively; pH: r = −0.354 and r = −0.309, respectively; soil erodibility factor: r = −0.443 and r = −520, respectively). Soil acidity was found to be the most important problem threatening soil fertility in all land uses. The use of soil acidity-increasing fertilizers, such as ammonium sulfate, in tea gardens in the region should be eliminated to protect the fertility of soils in the future. The knowledge that this study provides might help farmers and foresters in the region in the proper management and fertilization of their lands. Moreover, this study will provide data to future studies related to soil acidification, soil erosion, and land use that are planned for the Arhavi Sub-basin.

EVALUATION OF LAND COVER, LAND USE AND WATER QUALITY IN THE REGIONS WITH VARIOUS ANTHROPOGENIC ACTIVITY – A CASY STUDY OF OSAM RIVER BASIN, BULGARIA

Nowadays the world´s demand for natural resources is more pressing than ever before. The good quality of the water and it’s enough quantity, the provision of energy sources and food is a very important and difficult issue. This challenge could be done by ensuring a better management of the mentioned resources. Strengthening synergies and reducing trade-offs among the sectors is possible by applying a Nexus approach. This article aims to assets the land cover, land use and water quality in the upper and middle catchment of the Osam River (municipalities of Troyan and Lovech) for the period 2012-2019. Land use and land cover is a key factor in relation to water quality characteristics. The emphasis is on acquiring new knowledge through spatio-temporal analysis of the problem. To assess the river water quality this study considers the following parameters: pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), electric conductivity (EC), ammonia (N-NH4), nitrates (N-NO3), nitrites (N-NO2), phosphates (P-ortho-PO4), biological oxygen demand (BOD5). To identify the land use/cover in the region was based on GIS, digital topographic and thematic maps, Corine Land Cover data, high-resolution satellite imagery (Google Earth), digital elevation model, statistics and field studies. The obtained results are a good basis for popularizing the Nexus paradigm at different scales (i.e., local, regional, national, European and beyond) including planning and elaboration of the necessary policies for sustainable management of both land use and river waters in terms of their quality.

Spatial changes in the Hungarian and Slovenian cattle sector before and after accession to the European Union

Abstract A comparative analysis of the spatial transformation of two different farm-size cattle systems, in Hungary and Slovenia, is presented in this paper. Concentration, mobility, and spatial autocorrelation measures are used to study spatial cattlestock distribution and their changes over time, as well as spatial cattle-stock clustering using data from two agricultural censuses. Results confirm the decline in cattle stock on large-size farms in Hungary and on small-size farms in Slovenia, with a relative increase in the importance of medium-size farms in both countries. The decline and spatial changes in cattle stock are greater in Hungary than in Slovenia. Hungarian cattle clusters are concentrated in flat areas with medium- and large-size largely commercial farms, whilst in Slovenia they predominate in mainly hilly grassland and partly cornsilage areas on small and some medium-size family farms. Such specific cattle clustering is linked to geographical and farm-size structural characteristics that can also be linked to agricultural-policy-measure-related support for cattle and dairy, associated with less-favoured or disadvantaged-area status linked to geographical and structural land and farm characteristics typical of Slovenian mountain and particularly hilly areas. These spatial changes in the cattle sector have socioeconomic, land use, and environmental implications in terms of ecological sustainability and rural livelihoods.

Assessment of Land Use Land Cover Changes for Predicting Vulnerable Agricultural Lands in River Basins of Bangladesh Using Remote Sensing and a Fuzzy Expert System

The aim of this study was to assess the LULC changes over 26 years from 1995 to 2021 to find the most changed land use conditions within the 25 km territory of the main river systems of Bangladesh. In addition, the prediction of vulnerable areas for agricultural land use in terms of inundation by river water was also analyzed. The study area includes river networks distributed through eight administrative divisions (Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal and Chittagong) of Bangladesh, covering an area of 64,556 km2. The study was conducted by identifying permanent water bodies from NDWI indices and preparing LULC maps that include the five main land use classes (water body, bare land, vegetation, agricultural land, and urban area) in the Google Earth Engine platform using supervised classification. The LULC maps were then analyzed in the ArcGIS® environment. A vulnerability map for agricultural land use was also prepared using a fuzzy expert-based system applying multicriteria analysis. From the land use land cover map of the study area, it was found that among the five land use classes, water bodies, bare land, vegetation, and urban areas increased in size by 3.65%, 2.18%, 3.31% and 2.55%, respectively, whereas agricultural land use significantly decreased by 11.68%. This decrease in agricultural land use was common for the analyzed area of all administrative divisions. According to the vulnerable area map of the eight divisions, more than 50% of the analyzed area of the Khulna and Dhaka divisions and more than 40% of the analyzed area of the Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Barishal and Chittagong divisions were highly vulnerable to agricultural land use due to the possibility of inundation by water. However, approximately 44% of the analyzed area of the Rangpur division was not vulnerable for agricultural land use. The prepared LULC and vulnerability maps can be helpful for the future land use planning of Bangladesh to meet the increasing demand for food production and livelihoods for increasing populations.

PEDESTRIAN ACCESSIBILITY ASSESSMENT USING SPATIAL AND NETWORK ANALYSIS: A CASE OF SOFIA CITY

Abstract. Walking is the most accessible form of mobility, delivering different benefits to the cities and their residents such as improved public health, community liveability, efficient land use and cost savings in terms of needed space to allow movement. Walkable neighbourhoods provide a high-quality urban environment with public spaces and a variety of activities and services. To increase walkability, a focus should be placed on the pedestrian network which integrates all transportation modes, making it a subject of network-based analyses related to pedestrian accessibility, connectivity, and walkability. This paper aims to assess pedestrian accessibility in Sofia, Bulgaria by applying network and spatial analysis. It analyses the macro scale of the integration and availability of the street network. It also investigates the access to selected urban facilities, which help to increase the quality of life, such as public transport stops and parks. The results prove that such analyses could support the assessment of the feasibility of infrastructure projects and their efficiency. The analyses show that Sofia has a very good distribution of public transport stops and the parks and smaller gardens are also relatively evenly spread across the urban area. Despite this, the results discover some areas where specific measures need to be taken to provide pedestrian access to these amenities, especially in neighbourhoods where investments are high, and the need for such access is increasing.

Agricultural Land Use in Ukraine: Ensuring and Implementing the Right to a Safe Environment

Safe land use of agricultural territories implies the mandatory preservation of the state's land resources, which are its crucial strategic resources. The relevance of this study is conditioned upon the abundance of issues of safe land use in Ukraine, specifically in the agricultural sector of Ukraine, not least due to the difficulties of exercising the citizens' right to safe use of agricultural land. The main purpose of this study is the theoretical investigation of the possibilities of ensuring the right to a safe environment upon using agricultural land in Ukraine, with an assessment of the real possibilities of its practical implementation in modern economic conditions. The basis of the methodological approach in this paper is a combination of methods of systematic analysis of key aspects of safe land use applicable to agricultural land, with the method of abstract-logical research of the main aspects of the exercise of the citizens' right to a safe environment upon using agricultural land in Ukraine. The main results obtained in this paper should be considered the definition of the main priority areas for the development of the available legislative system in Ukraine in the context of ensuring the safety of agricultural activities and the assessment of the role of the state in ensuring the proper level of environmental safety of agricultural land use in terms of the prospects for the preservation of the agricultural land available in the country. The results that were obtained in this study, as well as the conclusions formulated on their basis, have substantial practical significance for agricultural workers concerned about the qualitative solution of problematic issues concerning the ensuring and practical implementation of their legitimate right to a safe environment upon using lands that belong to the agricultural sector of the national economy

СОСТОЯНИЕ И ОЦЕНКА МЕЛИОРИРОВАННЫХ ЗЕМЕЛЬ РОСТОВСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

Purpose: assessment of the qualitative and quantitative state of reclaimed lands in Rostov region in dynamics according to the reclamation cadastre data for planning the main measures for their improvement. Materials and methods. The methodological basis for the assessment is the regulatory and technical materials of regime observations of Rostov hydrogeological and reclamation party – a branch of the “Rostovmeliovodkhoz” Department for basic indicators in accordance with the methodological guidelines and regulatory documents of All-Russian Research Institute of Hydrotechnics and Reclamation named after A. N. Kostyakov and the Russian Scientific Research Institute of Land Improvement Problems in the field of soil fertility control of irrigated lands. Results. In 2020 in Rostov region the area of land with an unfavorable ameliorative condition was more than 17.4 %, which reduces their productivity and the return of invested resources according to various indicators. A positive trend in the decrease in the area of land with an unfavorable reclamation condition from 23.3 % of the total area of irrigated agricultural land to 17.7 % was noted. When the groundwater level drops from 1 to 5 m, the coefficient of variation of irrigated areas decreases from 22.2 to 1.39. Conclusions. The comparative assessment of the main agroecological and productive indicators using reduction coefficients and points for negative soil properties for the period 2005–2020 made it possible to identify a positive trend in terms of soil bonitet, soil-ecological index, bioclimatic potential and efficiency of irrigated land use in terms of actual yield.

The unequal gender effects of the suburban built environment on perceptions of security

IntroductionStudies have shown that perceived security discourages pedestrians from walking, which in turn reduces physical activities and associated health benefits. However, there is a dearth of research about what elements of the built environment contribute to perceived security among pedestrians and, in particular, how the perception varies amongst women and amongst men in suburban environments. The present study aims to address this gap in the literature. MethodsA range of scenarios (i.e. more/less diversity of land use, presence/absence of trees) were presented in an online experiment to 995 participants in Brisbane (Australia). Participants reported their perceptions of being assaulted/robbed/harassed in each scenario. Random effects ordered probit models were estimated for men and women to identify the association between perceived security and built environment factors, controlling for other confounders such as age and attitudes. ResultsWomen have a higher perceived risk of being assaulted/robbed/harassed compared with men in all scenarios tested in the present study. Importantly, the results indicated that while residential, commercial, and mixed land use provide a sense of security for pedestrians compared to vacant land, the effect was larger for women compared to men. There were no significant differences between vacant and recreational land use in terms of perceived security. At night, pedestrians perceived suburban environments as insecure, and the change in the level of security was higher for women than men. Also, night time security varied over different land-use types between men and women. ConclusionsThe findings suggest that targeted urban design practices (e.g., functional use of vacant land, increasing diversity of land use, adequate street lights) could be used to improve perceived security and also reduce gender inequality in security perceptions. In turn, improved perceptions of security can help to increase walking as a mode of transport.

Управління аграрним землекористуванням у контексті нелінійного підходу

The purpose of the article is to develop a scientific vision of strategic land management in the context of nonlinear changes based on the study of qualitative and quantitative features of soil processes, possible risks and modeling of development scenarios. Research methods. A set of methods, principles and techniques of scientific knowledge is used: statistical analysis - in characterizing long-term regional target programs for the protection and rational use of land (environmentally safe) on the example of the Black Sea region; comparative analysis - in determining the level of provision of regions of Ukraine with ecologically safe lands, the state of the environment in the zone of ecologically safe land use, provision of ecological territories and suitable for transformation, comparison of target values of areas of agricultural land use under organic production; graphical - to visualize the model of nonlinear two-stage management of agricultural land use in terms of uncertainty of its components. Research results. The following are proposed: ways of forming ecologically safe lands (organic) in relation to target values, norms and state of land use; the relationship between the plans of the target and the existing state of land use; consideration of benefits and losses achievement of target values with an appropriate number of environmentally sound land uses. The strategic vectors, directions and expected results of agricultural land use management in the context of a non-linear approach have been determined. Scientific novelty. The scientific novelty of the study lies in a sound algorithm of the model of nonlinear two-stage management of agricultural land use in conditions of uncertainty. Practical significance. Gaps in state management of land resources as prerequisites for strategic management of agricultural land use are substantiated. The model of nonlinear two - stage management of agricultural land use in conditions of uncertainty is presented. Strategic vectors of agricultural land management in the context of a nonlinear approach have been developed Tabl.: 5. Figs.: 11. Refs.: 25.

Green and open space factor Vienna: A steering and evaluation tool for urban green infrastructure

Due to the steady growth of cities and increased sensitivity to climate change, a rethinking of urban planning is required to manage resources efficiently and increase urban quality. Under current conditions, it is important to expand green and open spaces with all their green infrastructure and to optimize land use in terms of quality and quantity. There is a lack of tools for the specific control of urban green infrastructure at plot level. Furthermore, all previous attempts at green space factors (Berlin, Malmö, Seattle, Helsinki, etc.) have primarily focused on ecological factors. Climatic and especially social aspects provided by ecosystem services are largely ignored. It has also been proven that the existing tools do not adequately respond to different building typologies. The purpose of this paper is to present a new calculation method for a Green and Open Space Factor Vienna and to provide greater detail as regards computation, and to compensate for bias in the assessment. The Green and Open Space Factor Vienna considers selected ecosystem services of relevant green and open space elements, comprehensively integrating the ecosystem service approach into urban planning. Applying the new calculation method to the examples shows that this tool is able to capture changes in building mass. If the greening of building sites is relatively equal, the same values can be achieved. If only the building mass and not the proportion of greenery increases, the value of the Green and Open Space Factor Vienna deteriorates. The consideration of climatic, ecological, and above all social aspects in the Green and Open Space Factor Vienna as an urban development index is a promising approach for controlling the supply of green and open spaces, thereby supporting socially sustainable urban development.

Land‐use legacies influence tree water‐use efficiency and nitrogen availability in recently established European forests

Abstract Forest regrowth following farmland (agriculture and pasture) abandonment has been positively associated with a number of processes including the regulation of hydrological cycling, the enhancement of soil functioning and an increase in forest productivity and carbon (C) sequestration. Although these changes in ecosystem functioning post‐farmland abandonment have been observed in multiple locations and studies, the ecophysiological basis underpinning these patterns remains unclear. Here, we examine whether increased forest expansion following pastureland abandonment is associated with greater water‐use efficiency (WUE) and legacies from previous land use in terms of nitrogen (N) availability. We thus explored differences in leaf traits and N availability between recently established (post‐1950) beech Fagus sylvatica (L.) forests on former pastureland and long‐established beech forests (pre‐1950). The investigated leaf traits were SLA, leaf N concentration (%N) and intrinsic WUE (iWUE, i.e. the ratio between photosynthesis and stomatal conductance); as well, leaf and soil stable N isotope composition (δ15N) and total %N were used to assess changes in N availability. Finally, we compared the correlation strength between the above‐mentioned parameters and those associated with tree productivity (wood density and basal area increment, BAI) and the richness of ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECM) in these two forest types. Recent forests had greater iWUE than long‐established forests, which was associated more with lower SLA than leaf %N. Leaf and soil δ15N were more robust proxies than %N for detecting differences in N availability. Less negative leaf and soil δ15N values in recent versus long‐established forests suggest, on the one hand, greater N availability, probably due to higher historical N input originating from animal excreta on these former pasturelands, and, on the other hand, an increase in N loss pathways. Our results point to greater correlations between leaf δ15N, tree iWUE and productivity in recent forests than in long‐established forests, thereby suggesting a close link between C and N cycles. Our findings also highlight different N dynamics between the two forest types, with recent forests showing ‘leaky’ N cycling wherever lower N retention by trees and associated ECM fungi occurs as a legacy of previous land use. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Policy Strategies to Revive Rural Land in Peri-Metropolitan Towns: Resource Identification, Capitalization, and Financialization

Previous planning for rural revival in towns has emphasized construction and government-led policies. However, we argue that the dilemmas of peri-metropolitan rural areas, such as Desakota in China, are far more complex faced with rural super village and hollowed village transformations. Rural revival planning needs to coordinate with the development of urbanized and rural areas towards multifunctional goals and plans as a whole. Therefore, we selected the town master plan of Lijia, a typical peri-metropolitan village in China, as a case study. Through a historical–interpretative approach involving analysis of planning policies, questionnaires, and in-depth interviews with the key stakeholders involved, we structured the process and mechanism of rural revival in Lijia into three phases: resource identification, capitalization, and financialization. In different phases, different stakeholders adopt different roles. The government takes a leading role in resource identification and capitalization, while firms take a leading role in the process of financialization. “Market-dominant and government-guided” planning stimulates villagers to participate in rural revival. We highlight the importance of multifunctional land-use in terms of rural revival in the master planning of peri-metropolitan villages and provide a practical reference for uniting multiple stakeholders, including governments, firms, and villagers.

Формирование политики модернизации имперских окраин России в конце XIX в.: предложения и проекты А.С. Ермолова

В статье дается краткий анализ предложений и проектов, разработанных в 1894–1895 гг. министром земледелия и государственных имуществ А.С. Ермоловым по развитию Кавказа, Средней Азии, Урала и Сибири. Цель работы – определить, в какой степени и в каких аспектах общий тренд модернизации экономики страны влиял на политику заселения и освоения этих имперских окраин, т.е. подчинял их логике «фронтирной» модернизации. Рассмотренные материалы разнообразны по содержанию. На Кавказе основное внимание уделялось проблеме переселения, в Туркестане – хозяйственному освоению, в Сибири сочетались оба направления колонизационной политики. Но в предложениях А.С. Ермолова прослеживаются общие подходы. Это, во-первых, преодоление хозяйственной замкнутости регионов и открытие их посредством прокладки транспортных коммуникаций; во-вторых, сочетание переселенческой колонизации с интенсификацией и специализацией хозяйства, переход к более рациональным методам освоения природных ресурсов; в-третьих, подготовка и организация переселенческого процесса, оптимизация землепользования в части урегулирования отношений переселенцев с местным населением; в-четвертых, переход к индустриализации окраин. Особняком в ряду регионов стоял Урал, который, благодаря длительной традиции развития горнозаводской промышленности, к концу XIX в. утрачивал фронтирную специфику, переходя в разряд среднеразвитых промышленных регионов. На Урале на первое место выходили задачи структурной политики, направленные на адаптацию региона к рынку.

Uncovering Ecosystem Services of Expropriated Land: The Case of Urban Expansion in Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, urban expansion happens at high rates and results in land expropriations often at the cost of agriculture and forests. The process of urban expansion does not include assessment of ecosystem services (ES). This has been causing unintended environmental problems. This study aims to uncover ES of three most important land use types (cropland, agroforestry, and grassland) that are threatened by land expropriation for urban expansion in Bahir Dar City. The study applied a participatory approach using community perception and expert judgments (N = 108). Respondents were asked to locate their perceptions on the use of 35 different ES, and then to evaluate the potential of the land use. Respondents were shown to have the ability to differentiate between ES and land use in terms of their potential to deliver ES. The results show that agroforestry is expected to have a high relevant potential to deliver 31% of all ES, but cropland 20% and grassland 14%. Food, fodder, timber, firewood, fresh water, energy, compost, climate regulation, erosion prevention, and water purification and treatment were identified as the ten most important services. It is not only the provisioning services that are being supplied by the land use types which are expropriated for urbanization, but also regulating, supporting and cultural services. To ensure sustainable urban land development, we suggest the consideration of the use of ES and the potential of the land use to supply ES when making land use decisions, including land expropriation for urban expansion.

The value added chain in the mechanism of public-private partnership for the development of the land use economy of rural territories

Purpose. The aims of this paper are (i) to explore public-private partnerships as a tool for economic development of rural economies in developing countries and countries with economies in transition in order to ensure sustainable use of nature and increase public welfare of rural communities through the added value chain; (ii) to develop proposals for the implementation of public-private partnerships on land management and land use in Ukraine. Methodology / approach. The methodological approach involves study of the world’s PPP practice in land management and land use (including the use of land in forestry), study of the connections between PPP projects and scientific approaches to the concept of sustainable development and the added value chain, as well as analysis of domestic scientific bibliography, which relate to the subject of this study. Results. The authors found that the declared priorities of the Agenda for Sustainable Development until 2030 require the application of integrated approaches. In particular, the programme in the mechanism of sustainable development management in the form of PPP to ensure sustainable use of nature and increase the social welfare of rural communities. Because the programme approach here involves investing in natural resources and environmental protection and should cover the entire value chain, which directly or indirectly affects the efficiency of natural rural assets, as well as the use and application of innovative technologies. Originality / scientific novelty. It is substantiated that progress in achieving the declared priorities, in particular in the field of environmental protection, growth of public rural welfare, etc. is possible only in a combination of strengths of all PPP partners, which will eliminate the shortcomings and weaknesses of rural communities. In contrast to existing approaches to the development of the land use economy of rural territories, the basis of the synergy of the parties to PPP is a special natural resource – land, which performs environmental, economic, legal and socio-cultural functions, and determines the form and content, which actually builds sustainable development, including rural. A wide range of PPP forms has been further developed, varying in the degree of involvement and risk taken by the private party in relation to the development of the land use economy of rural territories. The approach to the value chains organization in the development of PPP projects on land management and land use and providing security of land use in terms of taking into account the land use of farmers, formed on different rights, has been improved. The author’s project PPP in the production of pellets a private investor in lumber logging waste provided by some state-owned enterprise both subject to the extension of the moratorium and without its effect is developed. Practical value / implications. The authors’ research shows that the introduction of the value chain in the mechanism of public-private partnership will lead to significant effective changes in the development of the land use economy, in particular of rural territories. Namely, with the use of appropriate policies it will ensure the provision of sustainable use of natural resources and growth of public welfare, in particular rural communities. This approach allows to involve all stakeholders (government, community, business) for effective management of natural assets in general and agriculture in particular and will increase their level of capitalization and investment attractiveness.

Land use/cover predictions incorporating ecological security for the Yangtze River Delta region, China

Rapid changes in anthropogenic land use threaten ecological security; thus, it is vital to determine future land use structures and spatial layouts for ecological security and sustainable development. Studies on scenario-based land use simulations have taken insufficient account of land use in terms of ecological security and this prevented the realization of ecological civilization. Therefore, in this study, we developed a land use/cover prediction framework that incorporates ecological security. Focusing on ecological security objectives, we integrated habitat quality, the importance of ecosystem services and landscape connectivity to identify the ecological security source areas (ESSA) as a minimum protection area in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region. We then set up ESSA-based ecological protection (EP) and natural growth (NG) scenarios to predict land use/cover in the YRD region for 2030 using the future land use simulation (FLUS) model. The results show that the total area of the ESSA is 64,911 km2, accounting for 32.51% of the YRD, mainly in southern Anhui and western Zhejiang provinces. Under the NG scenario, construction land shows the highest growth proportion by 2.10% of the total area of YRD, while the farmland area decreases by 1.73%, followed by woodland (0.27%). Under ESSA-based EP, the areas of woodland and construction land increase by 1.11% and 0.7%, respectively. Through the delineation of ESSA, 159 km2 of woodland, 150 km2 of orchard, 523 km2 of water area and 98 km2 of wetland are protected; in addition, the growth of the construction land slows down and all new construction land is located outside the ESSA under ESSA-based EP. The findings of this study can provide fundamental scientific guidance for land spatial planning given an ecological security premise.

Assessment of Intra-Annual and Inter-Annual Variabilities of Soil Erosion in Crete Island (Greece) by Incorporating the Dynamic “Nature” of R and C-Factors in RUSLE Modeling

Under the continuously changing conditions of the environment, the exploration of spatial variability of soil erosion at a sub-annual temporal resolution, as well as the identification of high-soil loss time periods and areas, are crucial for implementing mitigation and land management interventions. The main objective of this study was to estimate the monthly and seasonal soil loss rates by water-induced soil erosion in Greek island of Crete for two recent hydrologically contrasting years, 2016 (dry) and 2019 (wet), as a result of Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) modeling. The impact of temporal variability of the two dynamic RUSLE factors, namely rainfall erosivity (R) and cover management (C), was explored by using rainfall and remotely sensed vegetation data time-series of high temporal resolution. Soil, topographical, and land use/cover data were exploited to represent the other three static RUSLE factors, namely soil erodibility (K), slope length and steepness (LS) and support practice (P). The estimated rates were mapped presenting the spatio-temporal distribution of soil loss for the study area on a both intra-annual and inter-annual basis. The identification of high-loss months/seasons and areas in the island was achieved by these maps. Autumn (about 35 t ha−1) with October (about 61 t ha−1) in 2016, and winter (about 96 t ha−1) with February (146 t ha−1) in 2019 presented the highest mean soil loss rates on a seasonal and monthly, respectively, basis. Summer (0.22–0.25 t ha−1), with its including months, showed the lowest rates in both examined years. The intense monthly fluctuations of R-factor were found to be more influential on water-induced soil erosion than the more stabilized tendency of C-factor. In both years, olive groves in terms of agricultural land use and Chania prefecture in terms of administrative division, were detected as the most prone spatial units to erosion.