Potential Land Use Conflicts Research Articles

THE SUITABILITY OF ACTIVITIES IN THE TRADE SUB-ZONE (THE CORRIDOR OF LETDA SUJONO ROAD, MEDAN TEMBUNG SUB-DISTRICT, MEDAN CITY)

The development of population and infrastructure in cities can enhance the local economy, as seen in the Letda Sujono Road corridor. This area, located between Medan City and Deli Serdang Regency and near the Bandar Selamat Toll Gate, has seen significant growth in trade and service activities. This growth has spurred the development of housing, public services, commercial spaces, warehousing, and industry, increased land demand and causing potential land-use conflicts and traffic issues. Inappropriate space utilization can lead to urban sprawl, often due to inadequate spatial planning control. The Medan City Detailed Spatial Plan (DSP or Rencana Detail Tata Ruang (RDTR)) designates the Letda Sujono Road corridor as a Trade Sub-zone, with zoning regulations limiting some activities to 10% of the block area. Aims: The objective of this study was to study the suitability of existing activities with the zoning plan which has been regulated in the Medan City Detailed Spatial Plan as a space control content in order to create safe, comfortable and sustainable spatial planning. Methodology and results: This study uses a qualitative descriptive method with spatial analysis to assess the alignment of current activities with the DSP zoning plan. Conclusion, significance and impact study: The findings reveal that 60.84% of the activities are suitable, while 39.16% are not. Some blocks, particularly Block 17-07-01 (Tembung), have exceeded the 10% activity limit, indicating that zoning plans have not been fully realized, with unauthorized activities such as integrated schools and vehicle-related services still present.

Is there a generational shift in preferences for forest carbon sequestration vs. preservation of agricultural landscapes?

Afforestation and reforestation are considered important measures for climate change mitigation. Because the land area available for tree planting may serve multiple purposes, striking the right balance between climate goals and other objectives is crucial. We conducted a survey of the Norwegian population to investigate potential land-use conflicts that may arise from executing a large-scale afforestation programme. Respondents were presented with three land-use alternatives to replace formerly grazed agricultural land. We used manipulated landscape photos to elicit their underlying value orientations. We combined multiple correspondence analysis with latent class regression models to reveal preference heterogeneity. Our models grouped respondents into three latent classes, with 24%, 24% and 52%, respectively, expressing a preference for forest carbon sequestration, recreation or agriculture as the most crucial land-use function to be retained. Birth year emerged as a strong predictor of class membership. Specifically, generations born before 1970 were more inclined to support the continuation of agricultural landscapes, while those born in 1980 and later showed a stronger inclination towards natural forest succession for carbon sequestration or recreational purposes. Quantitatively, every 10-year reduction in age increased the odds of a respondent belonging to the forestation or recreation class (relative to the agricultural class) by a factor of 2. Interestingly, even among respondents who were classified as most climate concerned, natural forests were 50% more likely to be preferred over monoculture spruce plantation as a policy option. This suggests that there may be public resistance to spruce planting for climate mitigation purposes in Norway.

Potential Land-Use Conflicts at the County Level in Arid Oases Based on the LUCIS Model

Potential Land-Use Conflicts at the County Level in Arid Oases Based on the LUCIS Model

Potential Land-Use Conflicts in the Urban Center of Chongqing Based on the “Production–Living–Ecological Space” Perspective

With the rapid population growth and accelerating urbanization process, people compete for the scarce land resources to pursue their incompatible interests. Thus, a series of land-use conflicts (LUCs) problems are caused. Scientifically identifying the intensity of LUCs is the basis for coordinating the man-land relations. We selected the urban center of Chongqing (UCC) as the study area and chose the landscape ecological risk assessment to estimate the level of LUCs by using the hot-spot analysis and neighborhood analysis to analyze the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and potential risk of LUCs in the UCC over the past 20 years. The results show that the conversion between the living–production space (LPS) and other spaces was most frequent. The assessment model based on the theoretical framework of landscape ecological risk assessment could effectively measure LUCs. The average conflict level of UCC has increased from 0.62 to 0.69. The area of the out-of-control zone has increased, forming hot spots in the concentrated areas of social and economic activities. In contrast, the area of the controllable zone has decreased, forming cold spots in the high-altitude forest areas. The entire area faces the potential risk of the LUCs, but not seriously. The area of the high and extreme potential conflict zones has increased and is concentrated in the northern region of the study area. Targeted management strategies and policy recommendations for regional development should be adopted for different LUCs zones in UCC at international and national levels. Our research can be extended to other areas under rapid urbanization to assess and better manage their land resources for sustainable use, and further to promote the harmonious development of regional man-land relations.

Urban, periurban and horticultural landscapes – Conflict and sustainable planning in La Plata district, Argentina

Globally, urban areas are expanding onto high-quality agricultural soils and natural environments reducing the area available for food production. The Horticultural Belt of La Plata is one of the main horticultural areas in South America. It is a productive territory that lacks clear spatial planning, resulting in serious socio-environmental problems. Our main objectives were to quantify areas with different land-use aptitude across the region, and to identify areas of potential land-use conflict, detecting those areas that should be prioritized in the development of landscape planning policies. We implement the analytical hierarchy process multicriteria analysis method and a weighted linear combination procedure of factors standardization. We observed a strong influence of urbanization in determining land use in those areas where high/very high aptitude for urbanization and for horticulture overlap. Competition for land use between open field horticulture and greenhouses was observed too. Our research reveals the market influence and the current trend towards intensification of land use that usually prevails in planning strategies. We identified elements that could take part of a multifunctional network of green spaces, made them spatially explicit, and defined a core area for the protection of horticultural production. Finally, we propose recommendations for territorial planning aimed at improving the conditions for the development of more sustainable productive landscapes, a problem that predominates across the world.

Identification of Potential Land-Use Conflicts between Agricultural and Ecological Space in an Ecologically Fragile Area of Southeastern China

In the context of ensuring national food security, high-intensity agricultural production and construction activities have aggravated the conflicts between agricultural and ecological spaces in ecologically fragile areas, which have become one of the most important factors hindering regional sustainable development. This study took Lin’an District, a typical hilly region of southeastern China, as an example. By constructing a landscape ecological risk evaluation model, land-use conflicts between agricultural and ecological spaces were identified, spatial autocorrelation and topographic gradient characteristics were analyzed, and land-use conflict trade-off mechanisms were proposed. During 2008 and 2018, the degree of land-use conflict in Lin’an District displayed an increasing trend, and the proportion of severe conflicts increased obviously. Slope is the main factor affecting land-use conflicts in a hilly region and shows a negative correlation, mainly because areas with flat terrain are more conducive to human activities. Based on the characteristics of land-use conflicts in Lin’an District, conflict trade-off mechanisms were proposed to provide a theoretical basis and practical support for land-use conflict management. Our study provides scientific evidence for sustainable land-use planning and ecological management in ecologically fragile areas.

Designing and developing a web tool to support Strategic Environmental Assessment

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) requires taking into account the sensitivity of the area likely to be affected when identifying and characterising potential impacts resulting from plans and programmes. This entails consideration of the intrinsic characteristics that make the area susceptible to change, and incorporation of stakeholder values and concerns. A geospatial approach to these considerations facilitates identification of potential land-use conflicts and better informs planning decisions.Building on online geoprocessing advancements, we have developed an Environmental Sensitivity Mapping web tool containing novel functionality to support SEA. This paper presents the methodological framework for its participative multi-criteria approach and its architecture, and describes its functionality simulating a practical application. The web tool has the potential to break down data access and specialised skills barriers while providing a means for enhancing SEA consistency and transparency. However, data limitations remain affecting its applicability, and further technological advancements may help enhance its functionality.

Identification of areas of potential land-use conflict in the Luján River basin, Argentina.

La Geografía, como ciencia espacial, se apoya en la utilización de métodos cuantitativos aplicados con Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG). En este contexto, el modelado cartográfico y las técnicas de evaluación multicriterio permitieron definir una estrategia metodológica para la identificación de áreas de potencial conflicto entre usos del suelo en escala regional (LUCIS, Land-use conflict identification strategy). La investigación se realiza en la cuenca del río Luján con el objetivo de definir estas áreas como consecuencia de la futura competencia espacial entre el uso del suelo urbano, la producción agrícola y las áreas de conservación. Los resultados obtenidos constituyen una excelente herramienta de utilidad en la planificación territorial.

Assessing multiple approaches for modelling land-use conflict potential from participatory mapping data

Spatial social data collected through participatory mapping are increasingly used to assess social dimensions for land use planning and management. However, there has been limited research to evaluate alternative approaches to identify potential land-use conflict. Using data from Queensland, Australia, we applied multiple approaches (land-use preferences, weighted preferences, combined place values and land-use preferences, and value compatibility scoring to identify land-use conflict potential and to assess these methods for four different land uses (residential development, tourism development, mining, and conservation). The performance of these approaches were evaluated using selected reference sites in the study area to determine which spatial attributes and methods were most predictive of conflict potential. Weighted preferences, and combined place values and land-use preferences were most effective for all land use types. The conflict mapping results for mining and conservation were sensitive to the number of place value and land-use preference points available for analysis and the number of individuals participating in the mapping process. To determine the inferential quality of conflict mapping results, we operationalised confidence levels based on the number of unique participants that mapped preferences in a given location. Overall, the highest confidence in mapped results was observed for tourism development, followed by mining, conservation, and residential development. Confidence levels varied across the study area and by reference sites. The findings of this study increase the external validity of preference-based conflict mapping methods while demonstrating a means to assess the inferential quality of conflict mapping results. The generation of confidence levels can assist in the prioritization and allocation of planning resources to places with both high conflict potential and high confidence.

More solar farms or more bioenergy crops? Mapping and assessing potential land-use conflicts among renewable energy technologies in eastern Ontario, Canada

Renewable energy systems are land intensive at local scales. Appropriate siting can help to mitigate the extent to which RE implementation compromises existing land-based economies and ecosystem services. As such, an integrated approach to land-use and energy planning, or land-energy planning, can help to ensure that RE technologies can be intensively implemented while minimizing negative impacts. Requisite to the development of such plans is (a) estimating total land availability on which technologies capable of supporting RE production functions after considering various socio-political, economic and ecological constraints; (b) identifying potential sources of conflict among multiple RE options; and (c) assessing the trade-offs associated with allocating this land toward one energy system and not another. The purpose of this paper is to address these issues at a regional-scale in the context of intensifying solar and bioenergy production. A methodology is developed from which to (a) locate land that is most likely to support both dedicated bioenergy feedstock and solar photovoltaic (PV) production in an area; (b) identify the point at which mutual land must be used in order to achieve their market potential; and (c) estimate and evaluate trade-offs associated with choosing one system over another at mutual land, in this case total potential electricity production and energy density (MWh/ha), in the context of regional energy needs and existing renewable electricity assets. Mutual land is located through GIS-based land-suitability modeling and map overlay techniques. Comparisons of production potential and land-use efficiency are made for a range of fixed-axis solar PV technologies against two short rotation woody coppice systems (poplar; willow) and two perennial grass systems (switch grass; miscanthus). Rooftop space is found to be sufficient to provide the land area required for solar PV to meet mid-day regional electricity requirements. If all mutual land in the region were allocated toward dedicated bioenergy crops instead of solar PV systems, (a) a 100 per cent renewable electricity system is within the limits of technical feasibility, even in the absence of large-scale storage systems; and/or (b) bioelectricity systems could provide back-up electricity for rooftop solar PV systems. The policy implications of these findings are discussed.

Economic and socioeconomics impact of biofuel production in the Arab Region

The growing global demand for energy with expected fossil fuel shortages accompanied with high fossil energy consumption and its adverse impact of environment and climate change stresses the search for alternative energy resources. However, biofuel energy offers many opportunities but poses a number of risks and tradeoffs that result in the shortage of food supply to the poor and increase, at the same time, food prices and food insecurity. The diversion of land by food staples to fuel increases food prices and reduced food availability worldwide. The main objective of this study is to assess the status of liquid biofuel production and processing in the Arab Region, to identify multiple effects of biofuel production and to identify the opportunities and challenges stemming from emerging biofuel industry for smallholder producers in the Arab Region countries. Primary information has been collected from stakeholders through questionnaires, rapid appraisal and field visits. Several Arab countries are using biomass from farms, processing residues and livestock manure. The other group is trying to grow fuel plants like Jatropha, such Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan. The positive and negative impacts, in general, were briefly discussed, which in turn reflected the impact of biofuel production on economic and socio-economic. In conclusion, biofuels bring challenges and risks, including potential land-use conflicts, environmental risks, and heightened concerns about food security. These challenges and risks can be effectively dealt with through governmental policies. Key words: Biofuel, socioeconomic, food security, environmental impact.