Village Relocation Research Articles

Area sharing among tigers in re-introduced population of Sariska tiger reserve demonstrating space crunch in Human dominated landscape

We examined the home range dynamics, dispersal patterns, and space-sharing behaviour of reintroduced tigers and their progenies in different generations in Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) from 2018 to 2022. During the study period, the tiger population increased from four males and eight females to seven males, 11 females, and three sub-adult females. Mean home ranges were 34 ± 2 km² (SE) for female tigers (n=11) and 95 ± 6 km² for male tigers (n=10), while core activity areas (50% KDE) averaged 6 ± 1 km² for females and 23 ± 3 km² for males. Female home ranges showed a decreasing trend due to natal dispersal by sub-adults, whereas male home ranges expanded due to territorial consolidation. Instances of territorial overlap, including fatal conflicts, highlighted the competitive pressures in this human dominated landscape. To accommodate the growing tiger population and mitigate human-tiger conflicts, we recommend enhanced monitoring, relocation of villages to create inviolate spaces, and strengthening the protection regime.

Development of Mount Sinabung Refugee Relocation Areas Through Tourism Villages in the Siosar Area, Karo District, North Sumatra Province

Regional development planning is aimed at achieving harmony and balance in development between regions in accordance with their natural potential and utilizing this potential in an efficient, orderly and safe manner. For this reason, based on Law no. 24 of 1992 concerning Spatial Planning, a National Spatial Plan (RTRWN) has been drawn up which has been stipulated through Government Regulation no. 47 of 1997 as a reference for national development planning. The development of the relocation area for Siosar Village, Karo Regency, requires support from relevant stakeholders, namely the Karo Regency Government, the Karo DPRD and Entrepreneurs. It is hoped that this will further strengthen the development of the Siosar Village relocation area into a Tourism Village. The urgency of this research is to find out the potential for opening the Siosar tourism village to become a tourist village and from a socio-economic point of view of the community. The data collection technique is to distribute questionnaires to stakeholders including the public and visitors. The data analysis technique used uses the smartPLS approach and the result is that there are socio-economic influences on the community in regional development. The socio-economic community also has an influence on tourist villages. The tourism village has an influence on regional development and through the Sobel test, the tourism village variable is able to mediate the socio-economic conditions of the community towards regional development.

Effects of mining activities on social-cultural development: A case of Kapijipanga chiefdom in Solwezi district of North-Western Province, Zambia

Overview: This study examined the impact of mining activities on the social and cultural development of Kapijipanga chiefdom of Solwezi District. The study investigated various ways in which mining activities influence the social and cultural identity of local people. Body of knowledge: The findings contribute to a better understanding of the complex relationship between mining activities and social cultural development and offer insight for sustainable development and community well-being in Kapijipanga chiefdom of Solwezi District. Methods: The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods and descriptive survey design that sampled local people of Kapijipanga chiefdom, mine workers, headmen and chief. The sample size for this study was 150. Data was obtained from respondents by means of interviews and questionnaires. Tables, graphs and pie-charts were used to analyze the quantitative and qualitative data obtained. Data was then analyzed manually in some cases and also, a combination of software MS Access, and MS Excel. Results: The results indicated that the effects of mining activities on social –cultural development in Kapijipanga chiefdom of Solwezi District is negative in the sense that social development is strongly influenced by the loss of farmland, houses, and livelihoods in Kapijipanga chiefdom. Additionally, the study found that mining activities has led to the loss of traditional authority in Kapijipanga chiefdom of Solwezi District. This is because mining projects often require the relocation of indigenous communities and villages to make way for mining infrastructure. Recommendation: The government of Zambia through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the Department of culture should ensure that mines offer cultural awareness training programs for their employees to increase understanding and appreciation of local customs, traditions, and languages.

The dynamics of fishing villages along the South Atlantic Coast of North America (ca. 5000–3000 years BP)

We present new chronologies that inform the timing and tempo of shell ring and shell mound construction on the South Atlantic Bight. Our project combines recently acquired dates with legacy radiocarbon dates from over 25 rings and mounds to provide a higher-resolution chronology regarding the occupation and formation of this larger landscape of the earliest fishing villages along the East Coast of the United States. We resolve the ordering and timing of occupation of these rings and mounds through Bayesian statistical modeling. These new models historicize and contextualize these shell rings in ways previously impossible. Specifically, our new chronologies of these villages indicate that the earliest villages were established prior to the invention of pottery. The early period of village establishment evidences isolated village rings, whereas later periods seem to have more villages, but these appear to have been relocated to other areas and/or islands over time. Shell mounds are fewer in number, are spread throughout the time period, and may represent special purpose sites compared to shell-rings. Once villages spread, they quickly adopted new technologies (i.e., pottery) and created new institutions and practiced village relocation, which allowed this way of life to persist for more than a thousand years.

Study on the Employment Enhancement Path of Migrants Relocated for Poverty Alleviation

Relocation for poverty alleviation is an important initiative for precise poverty alleviation in China, with the main objective of resolving the contradiction between people and the environment, and endeavouring to realize the dual goals of poverty alleviation and ecological restoration. In recent years, Shanxi Province has planned, designed, and implemented a number of village relocation projects for poverty alleviation, relocating populations from areas where the natural ecology is unsuitable for human habitation, or where coal mining has led to land subsidence, to towns or suburban areas with better environments. Whether the relocated population out of poverty can obtain stable livelihood adaptation is of great practical significance for consolidating the effect of poverty alleviation and comprehensively building a modernized socialist country, so how to coordinate multiple resources to guarantee the employment of relocated immigrants has become a focus issue that needs to be urgently solved. In this paper, we analyze the employment profile of relocated immigrants in the centralized resettlement area of Changzhi City, Shanxi Province, and the dilemmas that exist, and explore the paths to enhance the employment level of relocated immigrants, stimulate the endogenous motivation for employment, and realize sustainable livelihoods from the perspective of upgrading the comprehensive quality of the relocated immigrants, promoting the development of related industries, and improving the employment service system.

Putting ducks in a row: Village resettlement prioritization from inside tiger reserves and its implication in achieving global conservation goals for India

Following the local extermination of tigers from India’s two premier reserves, village relocation as a policy to create more inviolate space for tiger breeding was conceived by the Indian Government a decade ago. However, given the significant number of human settlements inside tiger reserves, it is neither feasible nor realistic to consider all villages for relocation. There is an urgent need to prioritise villages for relocation to maximise conservation benefits. Here, we developed a framework for prioritizing village relocation by setting national, landscape and site-specific goals. We have identified ten source sites in Central India and Western Ghats tiger landscapes for immediate attention for conservation-related resettlements. Our study shows that village resettlement prioritization provides an optimum level of conservation success at a much-reduced budget. The scenario will help increase tiger numbers and reduce conflict by increasing inviolate space at site, landscape, and national levels. This approach will help India achieve global conservation targets for tigers with minimum conflict.

Impact of Different Models of Relocating Coal Mining Villages on the Livelihood Resilience of Rural Households—A Case Study of Huaibei City, Anhui Province

Applying the livelihood resilience theory to the relocation of coal mining villages, the present study explored the levels and the factors hindering livelihood resilience among farmers under different relocation models. This has important implications for enhancing the livelihood resilience of farmers during coal mining relocation and promoting rural revitalization in coal mining areas. Based on the livelihood resilience framework and the actual conditions of mining areas, we formulated an evaluation index system, employed the stratified mean square deviation method to determine weights, used the comprehensive index method to assess the livelihood resilience level, and investigated the obstacles to livelihood resilience among farmers under different relocation models using the random forest model. The results indicate the following: first, the overall livelihood resilience level in the coal mining relocation area of Huaibei City is low and is not significantly different among the four types, with the ranking being as follows: central village agglomeration type > township-centered village construction type > mining-village combination type > suburban community type. Significant differences exist in the indicators and dispersion levels of the resilience dimensions of buffering capacity, self-organization ability, and learning ability among farmers under different relocation models. Second, factors such as household deposits, labor force quantity, social networks, and participation in village collective meetings significantly affect the livelihood resilience level of farmers. However, the degree of influence varies under different relocation models. Third, improvements such as increasing employment opportunities, investing in education resources, and building social networks are necessary to improve farmers’ livelihoods under the four types of relocation models.

Exploring Arctic housing and village planning based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs

ABSTRACT This article examines northern communities undergoing environmental and cultural change that might affect communal identity, well-being and cultural viability. Many Arctic communities are vulnerable to climate change impacts. In some areas, the changes are fast, and some villages have even faced the need to relocate or change their village structure. Village planning has focused on practical issues such as energy efficiency, infrastructure, construction methods and material choices, and funding challenges. This article uses Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory to examine how local communities’ social and cultural needs have been taken into account in the implemented village relocation in the 1950s, an existing village, and a recent planning project. The aim is to highlight needs that do not necessarily rise to the centre of design and planning and to justify the need for place-based planning.

Transition Characteristics and Driving Mechanisms of Rural Settlements in Suburban Villages of Megacities under Policy Intervention: A Case Study of Dayu Village in Shanghai, China

China’s distinct rural revitalization process has attracted global attention due to its impressive speed, massive scale, and policy interventions. A relatively limited amount of research has been conducted on how rural transition characteristics and policy mechanisms are interrelated at the micro level. To fill this research gap, following the main research thread of dividing rural development stages, revealing transition characteristics and exploring policy mechanisms, this paper utilizes a participatory rural appraisal, a landscape metrics analysis, and in-depth interviews to analyze the spatial transition laws of Dayu Village. First, the results show that the village experienced three stages from 1990 to 2020: strict homestead control, village relocation, and land consolidation. Second, the village exhibits multidimensional transition characteristics. With a reduced rural settlement area, regular patch formation, and a dense interior subdivision of rural houses, the land use layout changed from homogeneous to multiple nests. As the industrial structure became more diversified, the villagers’ livelihoods became more differentiated. Inflows of tourists and migrants changed the population structure, causing social relations to become defamiliarized. Moreover, mechanism research finds that policy can promote rural settlement transition by allocating land resources and regulating village behavior. The policy’s scope expanded from a single settlement to the whole village, optimizing external forces, with village behavior effects acting as an internal force. The degree of matching between policy formulation and villagers’ needs is the key to promoting the transition of rural settlements. This research deepens the understanding of the transition laws of suburban villages in megacities in developing countries at the micro scale and provides a reference for land policies in similar villages.

Integrated approach for ecological restoration and ecological spatial network optimization with multiple ecosystem functions in mining areas

The transformation of the landscape structure in mining cities is influenced by a combination of various factors, resulting in a decline in the ecological quality of the landscape and an increased vulnerability of the ecological environment. The quality of landscape ecology directly impacts the flow and transmission of ecosystem functions, underscoring the need for careful consideration in the establishment of landscape ecological networks. In this study, an analysis was conducted using land-use data from 2005 to 2020 in Linfen City, Shanxi Province, China. A network optimization strategy was established, focusing on the capacity for ecosystem self-restoration and the connectivity of ecological patches. Additionally, the spatiotemporal characteristics of landscape ecological risk between 2005 and 2020 were examined. Taking into account the influence of the ecological value of the landscape on the resilience of the ecosystem, the Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model was employed to construct the landscape ecological network. The structural characteristics of the landscape ecological network were explored using complex network methods. In addition, an optimization strategy based on ecosystem functionality and connectivity (EC) was adopted, and by comparing the connectivity and robustness of the network before and after the optimization, it was found that the method enhanced the smoothness of energy transfer and interconnectivity among nodes of the network, and significantly enhanced the stability of the ecological network. Within the study area, local levels of risk increased due to coal mining and urban expansion. (The maximum value in 2005 was 335.) However, overall risk levels improved with the progress of land reclamation efforts. (The maximum value in 2020 was 325.) Higher risks were observed in the vicinity of urban construction and mining areas, while forested and grassland areas exhibited relatively lower risks. The changes in risk within the study area were primarily influenced by factors such as mining activities, urban expansion, government policies, changes in land use types, and village relocation. The findings of this study provide theoretical support for the optimization of the landscape structure in mining cities, the construction of systems of ecological security as well as the restoration of ecosystems.

Measuring the accessibility deprivation of concentrated resettlement communities in China: An integrated approach of space syntax and multi-criteria decision analysis

China's rapid urbanization involves the large-scale relocation of rural villagers and the production of concentrated resettlement communities in urban areas. This new urban population's post-resettlement adaptation and socio-economic situations raise concerns for urban scholars and policymakers alike. This paper invokes the concept of deprivation and aims to establish indices of multiple deprivations (IMDs) for such communities. In doing so, this research use accessibility as a proxy and integrates the space syntax approach with multi-criteria decision analysis to construct the IMDs of concentrated resettlement communities in Hangzhou, China. The findings suggest that material deprivation may not be the primary concern for residential segregation of resettlement communities in urban areas. Besides, the accessibility to different services reflects diverse deprivation patterns among resettlement communities. Moreover, various stakeholder groups' perceptions of deprivation may lead to different results of the IMDs. The diverse criteria or domains of deprivation contribute differently to the deprivation, which requires a tailored treatment strategy when constructing IMDs, such as the sensitivity analysis used in this research. The proposed measurement of deprivation has important policy implications for sustainable urban development in China.

Mountainous village relocation planning with 3D GIS virtual imaging space model and neural network

ABSTRACT China’s mountainous village relocation planning faces the problems of extensive survey ranges and high travel costs, and current planning still depends on traditional field visits and census data survey method. To improve efficiency and control costs, digital survey methods are proposed to support efficient data collection and produce data with accurate spatial reference . This research discusses a specific survey method for relocation planning using virtual imaging space modeling based on 3D GIS combined with neural network algorithm. A digital village model of a pilot village is established by oblique photography and WEBGIS technology, while the improved Mask R-CNN algorithm is adopted to identify and classify different buildings in the village. A relocation plan including the number of buildings in each class and the reclamation area is provided and the cost and value of the plan is fully evaluated. The results demonstrate that compared with the traditional survey method, the proposed method of digital survey can better address the issue of remote mountain areas, including provide more accurate, complete and sustainable information, make the surveying and planning more convenient, efficient and smart and improve the objectivity of village relocation planning.

Village relocation as solution of the landslide risk, is it always the right choice? The case study of Cavallerizzo ghost village (Calabria, southern Italy)

This study analyses the geological reasons that supported the relocation of the Cavallerizzo village (Calabria, southern Italy) to a new area after the landslide event in 2005 to examine whether the institutional ordinance of displacing the entire village was the right choice. This study is based on new geological and geomorphological field investigations, on a new reading of the existing borehole data and new data collected by multi-temporal synthetic aperture radar interferometry. The results obtained reveal that only the areas bordering the Cavallerizzo village are affected by active landslides, whereas, in the historical centre, geomorphological evidence for an active landslide capable of involving the entire settlement is not found. Nowadays, 17 years after the 2005 landslide event, more than 85% of the Cavallerizzo village is completely intact, lacking evidence of instability or important damage to ancient buildings. Furthermore, in the historical urban area, very low ground displacements by InSAR investigation are observed, highlighting that the instability conditions of Cavallerizzo are less severe than those recognised in nearby villages. This evidence along with the strong negative economic and socio-cultural impacts that the village settlement had on the community involved led to the reconsideration of the adequacy of the relocation ordinance issued by the National Civil Protection. These findings can contribute to useful advice and best practices to state-run organisations and stakeholders for disaster management planning in urban sites, such as Cavallerizzo, subject to hydrogeological hazards.

Theoretical Development Model for Rural Settlements against Rural Shrinkage: An Empirical Study on Pingyin County, China

China’s rural areas face population loss and expanded residential land in the context of rapid urbanization. The increasing hollowing of villages leads to extensive land use, making it necessary to optimize and consolidate rural settlements immediately. Therefore, how to choose an appropriate development model for rural settlements is at issue. This article builds a theoretical development model for rural settlements based on their primary development conditions and spatial patterns. It determines the development model according to the classification matrix formed by interweaving different elements in each dimension. Finally, it demonstrates the model through a case study on Pingyin County, China. The empirical findings for Pingyin County are as follows. (1) The scale of rural settlements increased from 2010 to 2020, and the agglomeration and spatial correlation intensified, but they tended to be irregular. (2) The various elements of the development foundation showed apparent spatial differentiation, and the spatial distribution of rural settlements at different levels presented a core–edge structure. (3) The development of rural settlements was reduced to six models: in-situ urbanization, satellite urbanization, competitive-industry-driven, characteristic-tourism-driven, modern-agriculture-driven, and village relocation. Finally, the article proposes different development paths for different development models.

‘Sustainability of what, for whom? A critical analysis of Chinese development induced displacement and resettlement (DIDR) programs

Most studies and influential agencies propose a shift to sustainability thinking and regard it as an important means of coordinating economic, social and environmental development. However, much less research focusses on conflicts over resources, the issue of asymmetrical power, and value-and-cultural conflicts behind the trajectories of sustainable development. For countries speeding up transitions such as China, it can be asked how and why might accelerating sustainability transitions through resettlement become a new utopia or a poverty trap? To examine the significance of this question for sustainability, we explore three development-induced displacement and resettlement (DIDR) programs in China: dam-induced resettlement, poverty-alleviation oriented relocation (including ecological migration) and agglomeration of villages. This research examines normative issues of Chinese policies for sustainability. We find that building sustainability via DIDR will not be as easy as projected and could lead to new poverty traps that disadvantage some groups of people, such as resettlees. We highlight three themes, the change of resettlees’ financial conditions, land access and local governance, to explore how competition is skewed between resettlees and local governments while speeding up to pursue more ambitious goals. We find that with the increased pace of implementation of quick sustainability policies that power lies with local governments to the detriment of resettlees. DIDR can become a just governance tool to build sustainability, but only if there is sufficient agreement among all stakeholders on a transparent, accountable and collaborative approach. Without inclusion and equality in transitions, potential risks and challenges can eclipse sustainable development.

Satellite and UAV-based remote sensing for assessing the flooding risk from Tibetan lake expansion and optimizing the village relocation site

Climate change in recent decades led to the remarkable expansions for most lakes in endorheic basins of the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Enlarged lake inundation areas may pose adverse effects and potential threats on the local human living environment, especially for high-risk villages adjacent to rapidly expanding lakes. Taking a rapidly expanding lake, Angzi Co in the central TP as a study case, we investigated the flooding risk of lake growth on the local living environment and proposed an optimized solution of village relocation selection on the basis of satellite and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing. The detection of spatiotemporal variations of Angzi Co using optical and altimetric satellite observations revealed a significant area and water level increase by 81.28 km2 and 5.78 m, respectively, from 2000 to 2020. We also assessed the vertical accuracy of multi-source digital elevation model (DEM) products using Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) altimetry data and further examined the flooding risk and potential influences of lake expansion on adjacent settlements (Guozha Village). Results indicated that UAV-DEM achieves excellent advantages in depicting details of lake shoreline variations and simulating potential submergence regions, followed by Advanced Land Observing Satellite World 3D DEM (AW3D DEM). Moreover, assuming that Angzi Co maintains the water level at a growth rate of 0.29 m/a (the average change rate during 2000–2020), the village will be submerged in approximate 10 years based on our assessment. Furthermore, we designed an optimal relocation site southwest of Guozha Village and approximately 3 km away based on the GIS-MVDA method and field investigations. An initial remote sensing-based approach for assessing the flooding risk from dramatic lake expansions in the TP and optimizing the village relocation site was proposed in this study to provide an essential scientific reference for formulating risk mitigation solutions under future climate change scenarios.

Conflict, Population Movement, and Microscale Social Networks in Northern Iroquoian Archaeology

We employ social network analysis of collar decoration on Iroquoian vessels to conduct a multiscalar analysis of signaling practices among ancestral Huron-Wendat communities on the north shore of Lake Ontario. Our analysis focuses on the microscale of the West Duffins Creek community relocation sequence as well as the mesoscale, incorporating several populations to the west. The data demonstrate that network ties were stronger among populations in adjacent drainages as opposed to within drainage-specific sequences, providing evidence for west-to-east population movement, especially as conflict between Wendat and Haudenosaunee populations escalated in the sixteenth century. These results suggest that although coalescence may have initially involved the incorporation of peoples from microscale (local) networks, populations originating among wider mesoscale (subregional) networks contributed to later coalescent communities. These findings challenge previous models of village relocation and settlement aggregation that oversimplified these processes.

Development and conflicts of Kaohsiung port city: A structuration analysis of the renewal of New Caoya and Hongmaogang village relocation

This research testifies the thorny conflict problems of squatting indirectly caused by the decay of Hongmaogang old fishing settlement and traditional industries in New Caoya in the process of the development of Kaohsiung port city based on structuration theory. Firstly, structuration theory is briefly illustrated along with the methodology of strategic conduct analysis and institutional analysis proposed by Moos and Dear (1986a). Secondly, structuration theory is applied to analyse the difference of structural properties between the relocation of Hongmaogang and renewal of New Caoya. It is shown in the institutional analysis that political and economical institutions are failed to be established due to the lack of resource and medium in the renewal of New Caoya, and historical and spatial structure play a key role here. Thirdly, based on interviews and second-hand data, the significance of land ownership for urban development is revealed in the strategic conduct analysis of New Caoya old settlements.

Measurement and prediction of land use conflict in an opencast mining area

Opencast coal mining can result in a large-scale land destruction. Due to the diversity of land use and the complexity of land use structure, there are severe conflicts in the production-living-ecology space in large-scale opencast coal mine areas, resulting in various degrees of impacts on land use, human settlements and ecological stability of the mining area. However, relevant research on land use conflicts considering production-living-ecology space in large-scale opencast coal mine area is insufficient, especially in terms of predicting these conflicts. In this study, based on the concept of production-living-ecology space, the CLUE-S model and Markov model were used to measure the current level of land use conflict in Pingshuo opencast coal mining area in Shanxi Province of China. Moreover, land use conditions were simulated in Pingshuo mining area, and the potential land use conflicts in the future were predicted. Based on the prediction in the natural development mode of land use conflict in Pingshuo mining area in 2025, the causes and mitigation measures of land use conflicts were discussed. The level of land use conflict was mild out of control in 2015, most of the values were still within the controllable range. The level of land use conflicts would increase significantly from 2015 to 2025. In the mild out-of-control zone, the dominant land use type would be transformed from ecological production space, living space and industrial production space in 2015 to ecological space in 2025. In the severe out of control zone, conflicts in living space would have a significant increase. In order to mitigate land use conflict, optimization of “production-living-ecology” space planning, village relocation and rural revitalization, and land reclamation measures were proposed. This research has important theoretical and practical significance for enriching the relevant theories of land use conflicts and improving the efficiency of land management in mining areas.

Public Participation, System Construction and Satisfaction of Democratic Decision-Making <br/>—Taking the Relocation Community of Beijing Disaster-Prone Villages as an Example

In this study, we discussed residents’ satisfaction with democratic decision-making in the process of relocation of disaster-prone villages in Beijing from two dimensions which were public participation and system construction. Through the analysis of the ordered logit model, it was confirmed that the variables of residents’ participation and community system construction were significantly positively correlated with the satisfaction variables of democratic decision-making. There were some problems in the democratic decision-making in the process of relocation of disaster-prone villages in Beijing, such as inconsistent decision-making content and residents’ attention, weak participation consciousness, single form, poor channel, and imperfect legal system construction. Based on these, we put forward the following policy recommendations: 1) Bring industrial development and major livelihood issues into the content system of democratic decision-making; 2) Enrich the forms of democratic decision-making, increase decision-making channels, and enhance residents’ enthusiasm for participation; 3) Strengthen the system construction, so that democratic decision-making could be based on laws and regulations.