Sustainable Spatial Planning Research Articles

The Principles of Tri Hita Karana in Harmonizing Rural Spatial Planning Local Wisdom Based (Study in Bugbug Traditional Village, Karangasem)

In principle, rural spatial planning local wisdom based on a sustainable spatial planning system is an embodiment of immaterial and material harmonization or balance of life between humans and God, between humans and humans and humans and the environment. Local wisdom on spatial planning in rural areas is interpreted as a system of values, culture, politics, law, economics and religiosity which functions to guide patterns of behaviour in understanding space as a place to live. This study aims to examine legal culture as a value system in the formation of the legal system elements and the principle of Tri Hita Karana as a harmonization of spatial planning in Bugbug traditional village. This study used an exploratory method and this type of research is a qualitative descriptive study of law. The results of this study showed that spatial planning of rural areas local wisdom based is very important as a recognition of the rights of rural communities. In fact, spatial planning arrangements for rural areas with local wisdom aim to protect and manage the environment in a sustainable manner for the benefit of every generation and become the basis for planning, utilizing and controlling sustainable spatial planning. The concept of regulating rural spatial planning local wisdom based in managing rural spatial planning local wisdom based through customary village autonomy in the Bugbug Traditional Village is to create spatial planning in favour of village communities through a rural spatial planning model based on traditional villages through implementing the Tri Hita Karana principle in the spiritual environment, social environment, and natural environment.

Walkability and Bikeability for Sustainable Spatial Planning in the City of Novi Sad (Serbia)

The global trend of increasing urbanization and motorization represents a major obstacle in the sustainable development and planning of cities. This trend did not bypass the city of Novi Sad (Serbia), which, despite good cultural and historical preconditions for the development of sustainable forms of transport, did not resist the sudden increase in the degree of motorization. The aim of this work is to present how favorable the existing structure of the city is for the development of sustainable types of traffic (mainly walking and cycling). Furthermore, this research aims to establish the link between bikeability and walkability and walking and cycling in the city through a survey questionnaire thus aiming to show how much the planned land use affects the increase or decrease in walkability and bikeability in the city of Novi Sad in order to establish whether the planning documents respect the principle of sustainability defined by law. The methodological procedure is adapted to European cities and the information base available in the researched area is based on the walkability and bikeability index. The results showed that the city of Novi Sad has the potential and morphology to support sustainable modes of transport, but the planning documents do not recognize the imperative of change towards sustainability.

SUSTAINABLE TERRITORIAL AND SPATIAL PLANNING IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RECOVERY OF UKRAINE - DEFINITIONS, PRINCIPLES, CRITERIA AND TASKS

The article is devoted to the issue of verification of the conceptual and categorical base of sustainable territorial and spatial planning in Ukraine in accordance with the European practice of long-term, systemic and perspective planning of the living space of society. The justified inevitability of the final integration of Ukraine into the Euro-Atlantic space after the repulsion of Russian aggression and the objective necessity of transition to European standards. The main problems of spatial development in Ukraine and directions for improvement of national territorial planning, formed on the eve of Russian aggression in February 2022, are listed. The formulated problem of the uncertainty of the conceptual and categorical apparatus of spatial planning in Ukraine, which consists in the fact that the concepts of «territorial planning», «territory planning», «regional planning», «district planning», «city planning», etc. are often intertwined, duplicate or replace one another one that is not quite correct. In some cases, they are used as synonyms, in others, on the contrary, in incompatible meanings that cannot be combined into a single system. There is a well-founded need to develop theoretical-methodological and methodical principles of territory planning, which requires, first of all, certain conceptual-terminological and conceptual certainty. The condition for its achievement is the balanced consideration, on the one hand, of not only European standards, but also European experience in the field of spatial planning, and on the other, general and regional spatial specifics of Ukraine. The main principles of long-term territorial and spatial planning developed in European practice are defined. The proposed concepts and terms are fixed in the official documents of the European Union and reflect the current aspects of sustainable spatial planning. Particular attention is paid to the parameters of sustainable spatial planning, which should be guided by the planning of the living space of a European-style society. The fundamental goals of sustainable spatial planning are given, which include: balanced socio-economic development of regions; improving the quality of life; responsible management of natural resources and environmental protection; rational land use. The conclusions substantiate the possibility of transforming the destructive consequences of Russian aggression into the possibility of comprehensive modernization of Ukraine's living space based on European principles of sustainable spatial planning, which, in turn, will facilitate and accelerate Ukraine's integration into the European Community.

Delineating the distribution of mineral and peat soils at the landscape scale in northern boreal regions

Abstract. To meet the sustainable development goals and enable sustainable management and protection of peatlands, there is a strong need for improving the mapping of peatlands. Here we present a novel approach to identify peat soils based on a high-resolution digital soil moisture map that was produced by combining airborne laser scanning-derived terrain indices and machine learning to model soil moisture at 2 m spatial resolution across the Swedish landscape. As soil moisture is a key factor in peat formation, we fitted an empirical relationship between the thickness of the organic layer (measured at 5479 soil plots across the country) and the continuous SLU (Swedish University of Agricultural Science) soil moisture map (R2= 0.66, p < 0.001). We generated categorical maps of peat occurrence using three different definitions of peat (30, 40, and 50 cm thickness of the organic layer) and a continuous map of organic layer thickness. The predicted peat maps had a higher overall quality (MCC = 0.69–0.73) compared to traditional Quaternary deposits maps (MCC = 0.65) and topographical maps (MCC = 0.61) and captured the peatlands with a recall of ca. 80 % compared to 50 %–70 % on the traditional maps. The predicted peat maps identified more peatland area than previous maps, and the areal coverage estimates fell within the same order as upscaling estimates from national field surveys. Our method was able to identify smaller peatlands resulting in more accurate maps of peat soils, which was not restricted to only large peatlands that can be visually detected from aerial imagery – the historical approach of mapping. We also provided a continuous map of the organic layer, which ranged 6–88 cm organic layer thickness, with an R2 of 0.67 and RMSE (root mean square error) of 19 cm. The continuous map exhibits a smooth transition of organic layers from mineral soil to peat soils and likely provides a more natural representation of the distribution of soils. The continuous map also provides an intuitive uncertainty estimate in the delineation of peat soils, critically useful for sustainable spatial planning, e.g., greenhouse gas or biodiversity inventories and landscape ecological research.

Characterizing Spatial-Temporal Variation of Cultural Tourism Internet Attention in Western Triangle Economic Zone, China

More and more tourists tend to seek cultural enjoyment while taking trips based on their satisfied socio-economic needs. The spatiality of cultural tourism determines the feasibility and convenience of the access to cultural tourism resources. Given that spatial research on cultural tourism rarely involves the underdeveloped regions in China, especially via Baidu Index data, this study aims to explore the dynamic spatial pattern of cultural tourism Internet attention based on Baidu Index through social network analysis (i.e., network density, centrality analysis, core–periphery model, etc.) in the Western Triangle Economic Zone (WTEZ), China. Research findings are as follows. (1) Temporally, the centrality is increasingly enhanced in terms of the core cities with high cultural tourism Internet attention, as well as their radiation effect. (2) Spatially, the distribution pattern of cultural tourism Internet attention is shifting from polarization to equilibrium. However, the overall network density still presents a mode of loose connection and fails to extend from the core triangle structure in the planar dimension. (3) The cultural tourism Internet attention in WTEZ presents an obvious core–periphery pattern. Xi’an–Chengdu–Chongqing is in a dominant position, and the core area spreads from south to north. (4) The spatial-temporal pattern of cultural tourism Internet attention in WTEZ is influenced by transportation, reception facilities, consumption ability, and political environment, and the main driving factors are the number of hotels, per capita income, total highway mileage, and cultural tourism policy indicators. This study is conducive to sustainable spatial planning of cultural tourism through smart data governance.

Assessing the environmental and social co-benefits and disbenefits of natural risk management measures

Risk management measures (RMM) participate in the sustainability of cities and communities through the protection of these socio-eco-environmental systems against threatening events, and by ensuring system recovery. They include structural measures that are grey or green/blue solutions, or hybrid solutions combining the two former types. These measures can provide environmental and social co-benefits (e.g., improved biodiversity, recreational services) and disbenefits (e.g., the development of unwanted flora, concentrations of pollutants). The aim of this article is to provide an approach to assess and compare RMMs by considering these different dimensions. An application to three natural hazards – floods, coastal floods and wildfires – is proposed. The approach takes the form of a procedure to assess the co-benefits/disbenefits of the various RMMs and some technical specifications. It allows comparing the performances of one RMM against another and collectively discussing the choice of RMMs that takes into account a wide range of dimensions. The approach is based on the formulation of eight sustainability criteria and thirty-one indicators. The results were graphically displayed as several types of diagram: one radar chart per RMM, compiling all the indicators; one radar chart by type of risk studied (flood, wildfire and coastal flooding) based on averages of indicators per criterion; a table of the global score assigned to each RMM calculated with an arithmetic mean or a weighted mean. The approach relies on an interdisciplinary research team and involves end-users in a focus group for the validation step. This approach constitutes a transparent base for decision-making processes in the context of sustainable spatial planning against natural risks.

Spatial decision support system for low-carbon sustainable cities development: An interactive storytelling dashboard for the city of Turin

The evaluation of city sustainability considering economic, social, and environmental subsystems is a fundamental field in urban planning. It directly affects the quality of urban economies toward efficiency and innovation with minimal resource consumption. This requires the use of appropriate SDSS (Spatial Decision Support Systems) which take into account inclusive approaches to engage local stakeholders. The study aims at developing an interactive dashboard to aid decision-makers in sustainable urban planning processes to co-create future transition strategies with the employment of spatialized outputs. The dashboard enables the evaluation of the sustainability performance of the city by the selection and assessment of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) as a part of the MOLOC European Interreg Project. The study proposes a multidisciplinary GIS-based framework for the spatial evaluation of KPIs which can support scenario development by providing targeted suggestions for local development planning. Outcomes represent a useful interactive SDSS tool within a storytelling dashboard which is combinable with multi-criteria decision models at the city scale. The spatial distribution of results evidences the strengths and weaknesses of the city and facilitates the implementation of low-carbon action plans, avoiding unnecessary investments. The methodology illustrated was applied to the city of Turin as the case study, however, it can be implemented in other European urban contexts intending to achieve sustainable spatial planning since the methodological framework modulates to the territorial specificities of a place, always including all aspects of sustainability to be assessed.

A review of ES knowledge use in spatial planning

Despite the great progress made in ES (ecosystem service) science, the integration of ES into spatial planning remains below expectations. The science-policy/practice gap in ES application impedes the transformation toward sustainable spatial planning. In this review, we draw on the perspective from the science-policy interface to examine the use of ES knowledge in spatial planning. From the science perspective, we find that the usability of ES science has improved in recent years, although the evidence base used in planning remains incomplete; from the policy perspective, there is a lack of research on the way policymakers demand knowledge and their logic of action. Issues of power and politics are under-explored; given that the ES community advocates knowledge co-production as a significant merit of the ES approach, this is both surprising and worrying because of the multiple risks inherent in participatory processes. ES research should attend to these aspects to realize greater integration and policy effects in spatial planning.

Spatial-temporal heterogeneity of ecosystem service interactions and their social-ecological drivers: Implications for spatial planning and management

Uncovering the complex interactions among ecosystem services (ESs) is a prerequisite for managing multiple ESs simultaneously. We mapped the supply of six ESs, quantified their trade-offs/synergies and bundles, determined dominant social-ecological drivers, and subsequently provided sustainable spatial planning and management strategies at both grid and sub-watershed scales. The results revealed that: (1) the patterns of ESs were spatially heterogeneous, with food production decreasing the most, by 14.86% (grid scale) and 17% (sub-watershed scale), and water supply increasing the most, by 22.46% (grid scale) and 22.57% (sub-watershed scale) from 2000 to 2020; (2) ten ES pairs presented synergies while five ES pairs related to food production showed trade-offs at both spatial scales, with three ES pairs at the grid scale and two ES pairs at the sub-watershed scale experiencing declined synergies or increased trade-offs; (3) our spatial-temporal and cross-scale analysis of ES interactions identified ES pairs with declined synergies as an additional priority in ecosystem management and determined ES bundles as a zoning basis for spatial planning at both scales. The similarities and divergences in ES interactions and their drivers at different scales require the linkage and distinct focus of spatial planning at different scales. Thus, we integrated spatial-temporal and cross-scale knowledge on ES interactions into spatial planning to underpin sustainable ecosystem management across scales.

Planning sustainable tourism in UNESCO wine regions: the case of the Langhe-Roero and Monferrato area

Tourism may be an important leverage for local development. At the same time, it may trigger unwanted effects, ranging from the congestion of services and infrastructures to the progressive deterioration of the assets that they plan to valorise. The article sheds light on this tension, discussing the multiple implications that increasing tourism fluxes generate in the vineyard landscape of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2014. The case study highlights the need to coordinate and enhance coherence among the existing planning and management instruments, towards the consolidation of a multi-level integrated territorial governance framework aimed at the sustainable spatial planning of tourism in the area.

On the urban compactness to ecosystem services in a rapidly urbanising metropolitan area: Highlighting scale effects and spatial non–stationary

Understanding how urban compactness is linked to ecosystem services is crucial for sustainable spatial planning and allows decision–makers to better assess the strengths and weaknesses of compactness options. Yet it is still unknown whether urban compactness is conducive to supporting various ecosystem services. In this study, urban compactness is conceptualised into physical space, social space, urban function and social activity organisation. Drawing on a case study of the Wuhan metropolitan area in China, we aim to address the impacts of urban compactness on ecosystem services (food production, carbon storage, habitat quality and recreation service) utilising ordinary least squares, geographically weighted regression and multiscale geographically weighted regression models at the grid scale. The results indicate that urban compactness has the highest negative correlation with food production, followed by carbon storage and habitat quality. In contrast, urban compactness is positively correlated with recreation service. In relational interpretation, the geographically weighted regression model effectively identifies spatial heterogeneity and improves the explanatory power compared to ordinary least squares. Furthermore, the multiscale geographically weighted regression model with different bandwidths as the effective method reveals local relationships between urban compactness and ecosystem services, as well as spatially non–stationary associations, which are particularly critical in the investigation of complex and heterogeneous urban landscapes. The contributions of different urban compactness factors to ecosystem services vary considerably. For example, the impacts of building density, information entropy of land use structure, land development intensity and public service density on ecosystem services are on a global scale. In contrast, the bandwidth of the percentage of ecological land in total land is smaller, indicating a higher level of spatial heterogeneity in its impact. These results contribute to decision–making criteria for sustainable urban development policies and urban ecological landscape management.

Konsep Urban Farming Untuk Ketahanan Pangan Keluarga Masyarakat Desa Kampung Baru

Urban farming is a supporter of aspects of the beauty of the city and the feasibility of using sustainable spatial planning. Urban Farming is also carried out to increase income or activities to produce foodstuffs for family consumption. The methods used in this work program are: 1) Socialization or education approach, 2) Participatory Rural Aprasial which involves the community in all activities, 3) Participatory Technology Development which utilizes appropriate technology to integrate with science and local wisdom, namely plant cultivation with the concept of urban farming. The Measuring Instrument used in this report is a descriptive measuring tool, namely observation. The observations made to be a measuring tool in this report are to see the level of response from the community. Another observation is to look at the level of participation from the community. Finally, the observation we made was by looking at the level of interest from the community. This activity is in seeing the success of the activities carried out, namely by looking at changes in the attitudes of the people of Kampung Baru Village. The expected result and achievement is an increase in the knowledge and skills of the people of Kampung Baru Village in maintaining their family's food security, through practical vegetable crop farming using the concept of urban farming.

Evaluation of carrying capacity based on land capability of Kulon Progo Regency as an input for spatial planning in the new aerotropolis era

The new aerotropolis era due to airport construction in Kulon Progo has stimulated regional development and changed the image of the area from rural to urban-oriented. The negative impact of rapid growth, such as the urban sprawl, can be mitigated through sustainable spatial planning. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the carrying capacity based on the land capability of both existing and official land use planning. The matching criteria method was used to conduct the capability evaluation. According to the analysis results, 56.13% of the Kulon Progo area was dominated by moderate to low land capability classes (V-VIII) with the main inhibiting factor as slopes. Furthermore, the evaluation of conformity with land use/land cover (LULC) in 2020 showed most land uses were in not conform (NC) and conditionally conform (CC) status. The area of land use that did not conform with its carrying capacity was 8,286.44 ha which was distributed in the southern part. Meanwhile, an evaluation of the official land use planning of the area showed 57% of the plan was conform (C) with land capability. Therefore, the carrying capacity of the land in Kulon Progo is in reasonably good condition. However, planning interventions should be carried out for areas with not conform status.

The composition of time-series images and using the technique SMOTE ENN for balancing datasets in land use/cover mapping

Monitoring Land-use/land-cover (LULC) changes are a significant challenge for sustainable spatial planning, particularly in response to transformation and degenerative landscape processes. These disturbances lead to the vulnerability of inhabitants and habitat and climate changes and socio-economic development in the region. Several studies have proposed different methods and techniques to monitor the spatial and temporal changes of LULC. Machine learning is a more popular method. However, the problem of data imbalance is a significant challenge, and the classification results tend to bias the majority classes for unbalanced data. Therefore, this study's objective is to develop a state-of-the-art technique to reduce the problem of data imbalance in LULC classification in Vietnam based on machine learning and SMOTE (Synthesizing Minority Oversampling Technology) with Edited Nearest Neighbor (ENN). Various statistical indices, including Kappa and Accuracy, have been used to assess the performance for the classification of Land-use/cover. The results indicate that integrating oversampling and under-sampling with SMOTE ENN gave better overall accuracy and generalization. We also find that the expected proportion of chance agreement after oversampling is higher than before (Kappa score before and after oversampling is 0.905244 and 0.974379, respectively). This study provides an effective method to monitor spatial and temporal land cover change in Vietnam; it plays a role as a framework for other relevant research related to land cover change, which can support planning and sustainable management of the territory.

The Economic Evaluation of Projects as a Structuring Discipline of Learning Processes to Support Decision-Making in Sustainable Urban Transformations

This paper is based on the following research questions: i) In which way could the discipline Economic Evaluation of Projects contribute to conveying the sustainability concept in urban settings among master’s degree students? What are the methods/techniques that can support decision processes of sustainable urban transformation? In response to the two research questions, the paper proposes a multi-methodological framework as a design tool for students (future professionals) aimed at representing the decision problem from a sustainable planning perspective. Through a Problem-Based Learning approach based on a case study, the proposed framework considers: SWOT Analysis, Stakeholder Analysis (SA), Multicriteria Analysis (MCDA), Cash Flow Analysis (CFA), and the application of the Neighborhood Sustainability Assessment Tools (NSATools). The multi-methodological framework has been applied to an experimental teaching case study as part of the Economic Evaluation of Projects module demonstrating its effectiveness in terms of sustainable spatial planning and structuring of the decision process from a multi-actor perspective. Future directions of the research are aimed at tackling two major limitations of the multi-methodological framework as the need to closely reflect a real decision process through an iterative framework and the sometimes hard interpretation of some elements of urban sustainability.

Impact assessment of land use on water scarcity in urban areas: case of Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka

Abstract Urbanization-led land use changes have significant effects on urban water problems as water scarcity is a common challenge for planning of cities today. Chunnakam aquifer in Jaffna, Sri Lanka has been significantly depleted and polluted in the past decade. This study assessed the impact of spatial distribution of land use on water quality and quantity using 44 dug wells. Water scarcity index (WSI), water quality index (WQI) and multiple linear regression (MLR) models were used to explore the spatiotemporal patterns of water quality, quantity and their relationship. Results revealed that 75% of the aquifer faced scarcity problems while 54% was polluted and not suitable for consumption. Moreover, water sources located around agricultural and residential land use were contaminated in line with the spatial distribution of crop types, fertilizer use and domestic waste disposal. Integration of water policy with urban development strategy and multi-stakeholder engagement for water conservation are important findings for ensuring the water security of cities in developing countries. This study can be further expanded by evaluating temporal effects of urbanization on water resources for sustainable spatial planning. Strong water policies must govern the land use change to ensure water security for arid regions in developing countries.

Integrated spatial and energy planning in Styria – A role model for local and regional energy transition and climate protection policies

• Programme to integrate spatial planning and energy planning. • Creating strategic database for energy transition in spatial planning. • Applying strategic maps to harmonize district heating, mobility and spatial development. • Applying energy transition thinking for sustainable spatial planning. • Holistic implementation programme for scientific knowledge in local spatial planning. How we plan our towns, cities and regions is inseparably connected to energy demand, greenhouse gas emissions and the way how we can manage the transition to sustainable renewable energy systems. Therefore, we propose that integrated spatial and energy planning is an important part of energy transition and climate protection strategies. In this article, we discuss how the energy transition and spatial planning can be holistically integrated, and how this theoretical framework combining the factual findings of integrated spatial and energy planning and strategic concepts of spatial planning can be put into practice in municipal spatial planning. We demonstrate the applicability of the approach in an action research process in the Austrian Province of Styria involving the Government representatives, municipalities and spatial planners. The whole approach includes, as tangible outputs a strategic database, strategic maps, and a planning guidance for municipalities on the one hand, and a further education programme for planners and municipal decision makers on the other hand. Finally, the applicability, transferability and limitations of the approach are discussed. As the approach is not only established in Styria, but at the moment also put forward in two further Provinces so that we can, in total, cover about 63% of all Austrian municipalities with this approach, we also propose that this approach can serve as a role model not only for local and regional energy transition and climate protection policies around the world, but also for shaping third mission activities of universities.

Mapping Pervious Surfaces and Canopy Cover Using High-Resolution Airborne Imagery and Digital Elevation Models to Support Urban Planning

Urban green infrastructure (UGI) has a key role in improving human and environmental health in cities and contributes to several services related to climate adaptation. Accurate localization and quantification of pervious surfaces and canopy cover are envisaged to implement UGI, address sustainable spatial planning, and include adaptation and mitigation strategies in urban planning practices. This study aims to propose a simple and replicable process to map pervious surfaces and canopy cover and to investigate the reliability and the potential planning uses of UGI maps. The proposed method combines the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), extracted from high-resolution airborne imagery (0.20 m), with digital elevation models to map pervious surfaces and canopy cover. The approach is tested in the Municipality of Trento, Italy, and, according to a random sampling validation, has an accuracy exceeding 80%. The paper provides a detailed map of green spaces in the urban areas, describing quantity and distribution, and proposes a synthesis map expressed as a block-level degree of pervious surfaces and canopy cover to drive urban transformations. The proposed approach constitutes a useful tool to geovisualize critical areas and to compare levels of pervious surfaces and canopy cover in the municipal area. Acknowledging the role of green areas in the urban environment, the paper examines the potential applications of the maps in the policy cycle, such as land use management and monitoring, and in climate-related practices, and discusses their integration into the current planning tools to shift towards performative rather than prescriptive planning.

A New Approach of the Tsunami Mitigation Strategies for the City of Banda Aceh, Indonesia

Ten years after rehabilitating and reconstructing some coastal areas of Banda Ache struck by the tsunami, and the city is currently repopulated, with most of its open land and community ponds converted into settlements. This rise in population needs to be controlled to minimize damages and casualties, assuming the tsunami hits again. Presently, the Banda Aceh City spatial plan for 2029 does not have a clear concept of tsunami mitigation, specifically in the spatial pattern of coastal areas. Therefore, this research aims to remap the vulnerability level of the Banda Aceh City coastal area from the tsunami hazard and determine alternative strategies based on the tsunami level in achieving safe, comfortable, productive, and sustainable spatial planning goals. This starts by analyzing the wave height generated by the earthquake that triggered this natural disaster and mapping the spatial distribution of the area and the tsunami's inundation height. The results showed that the proportionate regions prone to Level-2 tsunami were worse than the 2004 disaster based on the water level markers built in the city. The spatial planning strategies for the coastal area of Banda Aceh City are carried out by determining the level of tsunami-prone and the potential of the area's resources through a new approach of the multi-layer tsunami defence systems by combining sea dike, greenbelt, silvo-fishery, and the elevated road.

Ecosystem Services Multifunctionality: An Analytical Framework to Support Sustainable Spatial Planning in Italy

A growing demand at several levels of territorial government concerns the need for tools to support policy-making oriented towards sustainable planning. That of Ecosystem Services (ES) represents a well-structured and robust methodological framework for developing tools to assess environmental performances and territorial transformations linked to different development needs. The paper fits into this frame by proposing an analytical framework based on the ES multifunctionality approach, i.e., the joint provision of multiple ES, and applying it to the Italian national context. The methodology defines a spatial model based on three aggregate indices (abundance, diversity and richness) assessed considering the Provinces as reference territorial units. Derived from ecological disciplines, these three dimensions of ES multifunctionality describe the variability with which territorial units deliver multiple services for community well-being and support the analysis of the relationships between anthropic components of territorial systems and the ecosystems’ multifunctionality. The evaluation of how the three indices’ spatial distribution varied as a result of land use changes in the period 2000–2018 allows us to highlight specific aspects of territorial units useful to improve the knowledge framework from a sustainable planning perspective. The results highlight its potential to support decision-making processes and formulate recommendations for sustainable spatial planning.