Sustainable Land Management and Land Tenure: Experiences for the Future II

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Land Socio-Economic and Political Issues".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 29205

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50 Mandeville (T) Building, 14th floor 3062 PA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Interests: transnational land governance; sustainable land and water management; anthropologies of water; cultural landscapes and (in)tangible heritage
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
School of Engineering and Design, Department of Aerospace and Geodesy, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Arcisstrasse 21, 80333 München, Germany
Interests: land management; land administration; land use planning; cadastre; land information; organizational and institutional aspects of land management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the Special Issue of Land on “Sustainable Land Management and Land Tenure: Experiences for the Future II”.

In both industrialized and developing countries, there is high demand for comprehensive policies, tools, and instruments in order to cope with the increasing globalization, climate change, and migration patterns, as well as with the cross-border nature of many land-related problems. As land is a limited resource, there is an urgent need to consolidate and exchange good practices of land governance and land policy around the world, which may be accommodated in different social and institutional contexts.

As land management policies prepare and assess interventions into land use, size, shapes, rights, tenure, and values, the purpose of this Special Issue is to invite academics and practitioners to describe their practical experiences and insights in this field. The aim is to share proposals that deal with managing the built environment, developing infrastructures, and using natural and human resources to develop creative, innovative, and sustainable solutions.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • capacity development in land management and land tenure;
  • experiences and best practices from land management projects from around the world;
  • policies for making land management practices responsible and sustainable;
  • strategies for sustainability in land planning processes;
  • challenging and/or successful land governance approaches;
  • evaluation methods and results to support land policy improvements; and
  • innovative land management tools.

Dr. Pamela Durán Díaz
Prof. Dr. Walter T. de Vries
Guest Editors

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 1524 KiB  
Article
Structural Amelioration of Soils for Sustainable Land Management
by Yurii Tsapko, Anatolii Kucher, Bahaa Meshref, Vitaliy Krupin, Albina Rozmarina, Olesya Holovina and Iryna Skorokhod
Land 2023, 12(4), 909; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12040909 - 18 Apr 2023
Viewed by 1571
Abstract
The aim of this study is to determine the effects of structural soil restoration on the buffering capacities of these soils, their productivity, and the efficiency of their use as a basis for sustainable management. Based on a review of literature sources and [...] Read more.
The aim of this study is to determine the effects of structural soil restoration on the buffering capacities of these soils, their productivity, and the efficiency of their use as a basis for sustainable management. Based on a review of literature sources and our own experimental research, the proposed article shows the possibility of improving the buffering capacities of sod-podzolic cohesive sandy soils through the use of structural amelioration as an effective measure to protect them from degradation and ensure their resilience to climate change. The use of structural ameliorants (clay and peat) in the studied soils improves the granulometric composition, has a positive effect on the pH-buffering capacities, and contributes to optimizing the moisture capacity of soil. It was found that the efficiency of the application of structural amelioration on sod-podzolic cohesive sandy soils increases significantly with the local application method (e.g., clay in a dose of 10 t/ha or a combined application of clay in a dose of 2 t/ha with lowland peat in a dose of 3 t/ha). The largest yield increase in winter wheat (27.2%) was achieved by the local application of 2 t/ha of clay combined with peat in a dose of 3 t/ha. Full article
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12 pages, 942 KiB  
Article
Proximity to Neighborhood Services and Property Values in Urban Area: An Evaluation through the Hedonic Pricing Model
by Asad Aziz, Muhammad Mushahid Anwar, Hazem Ghassan Abdo, Hussein Almohamad, Ahmed Abdullah Al Dughairi and Motrih Al-Mutiry
Land 2023, 12(4), 859; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12040859 - 11 Apr 2023
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3455
Abstract
Neighborhood services, property attributes, and their associated amenities have positive impacts on land and property values. This impact is estimated by the hedonic pricing model, which is considered an effective method used in previous studies for such evaluations. The study uses Geographical Information [...] Read more.
Neighborhood services, property attributes, and their associated amenities have positive impacts on land and property values. This impact is estimated by the hedonic pricing model, which is considered an effective method used in previous studies for such evaluations. The study uses Geographical Information Science by digitizing the point of interest in the study area for spatial modeling of data collection points and multi-linear regression as a statistical analysis of hedonic measurements. The hedonic measurements include the data of structural, locational, environmental, and community attributes of a property at a given time and space at a walkable distance from the neighborhood for measuring proximity. The results of the study are represented through the summary of the regression model, which expresses the impact of every individual variable on the entire value of the property, and the appropriateness of the results is shown by values R, R2, and adjusted R2. The result of the study concluded that property characteristics are varied from location to location, and that is why it is difficult to measure the exact market values, particularly in areas that lack urban planning and heterogeneous data. Research on such burning issues is essential for sustainable urban development. Full article
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23 pages, 1793 KiB  
Article
Impact of Land Tenure Security Perception on Tree Planting Investment in Vietnam
by Hoang Huu Dinh, Shyam Basnet and Justus Wesseler
Land 2023, 12(2), 503; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12020503 - 17 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2359
Abstract
With over 14 million hectares allocated, Vietnam’s forest and forestland allocation has been one of the largest natural resource decentralization programs in the developing world over the last three decades. Given this remarkable achievement, critics are concerned about the low rates of household [...] Read more.
With over 14 million hectares allocated, Vietnam’s forest and forestland allocation has been one of the largest natural resource decentralization programs in the developing world over the last three decades. Given this remarkable achievement, critics are concerned about the low rates of household tree planting investment and question the roles and effects of land institutions on investment. Using nested logit and ordered probit models, this study examined the effects of household perceptions of forestland tenure security on tree investment and the causal effects among 239 households in 11 communes in the Central Highlands. The findings suggested that, given the land titling in hand, household perceptions of potential land expropriation in the next five years did not thwart investments in both short-term acacia and long-term cashew horizons. The number of laborers, cost of plantations, off-farm and agricultural incomes, migrant status, soil condition, plot location, government subsidies, and a positive market outlook all played a significant role in this investment. Interestingly, we found that short-term tree planting had the reverse impact on decreasing land users’ perceptions of land tenure security, possibly because each tree rotation shortens the 50-year land use period recorded in the Land Use Right Certificate. However, market prospects and government subsidies may significantly counteract the negative perception of LTS and encourage households to plant trees. The policy implication is that, in addition to strengthening LTS to ensure households’ current and future land use rights, tree investment-incentivized policies should be implemented. Full article
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10 pages, 247 KiB  
Communication
Charting Sustainable Land Management Futures by Looking to the Past: The Case of Bears Ears National Monument
by Greta L. Asay, Hannah Z. Hendricks, Elizabeth Long-Meek and Michael R. Cope
Land 2023, 12(1), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010056 - 25 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1967
Abstract
This review offers an examination of the historical and sociocultural context that should have informed the creation and management of the Bears Ears National Monument (BENM) in rural Southeastern Utah, USA—an area surrounded by ranching communities and sovereign Native American tribal lands. Because [...] Read more.
This review offers an examination of the historical and sociocultural context that should have informed the creation and management of the Bears Ears National Monument (BENM) in rural Southeastern Utah, USA—an area surrounded by ranching communities and sovereign Native American tribal lands. Because of elements such as cultural significance, ancestral ties, natural resources, and recreational value, the land of Bears Ears has different cultural meanings for various groups. The BENM is indeed a complex issue that can and should be viewed from multiple perspectives. Throughout its history, the BENM has been a topic of debate and controversy amongst numerous groups, from Native American tribes to local ranchers to the federal government. Before, during, and after Bears Ears was designated as a national monument, disputes and discourse surrounding the issue have been mainly focused on land use, management, politics, and governance. We present a review of the historical background leading to claims of ancestral ties to place. We summarize the major events that led to the Bears Ears National Monument designation, reduction, and restoration. We provide a brief discussion of the current academic literature and directions for future research. Full article
19 pages, 605 KiB  
Article
Ēwe Hānau o ka ʻĀina: A Policy Review Focused on Hawaiʻi’s Public Land Trust
by J. Kawika Riley, Cade Akamu and Lorinda Riley
Land 2023, 12(1), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010048 - 23 Dec 2022
Viewed by 2249
Abstract
ʻĀina (land) is central to Native Hawaiian culture and ways of life. The illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom and annexation to the US resulted in the loss of Hawaiian crown and government land, which was placed in trust for the benefit of [...] Read more.
ʻĀina (land) is central to Native Hawaiian culture and ways of life. The illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom and annexation to the US resulted in the loss of Hawaiian crown and government land, which was placed in trust for the benefit of the Hawaiian people. These lands, now managed by the State of Hawaiʻi, were reconstituted as the Public Land Trust (PLT) with one of the articulated uses being the betterment of Native Hawaiians. While the Hawaiʻi State Constitution restored Native control over a proportional share of revenue generated from PLT lands, the US Supreme Court removed Native self-determination over the trust by opening its selection of trustees to non-Native Hawaiians. Applying a critical policy lens, this paper explores the rise and end of Native Hawaiian control over their own PLT share. Using the policy surveillance methodology, this study explores the recent expansion of Native Hawaiian consultation law and whether this has restored some self-determination over the Native Hawaiian PLT share, with the study finding that it has not. Thus, while Hawaiʻi’s laws clearly articulate a desire for Hawaiians to control the use of their share of the PLT, Hawaiian control of these resources has eroded, suggesting a need to adopt policies that realign with the original purpose of the PLT. Full article
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21 pages, 5022 KiB  
Article
The Writ of Amparo and Indigenous Consultation as Instruments to Enforce Inclusive Land Management in San Andrés Cholula, Mexico
by Melissa Schumacher, María Guizar Villalvazo, Anne Kristiina Kurjenoja and Pamela Durán-Díaz
Land 2023, 12(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010009 - 20 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2234
Abstract
In 2019, residents of the rural district of San Rafael Comac in the municipality of San Andrés Cholula, Mexico, challenged the implementation of the 2018 Municipal Program for Sustainable Urban Development of San Andrés Cholula (MPSUD), a rapacious urban-planning policy that was negatively [...] Read more.
In 2019, residents of the rural district of San Rafael Comac in the municipality of San Andrés Cholula, Mexico, challenged the implementation of the 2018 Municipal Program for Sustainable Urban Development of San Andrés Cholula (MPSUD), a rapacious urban-planning policy that was negatively affecting ancestral communities—pueblos originarios—and their lands and traditions. In 2020, a legal instrument called the writ of amparo was proven effective in ordering the repeal of the MPSUD and demanding an Indigenous consultation, based on the argument of self-recognition of local and Indigenous identity. Such identity would grant them the specific land rights contained in the Mexican Constitution and in international treaties. To explain their Indigenous identity in the writ of amparo, they referred to an established ancient socio-spatial system of organization that functioned beyond administrative boundaries: the Mesoamerican altepetl system. The altepetl, consisting of the union between land and people, is appointed in the writ of amparo as the foundation of their current form of socio-spatial organization. This paper is a land-policy review of the MPSUD and the writ of amparo, with a case-study approach for San Rafael Comac, based on a literature review. The research concludes that Indigenous consultation is a key tool and action for empowerment towards responsible land-management in a context where private urban-development impinges on traditional land uses and customs, and could be beneficial for traditional communities in Mexico and other Latin American countries. Full article
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20 pages, 3986 KiB  
Article
Ecological Management and Land Rehabilitation in Mining Areas from the Perspective of Actor-Network Theory—A Case Study of Lizuizi Coal Mine in China
by Huizhu Wang, Qiang Huang and Chao Chen
Land 2022, 11(12), 2128; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11122128 - 25 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3105
Abstract
Ecological damage in mining areas largely affects the regional ecological environment and ecological security. In China, ecological restoration in mining areas is urgent, as its environmental protection lags behind economic and social development. Recent studies on environmental governance in China focus on each [...] Read more.
Ecological damage in mining areas largely affects the regional ecological environment and ecological security. In China, ecological restoration in mining areas is urgent, as its environmental protection lags behind economic and social development. Recent studies on environmental governance in China focus on each participant’s logic of action. It suggests that cooperation among each participant is important. Thus, a fundamental question arises: how can we effectively organize various actors in environmental governance? Unlike theories that focus only on human factors, the actor-network theory considers both human and non-human actors. Within the framework of ANT, ecological restoration governance can take good care of both people and nature. To the best of our knowledge, the actor-network theory has not been used to analyze ecological restoration and land rehabilitation in mining areas. In this paper, the Lizuizi Coal Mine in Huainan of China is taken as a research object. By using the actor-network theory, we analyze the stability of the actor network and governance problems in different stages of ecological restoration of Lizuizi Coal Mine. It is concluded that the participation of the residents in ecological restoration is insufficient, and should be improved. Suggestions are provided accordingly. Our paper provides a theory basis for ecological construction in other ecologically damaged areas and resource-based cities. Further in-depth studies are necessary to strengthen the participation of social forces and the bundling collection of interests in governance. Full article
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25 pages, 2000 KiB  
Article
Stakeholders’ Perceptions of Nature-Based Solutions for Hurricane Risk Reduction Policies in the Mexican Caribbean
by Claudia Shantal Moreno, Rosa Maria Roman-Cuesta, Steven W. J. Canty, Jorge Herrera, Claudia Teutli, Aarón Israel Muñiz-Castillo, Melanie McField, Melina Soto, Cibele do Amaral, Steven Paton, Juan David González-Trujillo, Benjamin Poulter, Melissa Schumacher and Pamela Durán-Díaz
Land 2022, 11(10), 1701; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11101701 - 30 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3726
Abstract
Nature-based solutions (NbSs) have long recognized the value of coastal and marine ecosystem management and associated ecosystem services as useful tools for climate change mitigation (e.g., blue carbon) and adaptation (e.g., coastal protection against flooding and storm surges). However, NbSs remain poorly acknowledged [...] Read more.
Nature-based solutions (NbSs) have long recognized the value of coastal and marine ecosystem management and associated ecosystem services as useful tools for climate change mitigation (e.g., blue carbon) and adaptation (e.g., coastal protection against flooding and storm surges). However, NbSs remain poorly acknowledged and mostly absent from coastal planning for disaster risk reduction policies in the Caribbean, as well as from ex-post disaster reconstruction funds. With the increasing frequency and intensity of hurricanes in the region, NbSs are now more needed than ever. Taking Mexico as a representative case study for the wider Caribbean, we here seek to identify and analyze the barriers and opportunities perceived by relevant stakeholders for mainstreaming coastal-marine NbSs into coastal management and disaster risk reduction policies (e.g., mangroves as green infrastructure) to protect coastal societies and national economies against hurricanes. We conduct semi-structured, in-depth interviews with twenty stakeholders covering academic, governmental, tourism, NGO, coastal planning, and financial domains. Among the twenty-three identified barriers, governance, institutional, financial, and human-capacity aspects are the most dominant perceptions behind the current lack of NbS implementation. Future action for the policy integration of NbSs requires widespread political will and better quantification of both the provision of ecosystem services and their economic benefits under conventional markets. Full article
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19 pages, 7060 KiB  
Article
Causes and Countermeasures for the Failure of Mining Land Use Policy Reform: Practice Analysis from China
by Jiaxin Guo, Zhenqi Hu and Yusheng Liang
Land 2022, 11(9), 1391; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11091391 - 24 Aug 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2473
Abstract
The current supply method of land acquisition for mining land in China is not conducive to the sustainable use of land resources, resulting in a large amount of wasted land resources and causing many conflicts. The new model of temporary land use policy [...] Read more.
The current supply method of land acquisition for mining land in China is not conducive to the sustainable use of land resources, resulting in a large amount of wasted land resources and causing many conflicts. The new model of temporary land use policy for mining solves the long-standing problem of the livelihood of expropriated farmers that has plagued local governments, and also helps to alleviate the conflicts between enterprises and farmers. However, the temporary land use policy is in the practice stage, and the policy failure has resulted in low land reclamation rates. This research is a systematic survey for large and medium-sized mining enterprises, relevant government departments and research institutions nationwide. From the survey we analyze the problems in the implementation of the current temporary land use policy for mining and the causes of the policy failure, and propose an effective implementation mechanism for the future policy. The study showed that: (1) the temporary land use policy for mining was enacted with wide acceptance, but the implementation of the policy was ineffective; (2) the conditions for the application of the temporary land use policy for mining are unclear, the review and supervision by the competent authorities are not strict, and enterprises do not pay attention to land reclamation resulting in a very low rate of land reclamation; and (3) The implementation mechanism of the temporary mining land policy in practice is not perfect, and the proposed implementation framework based on “conditions, approval, implementation, supervision, acceptance and withdrawal” is scientific and feasible. It provides a reference for the management and innovation of strict protection of arable land, land conservation and intensification, and land reclamation in mining areas in China. Full article
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23 pages, 1095 KiB  
Article
Reputation Effect on Contract Choice and Self-Enforcement: A Case Study of Farmland Transfer in China
by Hanning Li, Hongyun Han and Shiyu Ying
Land 2022, 11(8), 1296; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11081296 - 11 Aug 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2007
Abstract
The prevailing informal contracts of farmland transfer in China are facing frequent disputes and defaults, which call for effective self-enforcement mechanisms operating through transactors’ reputations and social networks. However, the effects of reputation on contract choice and self-enforcement have not been thoroughly considered [...] Read more.
The prevailing informal contracts of farmland transfer in China are facing frequent disputes and defaults, which call for effective self-enforcement mechanisms operating through transactors’ reputations and social networks. However, the effects of reputation on contract choice and self-enforcement have not been thoroughly considered and examined by existing research in the case of farmland transfer. This study explores the reputation’s ex-ante signaling effect on farmers’ contract choices and the ex-post penalty effect on farmers’ performance in informal contracts. Based on 403 transfer contracts obtained from a field survey conducted in the Hebei province of China, we apply the multinomial logit model and Heckman probit model to perform empirical analysis. The results show that, affected by the penalty effect, farmers with good reputations are more likely to fulfill informal contracts to avoid reputation damage and the resulting loss of future trading opportunities. However, in the ex-ante stage of contract choice, a farmer’s reputation has no significant signaling effect on the formation of informal contracts. The informal contracts are chosen due to farmers’ trust in the close social network and the demand for reduced transaction costs. These findings highlight the importance of personal reputation serving as a form of relational governance in the self-enforcement of informal contracts, which provides a means of enhancing the informal contract’s effectiveness in terms of farmland transfer in the rural acquaintance society. It also provides insights into the necessity of creating a supportive environment for informal rules. Policies should encourage the building of personal reputation and establishment of good social norms to form a long-term, stable and reasonable contractual relationship for farmland transfer. Full article
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27 pages, 4424 KiB  
Article
How to Promote the Withdrawal of Rural Land Contract Rights? An Evolutionary Game Analysis Based on Prospect Theory
by Mengling Tian and Yangyang Zheng
Land 2022, 11(8), 1185; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11081185 - 28 Jul 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2656
Abstract
The phenomenon of “separation of people and land” between urbanized farmers and rural land hinders the optimal allocation of land resources and is not conducive to the development of agricultural modernization and the implementation of rural revitalization strategies. Although the “separation of three [...] Read more.
The phenomenon of “separation of people and land” between urbanized farmers and rural land hinders the optimal allocation of land resources and is not conducive to the development of agricultural modernization and the implementation of rural revitalization strategies. Although the “separation of three rights” in agricultural land partially solves this problem, it also causes social inequity in the phenomenon of urbanized wealthy farmers collecting rent from poor farmers who depend on the land for a living. The Chinese government carried out a pilot reform aimed at the withdrawal of urbanized farmers from contracted land, and proposed a paid withdrawal policy, but the reform results were unsatisfactory. Based on evolutionary game theory and prospect theory, this paper constructed a two-party evolutionary game model between the government and farmers and simulated the behavioral strategies of the government and farmers in the contracted land withdrawal problem. The results show that first, the initial probability of government policy choice will affect the decision-making behavior of the government and farmers. Second, when the government’s economic compensation for farmers is higher than the farmers’ ideal expectation for land withdrawal compensation, the implementation of individualized withdrawal policy has a positive effect on farmers’ willingness to withdraw from contracted land. Third, farmers’ emotional needs for land, farmers’ ideal economic compensation, and farmers’ risk aversion all impede farmers’ withdrawal from contracted land. The government’s implementation of individualized withdrawal policy can improve farmers’ willingness to withdraw from contracted land by reducing farmers’ concerns about unstable land rights, improving the government’s security compensation, and reducing farmers’ sensitivity to profit and loss. Full article
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