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Announcements
20 August 2025
Land | Title Story Articles from the First Half of 2025
We are delighted to present a list of title story articles selected to feature at the top of the Land (ISSN: 2073-445X) homepage for the first half of 2025. These articles cover a wide range of topics, including the Natura 2000 network, urban green space management, conservation payments, transformation of settlement structures, soil science, urban open space systems, structural and functional connectivity, landscape infrastructure planning, economic valorization of harvested land, and biodiversity conservation. We hope you find these publications of interest.
1. “Land Degradation-Based Approach for Assessing the Performance of the Natura 2000 Network in Mainland Spain”
by Mario Mingarro,María E. Sanjuan,Alberto Ruiz-Rancaño and Gabriel del Barrio
Land 2025, 14(2), 279; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14020279
2. “Exploring the Possibilities of Implementing the ALS-Based 3-30-300 Concept for Urban Green Space Management in Small Municipalities”
by Krzysztof Mitelsztedt, Mariusz Ciesielski, Tomasz Hycza, Marek Lisańczuk, Kacper
Guderski, Sylwia Kurpiewska and Krzysztof Korzeniewski
Land 2025, 14(2), 358; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14020358
3. “Additionality in Theoretical von Thünenian Models of Deforestation and Conservation Payments”
by Thales A. P. West, Jill L. Caviglia-Harris and Philip Martin Fearnside
Land 2025, 14(2), 272; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14020272
4. “Transformation of Settlement Structures in Europe: Trends, Challenges, and Reform Approaches”
by Jiří Dušek
Land 2025, 14(1), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14010167
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/1/167
5. “Assessment of Soil Organic Matter and Its Microbial Role in Selected Locations in the South Bohemia Region (Czech Republic)”
by David Kabelka, Petr Konvalina, Marek Kopecký, Eva Klenotová and Jaroslav Šíma
Land 2025, 14(1), 183; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14010183
6. “Urban Open Space Systems and Green Cities: History, Heritage, and All That”
by Ken Taylor
Land 2025, 14(3), 582; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14030582
7. “Structural and Functional Connectivity of Thermal Refuges in a Desert City: Impacts of Climate Change and Urbanization on Desert Wildlife”
by Amy E. Frazier, Brian Sehner and Barira Rashid
Land 2025, 14(3), 480; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14030480
8. “Data-Driven Multi-Scale Integration of Transportation Networks and Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Landscape Infrastructure Planning”
by Jiajia Wang, Brian Deal and Moazam Iqbal Hakim
Land 2025, 14(4), 807; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14040807
9. “Systemic Competitiveness in the EU Cereal Value Chain: A Network Perspective for Policy Alignment”
by Nicolae Istudor, Marius Constantin, Donatella Privitera, Raluca Ignat, Irina-Elena Petrescu and Cristian Teodor
Land 2025, 14(4), 731; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14040731
10. “Complex Deforestation Patterns in and Around the Protected Areas of Madagascar from 2015 to 2023”
by F. Ollier D. Andrianambinina, Jörg Ulrich Ganzhorn, Patrick O. Waeber and Lucienne Wilmé
Land 2025, 14(4), 698; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14040698
13 August 2025
Publication Partnership Between Land and the VII International Congress on Sustainable Development (SD2025), 29–31 October 2025, Cape Town, South Africa

We are pleased to invite you to the VII International Congress on Sustainable Development (SD2025), taking place in Cape Town, South Africa, from 29 to 31 October 2025. Participation is welcome both in-person and virtually.
The congress aims to bring together thought leaders, policy makers, academics, and industry experts to showcase cutting-edge research and innovative practices that address the complexities of land management, environmental sustainability, and regional planning—particularly in peripheral and cross-border regions—while tackling the critical challenges, dynamic transformations, and solutions needed to foster resilient, inclusive, and sustainable local development through interdisciplinary research and global partnerships.
The topics covered are related, but not limited, to the following:
- Sustainable land-use planning and management;
- Territorial governance and regional strategies;
- Cross-border and inter-regional cooperation;
- Ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation;
- Circular economy and land resource efficiency;
- Climate change adaptation in land-use practices;
- Smart cities, smart regions, and sustainable infrastructure;
- Sustainable tourism and cultural landscape management;
- Public policies for environmental management and resilience;
- Connectivity, accessibility, and sustainable transport systems in regional development.
Important dates:
Registration and paper submission deadline: 15 September 2025;
Conference dates: 29–31 October 2025.
Submission and information:
- Submission link: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=sd2025;
- More event information: https://uj.ac.za/sd2025.
Publication opportunity:
Presenting authors are invited to submit high-quality full papers on congress themes for potential publication. An arrangement has been made with the journal Land (ISSN: 2073-445X). For submission guidelines and further details, please visit https://www.mdpi.com/journal/land/special_issues/7EY7866QU9.
We look forward to welcoming you to SD2025 in Cape Town or online!
12 August 2025
Land Young Investigator Award—Open for Nominations

The Land Young Investigator Award was established in 2023 to acknowledge the achievements of young investigators in the field of land. Nominations are accepted from July to January of the following year, with winners notified by the end of April the following year.
The prize:
- CHF 2000;
- An electronic certificate;
- A voucher to waive the Article Processing Charges (APCs) for one submission in the journal (subject to peer review)— valid for one year.
Number of winners: 1.
Eligibility and requirements:
- Must have received their PhD no more than 10 years prior to 31 December 2025;
- The candidate must have produced groundbreaking research and made a significant contribution to the advancement of land;
- The candidate must be nominated by senior scientists.
List of documents for nomination:
- A detailed curriculum vitae, including an updated publication list and a list of the researcher’s own research grants;
- A scanned copy of the candidate’s doctoral certificate;
- Signed nomination letters from two established senior scientists.
Schedule:
Nomination deadline: 31 January 2026;
Winner announcement: 30 April 2026.
How to submit nominations:
The nominations must be submitted online at https://www.mdpi.com/journal/land/awards/submit/3554.
Please do not hesitate to contact us at land@mdpi.com if you have any questions. We look forward to receiving your nominations.
Land Editorial Office
5 August 2025
Land | Invitation to Read the Selected Papers from Volume 14, Issue 7, July 2025
We are delighted to announce that Issue 7, Volume 14 of Land (ISSN: 2073-445X), was released in July 2025. The following is a list of partial articles which we believe will be of interest to you:
Cover Story
|
“SDI-Enabled Smart Governance: A Review (2015–2025) of IoT, AI and Geospatial Technologies—Applications and Challenges” |
Section: “Land Systems and Global Change”
“Land-Use Changes Largely Determine the Trajectory of Plant Species Distributions Under Climatic Uncertainty in a Mediterranean Landscape”
by Spyros Tsiftsis, Anna Mastrogianni, Diogenis A. Kiziridis, Fotios Xystrakis, Magdalini Pleniou and Ioannis Tsiripidis
Land 2025, 14(7), 1438; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071438
Section: “Landscape Ecology”
“Impact of Slow-Forming Terraces on Erosion Control and Landscape Restoration in Central Africa’s Steep Slopes”
by Jean Marie Vianney Nsabiyumva, Ciro Apollonio, Giulio Castelli, Elena Bresci, Andrea Petroselli, Mohamed Sabir, Cyrille Hicintuka and Federico Preti
Land 2025, 14(7), 1419; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071419
Section: “Land, Soil and Water”
“Spatial Distribution and Management of Trace Elements in Arid Agricultural Systems: A Geostatistical Assessment of the Jordan Valley”
by Mamoun A. Gharaibeh, Bernd Marschner, Nicolai Moos and Nikolaos Monokrousos
Land 2025, 14(7), 1325; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071325
Section: “Land Socio-Economic and Political Issues”
“Resident Empowerment and National Park Governance: A Case Study of Three-River-Source National Park, China”
by Yulian Ma, Yaolong Li, Yonghuan Ma, Yusong Liu, Xuechun Li and Fanglei Zhong
Land 2025, 14(7), 1413; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071413
Section: “Urban Contexts and Urban-Rural Interactions”
“Urban Heat Islands and Land-Use Patterns in Zagreb: A Composite Analysis Using Remote Sensing and Spatial Statistics”
by Dino Bečić and Mateo Gašparović
Land 2025, 14(7), 1470; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071470
Section: “Land–Climate Interactions”
“Identification of Restoration Pathways for the Climate Adaptation of Wych Elm (Ulmus glabra Huds.) in Türkiye”
by Derya Gülçin, Javier Velázquez, Víctor Rincón, Jorge Mongil-Manso, Ebru Ersoy Tonyaloğlu, Ali Uğur Özcan, Buse Ar and Kerim Çiçek
Land 2025, 14(7), 1391; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071391
Section: “Landscape Archaeology”
“Earthquake Destruction and Resilience in Ancient Helike, Gulf of Corinth, Greece: A Case Study of Past Human–Environment Relationship”
by Dora Katsonopoulou, Ioannis Koukouvelas and Mariza Kormann
Land 2025, 14(7), 1392; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071392
Section: “Land, Biodiversity, and Human Wellbeing”
“The Usability of Citizen Science Data for Research on Invasive Plant Species in Urban Cores and Fringes: A Hungarian Case Study”
by Georgina Veronika Visztra and Péter Szilassi
Land 2025, 14(7), 1389; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071389
Section: “Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability”
“Comparative Analysis of Non-Negative Matrix Factorization in Fire Susceptibility Mapping: A Case Study of Semi-Mediterranean and Semi-Arid Regions”
by Iraj Rahimi, Lia Duarte, Wafa Barkhoda and Ana Cláudia Teodoro
Land 2025, 14(7), 1334; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071334
Section: “Land Innovations – Data and Machine Learning”
“Soil Organic Carbon Mapping Through Remote Sensing and In Situ Data with Random Forest by Using Google Earth Engine: A Case Study in Southern Africa”
by Javier Bravo-García, Juan Mariano Camarillo-Naranjo, Francisco José Blanco-Velázquez and María Anaya-Romero
Land 2025, 14(7), 1436; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071436
Section: “Water, Energy, Land and Food (WELF) Nexus”
“Water–Energy–Land–Food Nexus to Assess the Environmental Impacts from Coal Mining”
by Reginaldo Geremias and Naoki Masuhara
Land 2025, 14(7), 1360; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071360
Section: “Land – Observation and Monitoring”
“Historical Land Cover Dynamics and Projected Changes in the High Andean Zone of the Locumba Basin: A Predictive Approach Using Remote Sensing and Artificial Neural Network—Cellular Automata Model”
by German Huayna, Victor Pocco, Edwin Pino-Vargas, Pablo Franco-León, Jorge Espinoza-Molina, Fredy Cabrera-Olivera, Bertha Vera-Barrios, Karina Acosta-Caipa, Lía Ramos-Fernández and Eusebio Ingol-Blanco
Land 2025, 14(7), 1442; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071442
Section: “Land Planning and Landscape Architecture”
“Tenure Security and Responsible Land Management of Urban Informal Settlements on Waqf Land in Semarang City, Indonesia”
by Iwan Rudiarto, Walter Timo de Vries, Alvita Bhanuningtyas Rustanto and Kanaya Aliyanadira Hidayat
Land 2025, 14(7), 1365; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071365
General
“Evidence Synthesis and Knowledge Integration for Sustainable Peatland Management”
by Kate Flood, David Wilson and Florence Renou-Wilson
Land 2025, 14(7), 1397; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071397
“Estimating Biomass in Eucalyptus globulus and Pinus pinaster Forests Using UAV-Based LiDAR in Central and Northern Portugal”
by Leilson Ferreira, André Salgado de Andrade Sandim, Dalila Araújo Lopes, Joaquim João Sousa, Domingos Manuel Mendes Lopes, Maria Emília Calvão Moreira Silva and Luís Pádua
Land 2025, 14(7), 1460; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071460
4 August 2025
Meet Us at the Second National Conference on Information Geography, 17–20 August 2025, Chengdu, China

MDPI will be attending the Second National Conference on Information Geography in Chengdu, China, which will take place from 17 to 20 August 2025. This conference is themed “Chinese Geography in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”, focusing on the innovative development and cutting-edge applications of information geography driven by artificial intelligence. We sincerely invite experts, scholars, scientific and technological workers and graduate students in geography and related fields to gather in Chengdu to discuss the transformation and innovation of geographical science in the era of artificial intelligence, gather wisdom and consensus, and contribute to the leapfrog development of Chinese information geography in the era of AI. If you are attending the conference, please visit our booth; our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions you may have.
The following open access journals will be represented at the conference:
- Geographies (leading);
- IJGI (leading);
- Earth;
- Sustainability;
- Land;
- Remote Sensing;
- Hydrology;
- GeoHazards;
- Geomatics;
- Quaternary.
1 August 2025
Meet Us at the Architectural Institute of Japan Annual Meeting 2025, 9–12 September 2025, Fukuoka, Japan

Conference: Architectural Institute of Japan Annual Meeting 2025
Date: 9–12 September 2025
Location: Ito Campus of Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
MDPI will be attending the Architectural Institute of Japan Annual Meeting 2025, which will be held from 9 to 12 September 2025 in Fukuoka, Japan.
Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ) is an academic association with roughly 35,000 members. It is not a governmental organization but instead a non-profit organization for architects, building engineers, and researchers in every field of architecture. The Annual Meeting is held over three days in the autumn and is hosted by local associations in turn. During the convention, over 6,000 technical papers will be presented. More than 9,000 members and non-members generally register for each convention. At the Annual Meeting, the latest studies, findings, and information are exchanged through technical sessions, panel discussions, lectures, and exhibitions.
The following open access journals will be represented at the conference:
If you are planning to attend the above conference, please do not hesitate to visit our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://taikai2025.aij.or.jp/.
31 July 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #25 - 8,000 Staff Worldwide, Korea Visit, 100,000 Preprints, Malaysia Roundtable, Canada Consortium Deal

Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.
In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.
Opening Thoughts
Talent Drives Our Progress
For the first time in MDPI’s history, we now have over 8,000 colleagues across the company. I would like to take a moment to celebrate this milestone and acknowledge the driving force behind our growth and success: our people.
As the world’s leading fully open access publisher, MDPI has grown thanks to the dedication, talent, and teamwork of colleagues across the company. Already halfway through 2025, we’ve welcomed nearly 2,000 new colleagues.
“Our achievements are also about the people behind them”
We now manage over 475 journals, with 298 receiving an Impact Factor, and hundreds more indexed in major databases, including 343 in Scopus, and 92 by PubMed. As the reach and impact of our journals continues to grow, so does the need for dedicated and qualified teams to support that growth. Thus, attracting and retaining exceptional talent remains a cornerstone of our success.
Our achievements are not just about the results of journal expansion, however: they’re about the people behind them. From our hardworking editors to our meticulous English editing and production teams – from our journal relationship specialists, public relations, marketing and communications professionals to our conference teams and the project teams behind Preprints, Scilit, SciProfiles, JAMS and more. Our success reflects the work of thousands of people showing up each day, taking pride in their work, and committed to excellence and service.
What we’re doing to support talent:
- Investing in onboarding and training to help new colleagues feel welcomed and empowered to thrive.
- Creating clearer career paths across all functions, from editorial to communications and beyond.
- Launching mentorship programs and internal knowledge-sharing sessions to promote growth and collaboration.
- Evolving our recognition and rewards programs to better celebrate your contributions.
- Expanding our training systems and platforms.
MDPI’s in-house training department offers over 215 training courses, covering topics from editorial development to cross-cultural collaboration. In 2024 alone, we had 44 full-time trainers and 196 part-time training assistants supporting the learning and development needs of colleagues worldwide. These efforts ensure our teams are equipped with the skills and confidence to grow professionally and contribute meaningfully.
Over two-thirds of our workforce is editorial, and of our more than 5,400 editors, 87% hold a Master’s degree and 6% a PhD. Their collective contributions are central to delivering a high-quality publishing experience and supporting global academic communication.
As we celebrate this milestone, we also aim to continue on a path of steady and sustainable growth, one that balances journal expansion with investment in people, outreach, processes, and innovation. Together, we are shaping the future of open access and academic publishing. Thank you for your hard work, your ideas, and your commitment to serving the global research community.
Let’s continue working together to create a culture where great talent grows and every colleague feels valued.
Impactful Research
Visiting South Korea: Building Connections and Supporting the MDPI Seoul Office
In July, I had the opportunity to visit our team in Seoul and engage directly with academic communities in South Korea. The visit focused on deepening MDPI’s relationships with local universities, institutions, and partners, and supporting the great work of our colleagues at the MDPI Seoul office.
Korea Association of Private University Libraries (KAPUL) Conference
A highlight of the visit was our participation in the Korea Association of Private University Libraries (KAPUL) Conference, where we presented to over 100 academic librarians. I delivered a keynote speech titled “The Evolving Publishing Landscape: Open Access and Beyond,” while my colleague Dr. Jisuk Kang (Public Affairs Specialist) shared insights in her presentation, “Inside MDPI: Editorial Practices & Research Integrity.”
Our participation received media coverage, including:
NEWS1: “Publishing Open Access Papers' MDPI...Supporting the Expansion of Korean Research Influence”
UNN (University News Network): “MDPI Announces ‘Seoul Declaration’... “Presenting Standards for Authenticity and Transparency in Korea”
Beyond Post: MDPI CEO Visits Korea to 'Support for the Development of Domestic Knowledge Ecosystem'
Facts & Figures: South Korea
- South Korea is MDPI’s sixth-largest publishing country by article volume (over 90,000 MDPI papers published to date).
- In 2024, Korea ranked 16th globally by total publications, and 6th (among these top 20 countries) by citation impact.
- 52% of Korean publications in 2024 were OA – and 73% of those were Gold OA.
- MDPI published about 20% of all OA papers from Korea in 2024.
- Over 2,000 active Editorial Board Members from South Korea contribute to MDPI journals, with 11 Section Editors-in-Chief.
- We currently have 11 Institutional Open Access Program agreements and two society partnerships in Korea:
- Korean Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology (with MDPI journal Pharmaceutics)
- Korean Tribology Society (with MDPI journal Coatings)
MDPI Seoul Office and the First Korea Salon
Our Seoul office serves as a regional hub for marketing, communications, and community engagement. It continues to grow in size and influence, prioritizing supporting scholar visits, conference sponsorships, and outreach events such as the recent MDPI Korea Salon.
The inaugural Salon, themed “Exploring Research Trends in Medical Publishing, Ethics, and AI,” brought together over 20 scholars and Editorial Board members serving MDPI journals.
Thank you to our guest speakers including Professors Young-Joon Surh of Seoul National University, Kwang-Sig Lee of Korea University, and Jin-Won Noh of Yonsei University who presented on the landscape of medicine in South Korea and across the globe. The Salon also included presentations from MDPI colleagues on Open Access, ethics, and how the IOAP can support researchers in this field.
“Our Seoul office continues to grow in size and influence”
Looking Ahead
MDPI is already the leading OA publisher in South Korea, yet challenges and misconceptions around OA and APCs remain. Visits like this one, along with the ongoing efforts of our Seoul office, are important to building understanding, trust, and long-term relationships with the local academic community.
A big thank-you to our colleagues in Seoul for their warm hospitality, professionalism, and energy! Our new office is well situated, staffed, and ready to grow. This visit marked an important step forward in our continued mission to support global research communities and advance Open Science.
Inside MDPI
Preprints.org Reaches 100,000 Preprints: A Major Milestone for MDPI and Open Science
In case you missed it, Preprints.org recently surpassed 100,000 preprints posted. This is a major milestone for our platform and one worth celebrating.
Preprints are a key pillar of the Open Science movement, which promotes transparency, equity, and faster knowledge-sharing through initiatives such as Open Access, Open Data, Open Source, and Open Peer Review. The benefits of Open Science extend beyond researchers, as they support funders, educators, policymakers, and the public in advancing discovery and innovation.
What is behind the 100,000 preprints milestone?
Since its launch in 2016, Preprints.org has grown into one of the world’s leading preprint platforms, now ranked fifth globally by publication volume.
More than 350,000 researchers have contributed, helping shape this dynamic and collaborative space for sharing early-stage research across all disciplines.
Read the full announcement here:
https://www.mdpi.com/about/announcements/12202
“Preprints.org has grown into one of the world’s leading preprint platforms”
Some quick facts worth noting:
- About 56% of the preprints on Preprints.org are later published in peer-reviewed journals.
- The platform is now indexed in Web of Science (Preprint Citation Index), Europe PMC, and Crossref, helping improve visibility and trust in the preprints shared.
- Recent upgrades – including a revamped website, new features such as search subscriptions, curated reading lists, and community feedback tools (PREreview) – show our commitment to developing Preprints.org in line with researchers’ needs.
This growth and progress would not be possible without the dedication of the Preprints.org team, our Advisory Board members, screeners, and colleagues across MDPI who support the platform’s development. This milestone is a reminder of our shared mission: to accelerate scientific communication and build a more open, transparent, and inclusive research ecosystem.
I’m excited to see what’s ahead as we approach Preprints.org’s 10-year anniversary in 2026!
Coming Together for Science
Malaysia Media Roundtable: Educating on Open Access and MDPI’s Presence in Southeast Asia
At the end of June, I had the opportunity to participate in a strategic media roundtable in Kuala Lumpur, focused on raising awareness about the importance of Open Access (OA) and on MDPI’s growing presence in Southeast Asia.
We welcomed five Malaysian media outlets for an engaging private session that included presentations and open discussion.
I gave an overview of the benefits of Open Access, MDPI’s global developments, and our collaborations in Malaysia.
My colleague Yu Nwe Soe (Public Relations Specialist), presented on our editorial process, helping to clarify how MDPI supports authors and maintains research quality.
We were also joined by two local Editorial Board Members (EBMs) who offered first-hand insights into their experiences working with MDPI and how OA has shaped their publishing choices.
The discussion covered a range of questions from the press, from OA publishing models to editorial standards, and highlighted MDPI’s unique contribution to accelerating scientific communication in the region.
As the leading fully OA publisher, we see it as our responsibility to continue educating research communities and the broader public on the impact of OA, especially in emerging and high-growth academic markets.
Spotlight on Malaysia
Malaysia continues to rise as a regional research hub, with five universities ranked in the global top 200 and 11 subjects in the global top 50. In 2024, Malaysia ranked 2nd in Southeast Asia in total publication output, 10th in Asia, and 25th globally.
MDPI’s presence in Malaysia:
- Over 21,000 research articles published to date from Malaysian institutions
- More than 1,100 articles published in 2024 alone
- In the period 2020–2024, 54% of Malaysia’s total publications were OA
- 36 EBMs from Malaysia, across 27 MDPI journals
- Around 100 conferences sponsored in Malaysia in the past five years
- MDPI is hosting the 2nd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers in Kuala Lumpur (29 July- 3 August 2025)
Media Coverage & Editorial Voices
Following the roundtable, we saw positive coverage across several local outlets, with articles highlighting MDPI’s role in empowering Malaysian researchers. Notable pieces included:
- Open-Access Empowers Malaysia’s Research Future
- Empowering Malaysian Researchers to Meet the Nation’s Innovation Ambitions
- MDPI and empowering Malaysian researchers
Our local EBMs also shared their perspectives:
Prof. Denny Ng Kok Sum (Sunway University, EBM of MDPI journal Processes) and Prof. Lee (EBM of MDPI journal Bacteria) share their experiences with MDPI and the role Open Access plays in their publication decisions.
“We see it as our responsibility to continue educating research communities on the impact of OA”
“I didn’t want my work stuck behind a paywall.”
— Prof. Denny Ng Kok Sum, Sunway University, Processes Editorial Board Member
“Open Access opens doors for collaboration and visibility, especially in fast-developing regions like ours.”
— Prof. Lee, Bacteria Editorial Board Member
This roundtable marked another step in building trust, understanding, and collaboration in Southeast Asia. A big thank-you to the MDPI Malaysia team and all those who contributed to the event’s success.
Closing Thoughts
MDPI Signs First North American Agreement with Canadian Consortium
We are proud to announce a major milestone for MDPI Canada and an important step forward for OA in North America.
In July, our Toronto office finalized MDPI’s first North American consortium agreement with the Federal Science Libraries Network (FSLN). This is a significant achievement that strengthens our expansion in Canada and reinforces our global commitment to supporting Open Science.
This two-year agreement gives Canadian federal agencies access to MDPI’s IOAP, including discounted article processing charges for affiliated researchers across our portfolio of over 475 OA journals. It lowers barriers for Canadian scientists to share their work more openly and reach a global audience.
Ryan Siu, Institutional Partnerships Manager at MDPI.
“The Open Science landscape in Canada is rapidly evolving, with the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy set for renewal by the end of 2025. This reflects ongoing efforts to foster greater scientific transparency and accessibility at a national policy level,” says Ryan Siu, Institutional Partnerships Manager at MDPI.
“Our new agreement with FSLN represents our shared commitment to further these efforts and foster wider readership. By aligning with these initiatives, we make progress towards research that’s both inclusive and impactful, benefiting local and global communities alike.”
Participating FSLN institutions include:
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
- Environment and Climate Change Canada
- Health Canada
- National Research Council Canada
- Natural Resources Canada
By partnering with some of Canada’s largest science-based agencies, we reaffirm our goal of advancing OA across continents. We look forward to developing our support for Canadian researchers and continuing to drive progress in Open Science across North America and beyond.
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
31 July 2025
Meet Us at VII EUROSOIL 2025 & X Iberian Congress of Soil Science, 8–12 September 2025, Seville, Spain

Conference: VII EUROSOIL 2025 & X Congreso Ibérico de la Ciencia del Suelo
Date: 8–12 September 2025
Location: Fibes - Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones, Sevilla, Spain
Join leading soil scientists, researchers, and professionals at VII EUROSOIL 2025 & X Congreso Ibérico de la Ciencia del Suelo to explore the latest scientific advances and practical solutions shaping the future of soil systems. With a strong interdisciplinary focus, the event brings together experts across soil science, climate change, sustainable agriculture, land restoration, and ecosystem health. Discover how cutting-edge research and real-world applications are driving meaningful progress in understanding and managing one of our planet’s most vital resources.
The following MDPI journals will be presented:
- Agriculture;
- Agronomy;
- Soil Systems;
- Land;
- Ecologies;
- Plants;
- Geotechnics;
- Forests;
- Nitrogen;
- Agrochemicals;
- Sustainability;
- Earth;
- Geographies;
- Crops;
- Environments;
- Conservation.
Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at the booth at the conference and answering any questions you may have. For more information regarding the conference, please visit the following link: https://eurosoil2025.eu/EUROSOIL2025.
29 July 2025
Interview with Dr. Wanxu Chen—Winner of the Land Young Investigator Award

We would like to congratulate Dr. Wanxu Chen for winning the Land 2024 Young Investigator Award.
Dr. Wanxu Chen primarily conducts research on the eco-environmental effects of urbanization, global change and human activities, and territorial spatial governance optimization. He has published over 100 papers in the field of land system science in renowned journals such as Earth's Future, Land Use Policy, and Land. A total of 16 of his papers have been recognized as ESI Highly Cited Papers/Hot Papers (Top 0.1%). He was included in the World’s Top 2% Scientists list (released by researchers from Stanford University) in both 2023 and 2024. He was also selected for the China Association for Science and Technology’s “Science and Technology Think Tank Young Talent Program” and the UNESCO’s “Man and Biosphere (MAB) National Committee of China Young Talent Program” in 2022. Additionally, Dr. Chen serves as an (Early Career) Editorial Board Member for over 10 academic journals.
The following is a short interview with Dr. Wanxu Chen:
1. Congratulations on the award! Could you share your immediate reaction to winning, and what this recognition means for your work and career?
I was deeply honored and genuinely surprised to receive the Land 2024 Young Investigator Award. My immediate reaction was profound gratitude to the selection committee, my colleagues at CUG, my dedicated research team, and collaborators worldwide.
This recognition is immensely significant. It validates our team's persistent efforts in understanding complex human–environment interactions within land systems, particularly territorial space evolution and ecological effects. It powerfully affirms that our interdisciplinary approach, blending rigorous science with actionable policy insights, resonates internationally.
For my career, this is a tremendous encouragement. It strengthens my commitment to pursuing impactful research that bridges academia and real-world problem-solving. It highlights the importance of translating findings into practical solutions, as reflected in our policy contributions. Crucially, it places a spotlight on the vital work emerging from China and CUG in this critical field, motivating me further to contribute to global sustainability science and nurture the next generation of scholars. This award is not just personal; it is a recognition of our collective effort to advance land system science for a more sustainable future.
2. Reflecting on your previous collaborations with Land, what impressed you most?
Beyond its rigorous peer review ensuring high quality, what truly stands out is Land’s exceptional commitment to fostering interdisciplinary dialogue. The journal actively bridges land system science, policy, and practice. Editorial teams deeply engage with complex, solution-oriented research—like our work on territorial space evolution and ecological effects—ensuring it reaches global scholars and stakeholders. Their efficient, constructive review process accelerates impactful science, while Special Issues create vital platforms for emerging themes. This synergy between editorial vision and scholarly community significantly amplifies real-world relevance—a rarity that makes Land an indispensable partner in advancing sustainable land solutions.
3. What key qualities do you think are essential for young researchers?
Based on my journey, four qualities stand out as crucial:
1. Interdisciplinary curiosity: Land system science demands integrating perspectives (e.g., ecology, geography, management, socio-economics, policy) to tackle complex sustainability challenges;
2. Resilience and rigor: Research involves setbacks. Persistence in refining methods, questioning assumptions, and ensuring data integrity is non-negotiable;
3. Problem-solving relevance: Anchor your work in real-world sustainability challenges. Strive not just for publication, but for actionable insights with policy or practical impact;
4. Collaborative spirit: Complex problems require diverse expertise. Build genuine partnerships—across disciplines, institutions, and with stakeholders—valuing different viewpoints.
4. What challenges have you encountered during your research journey, particularly as a young investigator? Do you have anything to say to your fellow scholars?
My journey presented multifaceted hurdles. Early on, securing competitive funding as an unknown young scholar tested my resilience. Bridging interdisciplinary divides—integrating quantitative environmental science with qualitative policy analysis—demanded humility and relentless learning. Translating complex land system findings into actionable policy advice was also a challenge. Time management amid teaching, research, and social service often felt overwhelming, especially when critical experiments or revisions coincided.
Yet these challenges forged growth. Collaborating across continents taught me that diverse perspectives turn obstacles into innovations. Rejections refined my proposals; skepticism sharpened my communication. Policy engagement, though arduous, proved that persistence turns evidence into change—as when our team’s models informed territorial spatial governance.
Your struggles are not signs of inadequacy but proof you’re pushing boundaries. Embrace curiosity over comfort—ask the “naive” questions that disrupt conventions. Build networks not just for opportunities, but for mutual support; my breakthroughs emerged from team’s wisdom and peers’ camaraderie. In land science, we steward humanity’s foundation—never underestimate the transformative potential of your dedication. Stay stubbornly hopeful.
5. Can you describe the central goals of your current research?
My team’s mission centers on advancing sustainable land system governance under rapid global change. We prioritize three interlinked goals: investigating the eco-environmental impacts of urbanization to mitigate ecological degradation; exploring the interactions between global change and human activities to understand sustainability challenges; and developing strategies for optimizing territorial spatial governance, aiming to promote resilient and sustainable development through interdisciplinary approaches in land system science.
6. Which emerging topics in land science do you believe will critically influence the academic community in the coming years?
Personally, I think three frontiers will reshape land science:
1. Telecoupled land governance: Analyzing distant socioeconomic-ecological interactions to address inequities in global resource flows;
2. AI-enhanced earth observation: Integrating deep learning with multi-source remote sensing for real-time monitoring of land degradation, carbon dynamics, and urbanization resilience at planetary scales;
3. Nature-positive transitions: Quantifying synergies/trade-offs between biodiversity restoration, zero-carbon urbanization, and food security under systemic risks—moving beyond siloed SDGs.
7. Do you have any other suggestions for how journals and publishers can further support young researchers and the academic community?
From the perspective of a young scholar, I think journals can profoundly empower early-career researchers by:
1. Democratizing access: Offer full fee waivers for low/middle-income countries and unaffiliated scholars, ensuring equity in knowledge sharing;
2. Valuing diverse outputs: Establish sections for policy briefs, data papers, and negative/niche studies—critical for innovation but often overlooked;
3. Bridging practice-academia: Host matchmaking workshops connecting young scientists with policymakers/NGOs to co-design applied research.
Finally, transparent revision timelines and constructive rejection feedback are essential to sustain morale. True progress requires journals to be catalysts—not gatekeepers—of inclusive, solutions-driven science.
You can access more Land’s Awards information via the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/land/awards.
Land Editorial Office
29 July 2025
Land | Invitation to Read Highly Cited Papers in 2024 (III)

It is our honor to present some highly cited papers published by Land (ISSN: 2073-445X) in 2024. We would like to acknowledge the hardworking individuals and teams whose work inspires fellow researchers and influences the field of land system science. We invite you to read the outstanding works listed below:
1. “Spatiotemporal Evolution and Mechanisms of Habitat Quality in Nature Reserve Land: A Case Study of 18 Nature Reserves in Hubei Province”
by Ying Lin, Xian Zhang, He Zhu and Runtian Li
Land 2024, 13(3), 363; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13030363
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/3/363
2. “Impacts of Land Use Conversion on Soil Erosion in the Urban Agglomeration on the Northern Slopes of the Tianshan Mountains”
by Ziqi Guo, Zhaojin Yan, Rong He, Hui Yang, Hui Ci and Ran Wang
Land 2024, 13(4), 550; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13040550
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/4/550
3. “Ecosystem Services Supply from Peri-Urban Watersheds in Greece: Soil Conservation and Water Retention”
by Stefanos Stefanidis, Nikolaos Proutsos, Vasileios Alexandridis and Giorgos Mallinis
Land 2024, 13(6), 765; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13060765
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/6/765
4. “Urban Echoes: Exploring the Dynamic Realities of Cities through Digital Twins”
by Piero Boccardo, Luigi La Riccia and Yogender Yadav
Land 2024, 13(5), 635; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050635
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/5/635
5. “The Role of Green Infrastructure in Providing Urban Ecosystem Services: Insights from a Bibliometric Perspective”
by Milena V. Sokolova, Brian D. Fath, Umberto Grande, Elvira Buonocore and Pier Paolo Franzese
Land 2024, 13(10), 1664; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13101664
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/10/1664
6. “European Permanent Grasslands: A Systematic Review of Economic Drivers of Change, Including a Detailed Analysis of the Czech Republic, Spain, Sweden, and UK”
by John Elliott, Sophie Tindale, Samantha Outhwaite, Fiona Nicholson, Paul Newell-Price, Novieta H. Sari, Erik Hunter, Pedro Sánchez-Zamora, Shan Jin, Rosa Gallardo-Cobos et al.
Land 2024, 13(1), 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13010116
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/1/116
7. “Tillage and Straw Management Practices Influences Soil Nutrient Distribution: A Case Study from North-Eastern Romania”
by Anca Elena Calistru, Feodor Filipov, Irina Gabriela Cara, Marius Cioboată, Denis Țopa and Gerard Jităreanu
Land 2024, 13(5), 625; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050625
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/5/625
8. “Contribution of Rare Earth Elements Is Key to the Economy of the Future”
by Juan-Ramón Cuadros-Muñoz, Juan-Antonio Jimber-del-Río, Rafael Sorhegui-Ortega, Michelle Zea-De la Torre and Arnaldo Vergara-Romero
Land 2024, 13(8), 1220; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13081220
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/8/1220
9. “Impact of Land-Use Changes on Climate Change Mitigation Goals: The Case of Lithuania”
by Renata Dagiliūtė and Vaiva Kazanavičiūtė
Land 2024, 13(2), 131; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020131
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/2/131
10. “Integration of Climate Change Strategies into Policy and Planning for Regional Development: A Case Study of Greece”
by Stavros Kalogiannidis, Dimitrios Kalfas, Olympia Papaevangelou, Fotios Chatzitheodoridis, Katerina-Navsika Katsetsiadou and Efthymios Lekkas
Land 2024, 13(3), 268; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13030268
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/3/268