Ecological Restoration and Reusing Brownfield Sites

Dear Colleagues,

Urbanization, industrialization, and natural disasters have led to the proliferation of brownfield sites and abandoned land worldwide. These include derelict industrial and mining areas and landfills, which not only waste land resources but also hinder regional vitality. Ecological restoration and reusing these brownfield sites offer a viable solution for achieving sustainable development within the Earth's surface system. Endeavors such as ecological vacations, agricultural development, eco-tourism, and outdoor sports are harmoniously compatible with both ecological restoration and the reuse of brownfield sites. Consequently, integrating these recreational/tourism spaces or industries into the concept of ecological restoration can bolster the revitalization of brownfield sites. Nonetheless, striking a balance between ecological restoration and reusing brownfield sites while ensuring local and regional sustainable development remains a pressing issue that requires resolution.

This Special Issue calls for original research articles and review papers that delve into the spatial characteristics and impacts of ecological restoration and the reuse of brownfield sites, as well as their synergistic evolutionary laws. The Special Issue promotes a unified perspective on brownfield sites and their surrounding areas as a whole territorial system of human–land relations. Drawing upon the regional system theory of man–land relationships and the social–ecological system theory, this Special Issue aims to enhance our holistic, comprehensive, and systematic understanding of the relationship between ecological restoration and the reuse of brownfield sites. It also seeks to explore the treatment of this land and its surrounding area.

This Special Issue welcomes manuscripts that link the following themes:

• The spatial pattern of ecological restoration and the reuse of brownfield sites;
• The co-evolution of ecological restoration and the reuse of brownfield sites;
• Benefits/effects of ecological restoration and the reuse of brownfield sites;
• Case studies of ecological restoration and the reuse of brownfield sites;
• Plans for ecological restoration and the reuse of abandoned regions;
• Policies affecting ecological restoration and the reuse of abandoned regions.

We look forward to receiving your original research articles and reviews.

Dr. Fuyuan Wang
Prof. Dr. Kaiyong Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.