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Land
Special Issues
Feature Papers on Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability
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Feature Papers on Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 23 February 2026 | Viewed by 6183

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lucia Rocchi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Interests: natural resource management; spatial multi criteria assessment; ecosystem service assessment and management; decision support system
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Giovanni Ottomano Palmisano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70121 Bari, Italy
Interests: sustainable rural development; agro-food economics; sustainable food systems; territorial planning; decision analysis; sustainability assessment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a call for submissions to the “Feature Paper for Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability”. This Special Issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research, critical reviews, and novel case studies that explore the dynamic interplay between land use practices, environmental and social impact assessments, and pathways toward sustainable development. Land use and land management have significant socio-cultural, economic, and ecological impacts, affecting sustainability from local to global scales. Understanding such impacts is a crucial aspect of advancing sustainable land use and management practices, in particular in the context of the restoration of natural ecosystems or disturbed environments, such as the peri-urban areas.

This Special Issue particularly welcomes studies on land use and management, practices and policies, and their impacts on all the dimensions of sustainability. We invite the submission of papers that address assessment and evaluation methods and frameworks (ecosystem services/nature’s contributions to people's wellbeing, multifunctionality, and sustainability), the development of indicators and indices, and the presentation of approaches to how land use and land management can be transformed to improved sustainability.

We invite high-quality contributions that address (but are not limited to) the following themes:

  • Integrated land use planning and policy;
  • Environmental and social impact assessment methodologies;
  • Sustainable land management and restoration;
  • Land use change and its implications for climate, biodiversity, and water;
  • Urbanization and green infrastructure development;
  • Restoration of natural ecosystems;
  • Nature-based solution for sustainable land management;
  • Cross-sectoral and transdisciplinary approaches to sustainability.

Dr. Lucia Rocchi
Dr. Giovanni Ottomano Palmisano
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.

Keywords

  • land use and land management policies
  • land use and land management practices
  • land use impact assessment
  • sustainable land management
  • land use decision making
  • nature restoration

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 4504 KB  
Article
Unveiling the Spatiotemporal Drivers of Green Utilization Efficiency of Cultivated Land in China: A PEST-GTWR Framework
by Mengyao Zhang, Quanfeng Li, Bonoua Faye and Anran Yang
Land 2025, 14(12), 2329; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14122329 - 27 Nov 2025
Viewed by 271
Abstract
Promoting green utilization of cultivated land is the key to balancing resource use and ecological capacity. However, its working mechanisms are still unclear. This study attempts to address this empirical research gap through a three-stage cyclic system (Input-State-Output). It employed the PEST framework [...] Read more.
Promoting green utilization of cultivated land is the key to balancing resource use and ecological capacity. However, its working mechanisms are still unclear. This study attempts to address this empirical research gap through a three-stage cyclic system (Input-State-Output). It employed the PEST framework (Politics, Economy, Society, Technology) to identify external drivers. Using advanced methods, including the Super-SBM model, Dagum Gini coefficient, and Kernel density estimation, this paper mapped the spatiotemporal drivers of China’s green utilization efficiency of cultivated land (GUECL) between 2000 and 2020. The results indicate that despite some variation, the GUECL exhibited a distinct upward tendency over the study period. Spatially, efficiency was highest in northeastern China, while eastern and western China indicated moderate efficiency, and it was the lowest in central China. Regional differences generally narrowed, with trans-variation remaining the primary source of differences. External drivers varied across regions. At the national level, fiscal support and the R&D staff reduced GUECL, while economic growth increased it. In contrast, at the regional level, environmental regulation helped in western China, while income disparity boosted it in central China. Moreover, farm size and machinery use promoted GUECL in the eastern, central, and northeastern China, while cropping intensity and farmer education had positive effects in the central and eastern regions. This study provides a scientific foundation for developing region-specific strategies to promote the green utilization of cultivated land. It provides a valuable Chinese case for global research on sustainable land use. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers on Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability)
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28 pages, 3955 KB  
Article
Integrating Ecosystem Services into Urban Carbon Dynamics: A Dual-Scale Spatial Analysis of Land Use, Emissions, and Planning
by Carmelina Bevilacqua, Poya Sohrabi and Nourhan Hamdy
Land 2025, 14(11), 2286; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14112286 - 19 Nov 2025
Viewed by 417
Abstract
Integrating ecosystem services into urban planning requires analytical tools that connect spatial land-use data with environmental performance. This paper applies a multi-scale, data-driven approach to assess urban carbon dynamics using spatial units that reflect both ecological functions and planning relevance. The study examines [...] Read more.
Integrating ecosystem services into urban planning requires analytical tools that connect spatial land-use data with environmental performance. This paper applies a multi-scale, data-driven approach to assess urban carbon dynamics using spatial units that reflect both ecological functions and planning relevance. The study examines the Reggio Calabria Functional Urban Area (FUA) in Southern Italy, using Copernicus Urban Atlas land-use data to characterize spatial patterns and estimate CO2 emissions and sequestration using parameters derived from established literature and institutional sources. A Spatial Durbin Model (SDM) identifies land uses with direct and spillover effects, revealing how spatial organization shapes urban carbon outcomes. Results reveal a net emission imbalance of approximately 1.85 billion kg CO2 per year, confirming the region’s role as a net emitter. Transport corridors and discontinuous low-density urban areas show the strongest positive SDM coefficients (+3.48 and +0.78 kg CO2 m−2 yr−1, respectively). Forests and agricultural lands show negative effects, indicating potential sequestration functions, though not statistically significant. This suggests that natural and semi-natural land uses contribute little to measurable CO2 reduction within the FUA. Emissions and sinks display a polarized spatial pattern, with coastal urban zones acting as hotspots and inland areas serving as potential sinks. These findings underscore the need to strengthen ecological connectivity and integrate green infrastructure within dense urban areas to enhance mitigation capacity. The proposed framework shows how spatially explicit, hierarchical analysis can bridge ecosystem services and urban planning, offering a replicable basis for data-informed, climate-responsive strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers on Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability)
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23 pages, 9213 KB  
Article
Hospital-Oriented Development (HOD): A Quantitative Morphological Analysis for Collaborative Development of Healthcare and Daily Life
by Ziyi Chen, Yizhuo Wang, Hua Zhang, Jingmeng Lei, Haochun Tan, Xuan Wang and Yu Ye
Land 2025, 14(10), 1996; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14101996 - 4 Oct 2025
Viewed by 821
Abstract
With the global trend of population aging, human-centered development that integrates medical convenience with daily life quality has become a critical necessity. However, conceptual frameworks, evaluation methods, and spatial prototypes for such ‘healthcare–daily-life’ development remain limited. This study proposes Hospital-Oriented Development (HOD) as [...] Read more.
With the global trend of population aging, human-centered development that integrates medical convenience with daily life quality has become a critical necessity. However, conceptual frameworks, evaluation methods, and spatial prototypes for such ‘healthcare–daily-life’ development remain limited. This study proposes Hospital-Oriented Development (HOD) as a framework to promote collaborative development by considering both hospital accessibility and urban development intensity, derived from multi-sourced urban data. First, a conceptual framework was established, consisting of three dimensions, i.e., network accessibility, facility completeness, and environmental comfort, which was then characterized by twelve indicators based on urban morphological features. Second, these indicators were quantitatively evaluated through detailed values measured among 20 exemplary hospitals in Shanghai selected via user-generated content. Finally, HOD performance and morphology informed the spatial prototype. The results reveal confidence intervals for each indicator and recommended spatial features. Numerically, there was a positive correlation between facility completeness and network accessibility, but a negative correlation with environmental comfort. Spatially, a context-specific HOD prototype for China was developed. This study proposes the concept of HOD, delivers quantitative measurements, and develops a spatial prototype via empirical research, providing theoretical insights and evidence to support the improvement in healthcare environments from a human-centered perspective. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers on Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability)
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18 pages, 1092 KB  
Article
Perception over Possession: How Farmers’ Subjective Tenure Security and Forest Certification Drive Sustainable Bamboo Management
by Yuan Huang and Yali Wen
Land 2025, 14(10), 1979; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14101979 - 1 Oct 2025
Viewed by 423
Abstract
Against the backdrop of China’s large-scale collective forest tenure reform, examining the actual effects of land policies at the household level is crucial for advancing sustainable forestry. This study aims to comprehensively analyze the impacts of tenure formalization (forest tenure certificates) and market-based [...] Read more.
Against the backdrop of China’s large-scale collective forest tenure reform, examining the actual effects of land policies at the household level is crucial for advancing sustainable forestry. This study aims to comprehensively analyze the impacts of tenure formalization (forest tenure certificates) and market-based incentives (bamboo forest certification) on household production inputs and harvesting behavior by disentangling the objective implementation of policies from households’ subjective perceptions. Based on survey data from 1090 households in Fujian Province, China, and employing double-hurdle and Tobit models, this study reveals a central finding: households’ management decisions are driven more strongly by their subjective perceptions than by objectively held policy instruments. Specifically, perceived tenure security serves as a key incentive for increasing production inputs and adopting long-term harvesting plans, whereas the mere possession of forest tenure certificates exhibits limited direct effects. Similarly, households’ positive expectations about the market value enhancement from bamboo forest certification significantly promote investments and sustainable harvesting practices—an effect substantially greater than that of mere participation in certification. Consequently, this study argues that the successful implementation of land governance policies depends not only on the rollout of instruments but, more critically, on fostering households’ trust and positive perceptions of policies’ long-term value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers on Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability)
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24 pages, 27143 KB  
Article
Assessing Stream Bank Erosion with a Visual Assessment Protocol in Streams Around Drama City, Greece
by Georgios Pagonis, Georgios Gkiatas, Paschalis Koutalakis, Valasia Iakovoglou and George N. Zaimes
Land 2025, 14(10), 1963; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14101963 - 29 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1645
Abstract
Stream bank erosion poses significant threats to societal well-being and ecosystem services. Despite its importance, studies in Greece have been limited. This study evaluated stream bank erosion categories using the geographic information system (GIS) and the Bank Erosion Hazard Index (BEHI). Five stream [...] Read more.
Stream bank erosion poses significant threats to societal well-being and ecosystem services. Despite its importance, studies in Greece have been limited. This study evaluated stream bank erosion categories using the geographic information system (GIS) and the Bank Erosion Hazard Index (BEHI). Five stream reaches with different characteristics were selected near Drama, Greece. The GIS was used to map the stream and riparian area characteristics and to locate the BEHI sampling plots. The BEHI was employed to classify bank erosion vulnerability. The Categorical Principal Components Analysis (CatPCA) analysis was used to determine the factors that influence erosion. The study reaches, except for one, had high, very high, and extreme stream bank erosion exceeding 28%. Two reaches had greater than 40% of the banks without erosion. Substantial differences in erosion categories (%) were detected due to different fluvio-geomorphologic and anthropogenic pressures. Based on the CatPCA, agricultural and urbanized riparian areas experienced high, very high, and extreme bank erosion. Reaches with perennial flow had limited erosion. In addition, straight reaches had many human interventions. Although mitigation measures had been taken, they have not been effective. Thus, the responsible authorities should consider adopting nature-based solutions to maintain and restore riverine and riparian areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers on Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability)
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27 pages, 66863 KB  
Article
How Do Land Use/Cover Changes Influence Air Quality in Türkiye? A Satellite-Based Assessment
by Mehmet Ali Çelik, Adile Bilik, Muhammed Ernur Akiner and Dessalegn Obsi Gemeda
Land 2025, 14(10), 1945; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14101945 - 25 Sep 2025
Viewed by 2169
Abstract
Air pollution critically impacts global health, climate change, and ecosystem balance. In Türkiye, rapid population growth, urban expansion, and industrial activities lead to significant land use and cover changes, negatively affecting air quality. This study examined the relationship between land use and land [...] Read more.
Air pollution critically impacts global health, climate change, and ecosystem balance. In Türkiye, rapid population growth, urban expansion, and industrial activities lead to significant land use and cover changes, negatively affecting air quality. This study examined the relationship between land use and land cover changes and six key pollutants (sulfur dioxide, ozone, aerosol index, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and formaldehyde) using TROPOMI/Sentinel-5P and European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative data between 2018 and 2024. Satellite-based remote sensing techniques, MODIS data, land surface temperature, and Normalized Vegetation Index analyses were employed. The findings revealed that nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide emissions increase with urban expansion and traffic density in metropolitan areas (Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir), while agriculture and deforestation increase aerosol index levels in inland areas. Additionally, photochemical reactions increased surface ozone in the Mediterranean and Aegean regions. At the same time, sulfur dioxide and formaldehyde concentrations reached high levels in highly industrialized and metropolitan cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. This study highlights the role of green infrastructure in improving air quality and provides data-based recommendations for sustainable land management and urban planning policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers on Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability)
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