Urban Ecological Indicators: Land Use and Coverage

Dear Colleagues,

The themes of land consumption and land use planning in urban environments have become key elements in city management, given the increasing pressure of urbanization, the growing impact of climate change, and the challenge posed by social inequalities. In this context, the development of urban ecological indicators has become a pivotal research area, as they enable the interpretation of eco-social processes and support the planning of sustainable urban development. The growing need to analyze and govern urban processes has highlighted the necessity of developing robust analytical frameworks that integrate land use, land cover, and public space management with considerations of ecological and human health.

The relationship between urban land use and ecological dynamics is a complex and bidirectional process. Both formal and informal territorial planning influence biodiversity, the quality of resources and ecosystems, and human and animal health within a One Health framework. At the same time, accessibility to public spaces, their walkability and inclusivity, and their connection with green infrastructure play crucial roles in determining health outcomes and social well-being.

Urban ecological indicators serve as key metrics for monitoring these interactions and guiding evidence-based policies aimed at fostering more livable, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable cities. By advancing the scientific understanding of these relationships, this Special Issue seeks to contribute to the development of urban planning strategies that promote ecological balance and social resilience.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect high-quality research articles and review papers that explore innovative methodologies, applications, and case studies related to urban ecological indicators in the context of land use and land cover. In particular, we encourage the submission of research studies that investigate these themes through an applied approach, leveraging qualitative or quantitative analyses of real-world data to connect the core topic of this Special Issue with environmental sustainability, equity, and urban resilience.

This topic aligns with the scope of Land by integrating urban planning—alongside a specific focus on public space and active mobility—with landscape ecology, environmental sustainability, and the social determinants of health. We encourage contributions that adopt interdisciplinary approaches, incorporating geospatial analysis, environmental and epidemiological monitoring, participatory methodologies, and policy evaluation.

A secondary objective is to provide concrete insights not only for new development and planning strategies but, more importantly, for the regeneration of already urbanized or anthropized areas, ensuring a more sustainable and equitable urban transition.

This Special Issue welcomes contributions that explore the role of urban ecological indicators across different spatial, environmental, and socio-economic dimensions. We invite both original research articles and review papers on topics including, but not limited to, the following:

• Geospatial and remote sensing approaches to land use and land cover change;
• Urban biodiversity and ecosystem services assessment through ecological indicators;
• Walkability, accessibility, and the role of public spaces in urban health;
• Green and blue infrastructure as resilience strategies against climate change;
• One Health approaches in urban ecological assessment;
• The integration of ecological indicators into urban planning and policy-making;
• Environmental justice and equity in the distribution of green and public spaces;
• Citizen science and participatory approaches in urban ecological monitoring.

We look forward to receiving high-quality submissions that contribute to advancing knowledge in this area and supporting evidence-based urban sustainability strategies.

Dr. Lorenzo Paglione
Dr. Keti Lelo
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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.

• urban ecological indicators
• land use and land cover change
• green and blue infrastructure and ecological networks
• environmental justice and equity
• walkability and public space accessibility