Special Issues

Land publishes Special Issues to create collections of papers on specific topics, with the aim of building a community of authors and readers to discuss the latest research and develop new ideas and research directions. Special Issues are led by Guest Editors, who are experts on the topic and all Special Issue submissions follow MDPI's standard editorial process. The journal’s Editor-in-Chief and/or designated Editorial Board Member will oversee Guest Editor appointments and Special Issue proposals, checking their content for relevance and ensuring the suitability of the material for the journal. The papers published in a Special Issue will be collected and displayed on a dedicated page of the journal’s website. Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies and Guest Editor responsibilities can be found here. For any inquiries related to a Special Issue, please contact the Editorial Office.

Section
Search by Title/Keyword
 
Order results
Display
Results per page
Innovations in Soil Erosion Assessment and Management Along Rivers and Coastal Areas:2nd Edition submission deadline 15 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 2779 | Submission Open
Keywords: soil erosion; assessment; management; modeling; natural and anthropogenic factors; extreme events and climate change; river and coastal dynamics; remote sensing; decision making
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land, Soil and Water)
Spatial Optimization of Land Use: A Perspective on Carbon Emission and Energy Landscape Planning
edited by Jing Huang, Wenjing Han, Chai Duo, Jing Lan and Shan Guo
submission deadline 15 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1373 | Submission Open
Keywords: spatial optimization; land use planning; climate resilience; carbon neutrality; climate change mitigation; environmental impacts; energy transition; resilient energy landscapes; energy infrastructure planning
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Planning and Landscape Architecture)
Reimagining Cities and Landscapes: AI, Sustainability, Exaptation and Inclusive Urban Futures
edited by Alessandro Melis and Antonio Lara-Hernandez
submission deadline 15 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 981 | Submission Open
Keywords: architectural exaptation; adaptive reuse; urban resilience; vacant spaces; sustainable urbanism; socio-ecological design
(This special issue belongs to the Section Urban Contexts and Urban-Rural Interactions)
Potential for Nature-Based Solutions in Urban Green Infrastructure (2nd Edition)
edited by
submission deadline 15 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 93 | Submission Open
Keywords: ecological engineering; ecosystem services; nature-based solutions; green infrastructure; land recycling; land transformation; animal-aided design; sustainable urban drainage; climate adaptation; biotope networks
(This special issue belongs to the Section Urban Contexts and Urban-Rural Interactions)
The 15-Minute City: Land-Use Policy Impacts
edited by , , and Daniela Paddeu
submission deadline 20 Feb 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 7173 | Submission Open
Keywords: 15-minute city model; land use; transport planning; demographic transition
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Planning and Landscape Architecture)
Land, Security, and Digital Transformation
edited by , Kirsikka Riekkinen, , Daniel Paez, and Jaap Zevenbergen
submission deadline 20 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 230 | Submission Open
Keywords: land administration; land management; cadastre; land registration; entrepreneurship; cybersecurity
Urban Spatial Planning for Health and Well-Being
edited by , Zhiqiang Feng, , and
submission deadline 21 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 213 | Submission Open
Keywords: remote sensing and street view image; spatio-temporal statistics and disease mapping; GeoAI and LLM; health impact assessment; urban spatial planning; nature-based solution; walkability and bikeability; sustainable development goal; urban built environment; 15-minute city and well-being
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Planning and Landscape Architecture)
Feature Papers on Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability submission deadline 23 Feb 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 3374 | Submission Open
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
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability)
Vegetation Facing Environmental Changes in Terrestrial Systems: Research, Management and Education submission deadline 25 Feb 2026 | 6 articles | Viewed by 6661 | Submission Open
Keywords: botany; soil science; grasslands; forests; shrublands; dynamics; ecology; teaching; management; climate
(This special issue belongs to the Section Landscape Ecology)
Urban Planning in a Time of Crisis submission deadline 25 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 232 | Submission Open
Keywords: resilience of urban spaces; sustainability in planning of the built environment; green-blue infrastructure; energy consciousness in urban planning; social equality and quality of life in urban spaces; multifunctional spaces and flexibility in urban design; resident safety in urban design
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Planning and Landscape Architecture)
Land Resource Assessment (Second Edition)
edited by and
submission deadline 27 Feb 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1677 | Submission Open
Keywords: land resource efficiency; functional differences evaluation; land resource capitalization; process evaluation and simulation; energy system language and LCA; typical model of land use; ecological security and carrying capacity
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability)
Sustainable Brownfield (Re)Developments Versus Urban Growth Demands: Opportunities and Challenges
edited by
submission deadline 27 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 749 | Submission Open
Keywords: sustainability; urbanization; brownfield; (re)development; urban growth demands; spatial planning; risk assessment; contaminated land
(This special issue belongs to the Section Urban Contexts and Urban-Rural Interactions)
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in Land-Use Systems from Resource-Nexus Perspectives submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 5 articles | Viewed by 8052 | Submission Open
Keywords: SDGs; resource coupling; resource policy; water-energy-food-materials-land nexus; sustainable development
(This special issue belongs to the Section Water, Energy, Land and Food (WELF) Nexus)
Rethinking Rural-Urban Interactions in Terms of Food Security and Agriculture Development
edited by Yingnan Niu, Gaodi Xie and Luoman Pu
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 5 articles | Viewed by 7588 | Submission Open
Keywords: rural– urban interactions; food security; ecological agriculture; agricultural economy; agricultural policy; sustainable development
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Systems and Global Change)
Urban Forestry Dynamics: Management and Mechanization submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 6293 | Submission Open
Keywords: urban forest; mechanization; urban forest operations; soil impact; environmental effects; technical and economic performance; new technologies
(This special issue belongs to the Section Landscape Ecology)
Urban Green Spaces: An Effective Tool to Regulate Urban Climate and Biodiversity, 2nd Edition submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 6044 | Submission Open
Keywords: urban green spaces; urban climate and climate change in cities; urban biodiversity; urban trees and vegetation management; meteorological monitoring of urban green areas; Urban Heat Island (UHI) and Urban Cool Island (UCI); thermal comfort; natural and artificial climate-friendly materials; nature-based solutions and good practices in cities; plant species selection criteria in cities; water and maintenance requirements of urban vegetation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Urban Contexts and Urban-Rural Interactions)
Rural Social Movements and the Question of the Land in the 21st Century
edited by
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 5893 | Submission Open
Keywords: rural social movements; agroecology; land grabbing and the defense of land and territory; food sovereignty; peasant and indigenous autonomy; land and territory; peasants and indigenous people
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Socio-Economic and Political Issues)
Grassland Ecosystem Services: Research Advances and Future Directions for Sustainability: 3rd Edition submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 5 articles | Viewed by 4362 | Submission Open
Keywords: grassland abandonment; grassland ecology; grassland management; grassland biodiversity; grassland hydrology; issues and threats; supporting; provisioning; regulating and cultural grassland ecosystem services; grass cultivation and management
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land, Biodiversity, and Human Wellbeing)
Land Use/Land Cover Mapping Changes Using Earth Observations Techniques
edited by , , Bertrand Ygorra and
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 3902 | Submission Open
Keywords: land use; land cover; land use and land cover dynamics; passive and active remote sensing; artificial intelligence; spatio-temporal dynamics
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land – Observation and Monitoring)
Net Zero Target and Land Use in Agriculture and Forestry: Carbon Auditing, Offsetting and Trading
edited by
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 3178 | Submission Open
Keywords: net zero emissions; agricultural and forestry land use strategies; artificial intelligence; carbon auditing; carbon offsetting; carbon trading; climate change mitigation; sustainable agriculture and forestry; emissions management; greenhouse gas reduction; artificial intelligence; emission factor databases
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Socio-Economic and Political Issues)
The Mechanism of Land-Water Interaction and Management Strategies: Recent Discoveries and the Way Forward submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 3019 | Submission Open
Keywords: land use change; hydrological processes; models; hydrological variables; runoff; infiltration
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Systems and Global Change)
Urban, Rural, and Agricultural Infrastructures for Resource Recovery: Fostering Environmental Sustainability, Ecological Balance, and a Resilient Circular Bioeconomy
edited by , Teodoro Gallucci and
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1509 | Submission Open
(This special issue belongs to the Section Water, Energy, Land and Food (WELF) Nexus)
Science-Based Approaches to Promote Sustainable Land and Resource Management in Protected Areas: Latest Insights from the Fields of Geography and Recreation Ecology
edited by Ting Wang, and
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1166 | Submission Open
Keywords: protected areas; recreation use; impacts monitoring; visitor management; voluntary data analysis; partnership; resource management; participatory assessment approach
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Socio-Economic and Political Issues)
Geodiversity, Land Use and Ecosystem Services: Integrating Abiotic and Biotic Perspectives of Regional Development with Methodological Advances
edited by Ana Vovk, Laura Melelli and
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1163 | Submission Open
Keywords: geodiversity; ecosystem services; geosystem services; abiotic-biotic interactions; sustainable land management; biodiversity and resilience; geoconservation; diversity evaluation techniques
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability)
Eco-Sensitive Areas: Ecosystem Services, Protected Lands, and Current Challenges (Third Edition)
edited by , and Mingjie Song
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 634 | Submission Open
Keywords: ecosystem services; protected lands; eco-sensitive areas; Tibetan Plateau; land use/cover change; ecological compensation; anthropogenic activities; ecosystem restoration; ecosystem services trade-off
(This special issue belongs to the Section Landscape Ecology)
AI-Enabled Decision Support Systems for Sustainable Agricultural Land Use submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 271 | Submission Open
Keywords: artificial intelligence in land use; agricultural decision support systems (DSS); sustainable agriculture; precision agriculture; smart farming; machine learning for soil and crop analysis; deep learning for remote sensing; spatial decision support systems (SDSS); climate-smart agriculture; AI for land degradation assessment; land suitability mapping; internet of things (IoT) in agriculture; big data analytics for agroecosystems; multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA); environmental sustainability and land use
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Socio-Economic and Political Issues)
National Parks and Natural Protected Area Systems
edited by , Liang Li and Liyuan Qian
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 229 | Submission Open
Keywords: national park management; natural protected area system construction; ecological connectivity; biodiversity conservation; climate change; ecosystem governance; urban threats; tourism control; human– environment interation; restoration
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Planning and Landscape Architecture)
Urban Morphology: A Perspective from Space (3rd Edition)
edited by and Nicola Marzot
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 186 | Submission Open
Keywords: urban morphology; public space; urban design; new technologies; trans-disciplinarity
(This special issue belongs to the Section Urban Contexts and Urban-Rural Interactions)
Land Use Sustainability from the Viewpoint of Carbon Emission: 3rd Edition submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 183 | Submission Open
Keywords: land use; sustainability; carbon emissions; carbon emissions neutrality; carbon source; carbon sink; climate change; agriculture; forestry
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Systems and Global Change)
Feature Papers for Land Systems and Global Change Section: 3rd Edition
edited by , , Zhenrong Du and
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 179 | Submission Open
Keywords: land system; global change; datasets; models; time series
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Systems and Global Change)
Urban Planning Innovation Based on Big-Data, AI, and Digital Technology
edited by , Sungjoo Hwang, Seungho Yang and Jihyon Hwang
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 141 | Submission Open
Keywords: urban planning innovation; big data analytics; artificial intelligence (AI); digital technology; data-driven urban governance; sustainable and resilient cities; urban informatics; integrating AI with planning theory
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Planning and Landscape Architecture)
Smart Green Infrastructure: Nature-Based Solutions for Sustainable Urban Spatial Planning and Resilient Cities
edited by Hrvoje Tomić, , Josip Križanović, and
submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 62 | Submission Open
Keywords: land administration; green infrastructure; spatial data infrastructure; sustainable development goals; resilient cities; urban growth
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Planning and Landscape Architecture)
Ecosystem and Biodiversity Conservation in Protected Areas
edited by and Gregory E. Eckert
submission deadline 1 Mar 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 4556 | Submission Open
Keywords: ecosystem condition assessment; ecosystem degradation; landscape dynamics; alteration; and stress; place-based conservation priorities; ecosystem management and restoration; socio-ecological systems; climate change vulnerability and adaptation; biodiversity conservation planning; ecosystem monitoring
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land, Biodiversity, and Human Wellbeing)
Spatial Patterns and Urban Indicators on Land Use and Climate Change
edited by , Ayiine-Etigo David and
submission deadline 1 Mar 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1582 | Submission Open
Keywords: urban planning; land use prediction; land use change; climate change; spatial analysis; GIS; scenario simulation; spatial metrics
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Planning and Landscape Architecture)
Integrating Spatial Analysis into Sustainable Urban Planning
edited by Apostolos Lagarias, and
submission deadline 1 Mar 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1178 | Submission Open
Keywords: spatial analysis; urban planning; land use modelling; sustainable development; policy making; environmental management; risk management; climate change
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Planning and Landscape Architecture)
Sustainable Water and Soil Conservation and Management for Agriculture submission deadline 3 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 143 | Submission Open
Keywords: precision irrigation; conservation agriculture; water-footprint assessment; soil mapping; organic amendments; remote sensing monitoring
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land, Soil and Water)
Blue-Green Infrastructure and Territorial Planning
edited by , and Adriana Piperno
submission deadline 5 Mar 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1620 | Submission Open
Keywords: blue-green infrastructure; hybrid infrastructure; nature-based solutions; sustainable territory planning; climate change adaptation; sponge watersheds
Strategic Planning for Urban Sustainability (Second Edition) submission deadline 11 Mar 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1728 | Submission Open
Keywords: infill redevelopment; urban and suburban retrofit; novel approaches to land use planning; new forms of eco-urbanism; land use planning strategies; tools; and instruments; coordinated land use and transportation planning interventions; land markets and sustainable urbanism; greenway planning and urbanization; parks and urban growth; infrastructure and commercial interventions; science and business parks; vacant land and community economic development; green gentrification; land value capture mechanisms
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Planning and Landscape Architecture)
Sustainable Forest Landscape Management Towards Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity (Second Edition) submission deadline 13 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 110 | Submission Open
Keywords: sustainable forestry; ecosystem services; biodiversity conservation; multi-objective forest planning; synergies and trade-offs; landscape management
(This special issue belongs to the Section Landscape Ecology)
Builders of the Middle Landscape: The Role of Urban Elites in the Construction of Rural Landscapes Between Antiquity and the Renaissance
edited by and Julio Navarro Palazón
submission deadline 15 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 390 | Submission Open
Keywords: antiquity; middle ages; renaissance; villa; almunia; periurban; rural landscape; urban elites
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Planning and Landscape Architecture)
Relationship Between Land Use and Land Degradation
edited by Dajing Li, Hongqi Zhang and Fang Liu
submission deadline 15 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 375 | Submission Open
Keywords: land-use/cover change; land degradation; desertification; human activities; ecosystem services; ecologically fragile regions; sustainable development
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability)
Navigating the Balance: The Role of National Parks in Ecological Conservation and Socioeconomic Development, 2nd Edition
edited by and Lihua Zhou
submission deadline 16 Mar 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 909 | Submission Open
Keywords: sustainable development goals; national parks; mode of management; socioeconomic development; conservation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Socio-Economic and Political Issues)
Land Degradation: Global Challenges and Sustainable Solutions submission deadline 17 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 186 | Submission Open
Keywords: land degradation; sustainable land management; soil quality and health; remote sensing; GIS; artificial intelligence; land degradation neutrality (LDN); policy evaluation; participatory approaches; interdisciplinary research
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability)
Emerging Technologies Towards Sustainable Urban Transitions
edited by and
submission deadline 20 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 347 | Submission Open
Keywords: sustainable urban transitions; artificial intelligence; sustainable land management; smart cities; cultural heritage; sustainable transportation; heat islands; urban microclimate; urban regeneration
(This special issue belongs to the Section Urban Contexts and Urban-Rural Interactions)
The Second Edition: Ecosystem Services Design from Single Space Solution to Landscape Vision
edited by
submission deadline 20 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 153 | Submission Open
Keywords: ecosystem services design; landscape and urban planning; natural-based solutions; green infrastructure; ecological restoration
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Planning and Landscape Architecture)
Feature Papers for Land, Biodiversity, and Human Wellbeing Section, Second Edition
edited by
submission deadline 20 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 81 | Submission Open
Keywords: land-change dynamics; biodiversity; human wellbeing; resilience; conservation planning
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land, Biodiversity, and Human Wellbeing)
Urban Landscapes for Well-Being: Designing Resilient Spaces for Healthier Communities
edited by , and
submission deadline 26 Mar 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1202 | Submission Open
Keywords: resilient cities; urban resilience; urban landscapes; human well-being; ecosystem services; information services; spatial governance
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Planning and Landscape Architecture)
Land and Green Infrastructure Synergies: Advancing Ecological and Social Sustainability in Urban Environments submission deadline 28 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 57 | Submission Open
Keywords: green infrastructure; urban sustainability; land use and land cover change; climate adaptation and resilience; environmental justice and equity; spatial analysis and GIS; blue– green infrastructure; participatory modeling and co-production; GeoAI and machine learning
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability)
Critical Insights on Tenure Security in the Global South
edited by and
submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 10904 | Submission Open
(This special issue belongs to the Section Land Socio-Economic and Political Issues)
Advances in the Evolution of the Geomorphological Landscape of Urbanized Areas submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 7906 | Submission Open
Keywords: landscape ecology; urbanized areas; geodiversity; geoinformation; topography; relief
(This special issue belongs to the Section Landscape Ecology)
Back to TopTop