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Sustainable Land Use and Management, 2nd Edition
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Sustainable Land Use and Management, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sustainability and Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 14765

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lu Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Public Administration, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
Interests: land use and management; land carbon metabolism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Bing Kuang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Public Administration, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
Interests: land use; cultivated land protection
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Bohan Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Public Administration, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
Interests: land system change; land resource allocation; land use modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the rapid progress of urbanization and social economy, the utilization and protection of land have become one of the great social problems in many countries. Rapid and excessive urbanization has not only brought significant challenges to the sustainable use and management of urban land, but also imposed far-reaching, negative implications on farmland use as well as ecological environment protection, as both urban and rural land are faced with overexploitation, and the harmony of the human–land system has yielded to discord. Unreasonable land-use planning and allocation are gradually reducing the efficiency and sustainability of urban land use, and also branching out the conversion scale of farmland to construction land. However, farmland reduction and urbanization not only give rise to ecological environmental issues, such as farmland degradation, environmental pollution, carbon emission increases, and so on, but also induce many social problems around land interests. We hope that if sustainable development and a harmonious human–land relationship can be integrated into the land-use planning and management processes, it will be possible to fulfill the diversified requirements of urbanization and minimize adverse ecological and social impacts at the same time.

This Special Issue intends to collect recent diverse studies regarding sustainable land use and management from different research perspectives, with the ultimate aim of contributing to the global challenges of the sustainable urban and rural development in the rapidly urbanizing world. We seek original and innovative academic papers concerning land-use planning as well as its social and ecological effects, preferably for making use of big data, GIS, system simulation, social networks, etc. Planning approaches and policy analysis are also welcomed, as land-use planning and management depend, to a high degree, on authorities and governance models in many countries and regions.

Relevant topics include but are not limited to the following areas:

  • Urban/rural land use planning and allocation;
  • Urban/rural land use and sustainable development;
  • Sustainable urban land management approaches;
  • Planning and public policy analysis in urban areas;
  • Rural land use and land conflicts;
  • Sustainable rural land management approaches;
  • Low-carbon-oriented land use allocation;
  • Resilience and sustainable intensification of cultivated land systems.

Dr. Lu Zhang
Dr. Bing Kuang
Dr. Bohan Yang
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. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2400 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 planning and management
  • land overexploitation
  • the harmony of the human–land system
  • sustainable development
  • big data
  • system simulation

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 6966 KiB  
Article
Temporal and Spatial Analysis of the Environmental State of the Valencia Plain Aquifer Area Using the Weighted Environmental Index (WEI)
by Javier Rodrigo-Ilarri, Claudia P. Romero-Hernández, Sergio Salazar-Galán and María-Elena Rodrigo-Clavero
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 5921; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17135921 - 27 Jun 2025
Viewed by 322
Abstract
This article analyses the impact of urban sprawl on the Valencia Plain aquifer system from 1990 to 2018, focusing on land use and land cover (LULC) changes and their environmental implications. The study applies the Weighted Environmental Index (WEI), a composite indicator based [...] Read more.
This article analyses the impact of urban sprawl on the Valencia Plain aquifer system from 1990 to 2018, focusing on land use and land cover (LULC) changes and their environmental implications. The study applies the Weighted Environmental Index (WEI), a composite indicator based on a functional landscape perspective, to quantify changes in the environmental value over time. The WEI combines CORINE Land Cover and World Settlement Footprint data to enhance spatial resolution and urban land detection. The results show a significant territorial transformation, with urban surfaces expanding by 70% and rainfed agricultural areas declining by over 59%. Consequently, the WEI decreased from 44.80 in 1990 to 40.68 in 2018, representing a 9.2% reduction in the environmental value. These changes threaten the sustainability of key ecosystems such as the Albufera Natural Park and indicate a reduced capacity to deliver ecosystem services, including aquifer recharging, biodiversity conservation, and climate regulation. The findings underscore the need for integrated land-use planning, the protection of peri-urban agricultural areas, and the implementation of nature-based solutions to counteract the environmental impacts of urban growth in Mediterranean metropolitan contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Land Use and Management, 2nd Edition)
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34 pages, 27483 KiB  
Article
Sustainability Benefit Evaluation and Optimization of Rural Public Spaces Under Self-Organization Theory
by Zhixiu Li, Shixi Cheng, Lin Xiao, Yangyang Wei and Tianchuan Fang
Sustainability 2025, 17(3), 1019; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17031019 - 26 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1386
Abstract
Agriculture-oriented rural areas represent one of the forms of specialized agricultural practices and economic development. Public spaces serve as critical carriers within the rural spatial system. Rural public spaces are divided into two forms: explicit spaces and implicit spaces. The interaction between these [...] Read more.
Agriculture-oriented rural areas represent one of the forms of specialized agricultural practices and economic development. Public spaces serve as critical carriers within the rural spatial system. Rural public spaces are divided into two forms: explicit spaces and implicit spaces. The interaction between these forms significantly influences the morphological evolution of rural public spaces. This study takes the ancient village cluster in Anyi, Nanchang City, China as a case study. By collecting POI (Point of Interest) data and conducting surveys on visitors’ landscape preferences, it employs a life circle spatial division method and the VEISD (Village Evaluation Indicators for Sustainable Development) entropy model to evaluate the sustainability benefits of rural public spaces. Based on the evaluation results, the study proposes a control and guidance method for public spaces under self-organization theory. This method leverages the interference effects of explicit rural public spaces on implicit spaces to optimize rural public spaces. The study focuses on the planning and renovation of public space nodes in Luotian Village. By adjusting the sub-indicator “Village Public Environment Construction D22”, it validates the scientific robustness of the systems analysis theory and the VEISD framework. By adjusting the spatial layout and attributes of a critical spatial node—the Ancient Camphor Tree Square in Luotian Village—within rural public space planning, the study advances the guidance and control of public spaces during the self-organization evolution of rural areas. It enhances the openness of spatial forms and the functional integration of public space nodes. The results demonstrate that this method can analyze the vitality characteristics of factors within subsystems through the layout and indicator system of rural public spaces. It also validates the findings via correlation tests with the demands for POI and landscape preferences, ultimately constructing the VEISD framework for rural public spaces. This research provides theoretical support for optimizing the resource transformation and utilization of rural public spaces, offering a reference model for the sustainable development of rural areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Land Use and Management, 2nd Edition)
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33 pages, 919 KiB  
Article
Customised Methodology to Assess and Measure Effectiveness of Integrated Landscape Management Relevant Multi-Stakeholder Transformative Governance, Incorporating Rights-Based Planning and Tenure Aspects, Applied in Kenya, Nigeria, and Viet Nam
by Louisa J. M. Jansen and Patrick P. Kalas
Sustainability 2024, 16(21), 9312; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16219312 - 26 Oct 2024
Viewed by 2401
Abstract
Different thinking and strategies are needed to transform our food systems at different scales. Food systems can be changed towards a more sustainable path through multi-stakeholder transformative governance at the landscape level because that is where national-level visions, objectives, and policies meet with [...] Read more.
Different thinking and strategies are needed to transform our food systems at different scales. Food systems can be changed towards a more sustainable path through multi-stakeholder transformative governance at the landscape level because that is where national-level visions, objectives, and policies meet with local practice, priorities, and actions. Concrete and practical guidance on how to effectively put a multi-stakeholder transformative governance process into practice is missing. Through the Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded ‘Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration Impact Programme’, led by the World Bank, countries are supported in integrated landscape management (ILM) to ensure that production systems are embedded within wider landscapes to safeguard the natural capital and ecosystem services on which they depend. A customised methodology to assess and measure the effectiveness of ILM-relevant multi-stakeholder transformative governance, incorporating rights-based planning and tenure aspects, has been developed that makes governance explicit in the ILM process. This methodology aims to improve landscape-level institutional coordination, coherence, and collaboration through enhanced horizontal and vertical coordination and network dynamics. The conceptual framework of the customised methodology and how to operationalise it are explained and illustrated with the application in the country projects in Kenya, Nigeria, and Viet Nam. Making transformative governance explicit within the ILM process at the landscape level will require investments in time and capabilities, but allows governance to act as a catalyst towards more sustainable pathways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Land Use and Management, 2nd Edition)
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23 pages, 14734 KiB  
Article
Improvement of Spatio-Temporal Inconsistency of Time Series Land Cover Products
by Ling Zhu, Jun Liu, Shuyuan Jiang and Jingyi Zhang
Sustainability 2024, 16(18), 8127; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188127 - 18 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1207
Abstract
In recent years, time series land cover products have been developed rapidly. However, the traditional classification strategy rarely considers time continuity and spatial consistency, which leads to the existence of unreasonable changes among the multi-period products. In order to solve the existing problems, [...] Read more.
In recent years, time series land cover products have been developed rapidly. However, the traditional classification strategy rarely considers time continuity and spatial consistency, which leads to the existence of unreasonable changes among the multi-period products. In order to solve the existing problems, this paper proposes a matrix decomposition model and an optimized hidden Markov model (HMM) to improve the consistency of the time series land cover maps. It also compares the results with the spatio-temporal window filtering model. The spatial weight information is introduced into the singular value decomposition (SVD) model, and the regression model is constructed by combining the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the image to predict the unreasonable variable pixels and complete the construction of the matrix decomposition model. To solve the two problems of reliance on expert experience and lack of spatial relationships, this paper optimizes the model and proposes the HMM Land Cover Transition (HMM_LCT) model. The overall accuracy of the matrix decomposition model and the HMM_LCT model is 90.74% and 89.87%, respectively. It is found that the matrix decomposition model has a better effect on consistency adjustment than the HMM_LCT model. The matrix decomposition model can also adjust the land cover trajectory to better express the changing trend of surface objects. After consistent adjustment by the matrix decomposition model, the cumulative proportion of the first 15 types of land cover trajectories reached 99.47%, of which 83.01% were stable land classes that had not changed for three years. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Land Use and Management, 2nd Edition)
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12 pages, 3391 KiB  
Article
Analysis of the Utilization of Vacant Houses and Extraction of Regional Characteristics Using Travel Information Data
by Aoto Sasaki, Yuma Morisaki and Makoto Fujiu
Sustainability 2024, 16(16), 6824; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16166824 - 9 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1678
Abstract
The number of vacant houses in Japan has increased rapidly in recent years due to a declining population. The government has been actively developing measures to solve the vacant house problem and has implemented subsidy programs to support the expansion of vacant house [...] Read more.
The number of vacant houses in Japan has increased rapidly in recent years due to a declining population. The government has been actively developing measures to solve the vacant house problem and has implemented subsidy programs to support the expansion of vacant house utilization projects. Japan has a particularly high number of vacant houses that are utilized for the purpose of “tourism”. However, vacant house utilization projects are scattered across Japan, and information on such projects is lacking. Moreover, the correlation between different vacant house utilization projects and their location characteristics has not been investigated. In this study, we used a travel information website to extract vacant house utilization facilities from the locations listed and determined the location characteristics of the utilization facilities. We classified the extracted utilization facilities into different categories and used the k-means method to group vacant house utilization facilities according to their categories and regional characteristics. The results obtained in this study can help local governments and businesses implement appropriate location-specific utilization projects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Land Use and Management, 2nd Edition)
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23 pages, 2523 KiB  
Article
Multi-Scenario Simulation of Land Use Change and Ecosystem Service Value Based on the Markov–FLUS Model in Ezhou City, China
by Maomao Zhang, Enqing Chen, Cheng Zhang, Chen Liu and Jianxing Li
Sustainability 2024, 16(14), 6237; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16146237 - 22 Jul 2024
Cited by 57 | Viewed by 2538
Abstract
Changes in land use patterns, types, and intensities significantly impact ecosystem services. This study follows the time series logic from history to the expected future to investigate the spatial and temporal characteristics of land use changes in Ezhou and their potential impacts on [...] Read more.
Changes in land use patterns, types, and intensities significantly impact ecosystem services. This study follows the time series logic from history to the expected future to investigate the spatial and temporal characteristics of land use changes in Ezhou and their potential impacts on the ecosystem services value (ESV). The results show that the Markov–FLUS model has strong applicability in predicting the spatial pattern of land use, with a Kappa coefficient of 0.9433 and a FoM value of 0.1080. Between 2000 and 2020, construction land expanded continuously, while water area remained relatively stable, and other land types experienced varying degrees of contraction. Notably, the area of construction land expanded significantly compared to 2000, and it expanded by 70.99% in 2020. Moreover, the watershed area expanded by 9.30% from 2000 to 2010, but there was very little change in the following 10 years. Under the three scenarios, significant differences in land use changes were observed in Ezhou City, driven by human activities, particularly the strong expansion of construction land. In the inertial development scenario, construction land expanded to 313.39 km2 by 2030, representing a 38.30% increase from 2020. Conversely, under the farmland protection scenario, construction land increased to 237.66 km2, a 4.89% rise from 2020. However, in the ecological priority development scenario, the construction land area expanded to 253.59 km2, a 10.13% increase from 2020. Compared to 2020, the ESV losses in the inertia development and farmland protection scenarios were USD 4497.71 and USD 1072.23, respectively, by 2030. Conversely, the ESV under the ecological protection scenario increased by USD 2749.09, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing ecological protection in Ezhou City’s development. This study may provide new clues for the formulation of regional strategies for sustainable land use and ecosystem restoration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Land Use and Management, 2nd Edition)
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20 pages, 4015 KiB  
Article
Spatial and Temporal Differences and Influencing Factors of Eco-Efficiency of Cultivated Land Use in Main Grain-Producing Areas of China
by Yan Ma, Xingyu Wang and Chuanliang Zhong
Sustainability 2024, 16(13), 5734; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135734 - 4 Jul 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1519
Abstract
With global population growth and economic development, the sustainable utilization of arable land resources has become the key to guaranteeing food security and ecological balance. Eco-efficiency in cultivated land use (ECLU)has been increasingly emphasized as an important indicator of the coordinated development of [...] Read more.
With global population growth and economic development, the sustainable utilization of arable land resources has become the key to guaranteeing food security and ecological balance. Eco-efficiency in cultivated land use (ECLU)has been increasingly emphasized as an important indicator of the coordinated development of agricultural production and the ecological environment. Studying ECLU in main grain-producing areas (MGPAs) is of great significance for realizing China’s food security guarantee, formulating and implementing scientific land use policies and measures, and safeguarding the long-term healthy development of agriculture. Based on provincial panel data of MGPA from 2008–2021, ECLU is calculated by the super-efficiency slacks-based measure model based on non-desired outputs (SSBM) and non-parametric kernel density estimation. The Dagum Gini coefficient decomposition model was used to explore the spatial non-equilibrium characteristics of ECLU in China, and the geographical and temporal weighted regression (GTWR) model was used to analyze the influencing factors of ECLU. The results showed the following: (1) ECLU in the MGPA showed a fluctuating upward trend, but the overall level was low. (2) In terms of regional disparity, the absolute difference in the development of ECLU among provinces showed a trend of “small-scale expansion followed by reduction”. (3) ECLU showed significant spatial imbalances, with notable internal disparities within the three basins. (4) The effects of economic development level and agricultural irrigation index on ECLU in the MGPA were positively correlated. Based on these findings, this paper suggests implementing region-specific and phased policies tailored to the natural resources and socio-economic conditions of different areas. The aim is to enhance the ecological environment, promote coordinated agricultural development, optimize regional growth, reduce agricultural disparities, and achieve sustainable development for both people and arable land. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Land Use and Management, 2nd Edition)
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22 pages, 9885 KiB  
Article
A Multi-Temporal Analysis on the Dynamics of the Impact of Land Use and Land Cover on NO2 and CO Emissions in Argentina for Sustainable Environmental Management
by Viviana Fernández-Maldonado, Ana Laura Navas, María Paula Fabani, Germán Mazza and Rosa Rodríguez
Sustainability 2024, 16(11), 4400; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114400 - 23 May 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1675
Abstract
This study presents an analysis of NO2 and CO emissions in Argentina, utilizing remote sensing data. This research aims to determine the spatiotemporal distribution of NO2 and CO emissions from 2019 to 2021. It examines the influence of land use and [...] Read more.
This study presents an analysis of NO2 and CO emissions in Argentina, utilizing remote sensing data. This research aims to determine the spatiotemporal distribution of NO2 and CO emissions from 2019 to 2021. It examines the influence of land use and cover on NO2 and CO emissions using various climatic, anthropic, and natural indicators. The year with the highest CO and NO2 concentration was 2020. NO2 exhibited the highest concentrations in built-up urban areas and croplands, notably impacting the capital city and the northern region of Buenos Aires province. Also, CO concentration was influenced by anthropic variable distances to national route, mining extraction, power plants, airports, and urban index (UI). They were also influenced by climatic and natural variables (Palmer drought index, vapor pressure, maximum environment temperature, wind speed, DEM, humidity, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)) for the different uses and land covers. NO2 concentrations were influenced by anthropic (distance to airports, service stations, open dumpsites, power plants, and factories), climatic, and natural variables (Palmer drought index, vapor pressure, wind speed, and DEM) for the different uses and land cover. This research supports sustainable environmental management by guiding the development of effective emission mitigation strategies for improved community health and well-being. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Land Use and Management, 2nd Edition)
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Review

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24 pages, 757 KiB  
Review
Citizen Science for Soil Monitoring and Protection in Europe: Insights from the PREPSOIL Project Under the European Soil Mission
by Karel Charvát, Jaroslav Šmejkal, Petr Horák, Markéta Kollerová, Šárka Horáková and Pierre Renault
Sustainability 2025, 17(11), 5042; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17115042 - 30 May 2025
Viewed by 793
Abstract
Citizen science (CS) is increasingly recognized as a complementary approach for addressing soil health challenges—including erosion, pollution, nutrient imbalances, and biodiversity loss—by harnessing public participation to broaden spatial and temporal data collection. This review synthesizes findings from the following: (i) a systematic analysis [...] Read more.
Citizen science (CS) is increasingly recognized as a complementary approach for addressing soil health challenges—including erosion, pollution, nutrient imbalances, and biodiversity loss—by harnessing public participation to broaden spatial and temporal data collection. This review synthesizes findings from the following: (i) a systematic analysis of peer-reviewed literature and grey sources, (ii) a database of 96 CS initiatives compiled by the European PREPSOIL project, and (iii) questionnaire surveys and workshops conducted in five Living Labs across Europe. Our analysis indicates that volunteer-driven monitoring can enhance the volume and granularity of soil data, providing critical insights into parameters such as organic carbon content, nutrient levels, and pollutant concentrations. However, persistent challenges remain, including inconsistencies in data validation, volunteer attrition, and concerns regarding digital literacy and data privacy. Despite these challenges, ongoing efforts to standardize protocols, integrate remote sensing and sensor-based validation methods, and employ feedback mechanisms improve data reliability and participant engagement. We conclude that sustained capacity-building, transparent data governance, and stakeholder collaboration, from local communities to governmental bodies, are essential for fully realizing the potential of citizen science in soil conservation. This work is framed within the context of the European Soil Mission, and CS is demonstrated to meaningfully support sustainable land management and evidence-based policymaking by aligning public-generated observations with established scientific frameworks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Land Use and Management, 2nd Edition)
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