Search Results (49)

Driven by many factors, the housing affordability landscape in the United States (U.S.) is in crisis. This research examines the potential role of inclusionary zoning (IZ) policies as a tool to alleviate housing cost burdens and deliver affordable housing in the rapidly growing southeastern region of the U.S., with a specific focus on Greenville County, South Carolina. Utilizing data from LawAtlas, this study first conducts a policy scan on the state of IZ policies across seven comparable jurisdictions. This study further employs qualitative semi-structured interviews with stakeholders to assess the current challenges to affordable housing in the county. Our findings suggest that growing regions such as Greenville County face unique challenges as they strive to meet the growing demand for affordable housing that serves a wide range of community members. A major finding from interviewees includes a need for more localized and nuanced metrics of housing affordability, greater density, and mixed-use development. However, the county faces challenges for such developments due to NIMBYism and preference for a more traditional rural and suburban typology of housing in the county. Finally, our study finds that zoning policies that enhance the supply of affordable housing by design can promote equity, trust, economic growth, and quality of life. Full article

Conducting research on the evaluation of rural resilience and risk governance strategies in the middle reaches of the Heihe River can provide a scientific basis for the sustainable development of rural areas in the inland river basins of arid regions. Affected by water resource constraints, the expansion of artificial oases, and excessive exploitation of groundwater, the rural areas in the middle reaches of the Heihe River Basin, the second largest inland river in the arid region of northwest China, are confronted with prominent contradictions in the human-land relationship and urgently need to enhance their ability to cope with risks. Based on the remote sensing data of land use and major socio-economic data, this study draws on the theory of landscape ecology to construct a disturbance-resistance-adaptability evaluation system. Taking Ganzhou District, a typical irrigated agricultural area, as a case study, the study uses the entropy weight method, resilience change rate, and obstacle degree model to analyze the rural resilience level and its changing characteristics from 1990 to 2020, identifies the key obstacle factors affecting the development of rural resilience, and proposes risk governance strategies accordingly. Main conclusions: (1) The overall rural resilience index is relatively low, showing significant spatial disparities. Towns with well-developed multifunctional agriculture, nature reserves, and ecological-cultural control lines have higher resilience indices. (2) The change rate of the rural resilience index demonstrates phase heterogeneity, generally undergoing a “relative stability-increase-decrease” process, and forming a differentiation pattern of “decrease in the north and increase in the south”. (3) Internal risks to rural resilience development in the Ganzhou District mainly stem from low economic efficiency, fragile ecological environment, and unstable landscape patterns, among which efficiency-dominant and landscape-stability obstacle factors have a broader impact scope, while habitat resistance-type obstacle factors are mainly concentrated in the western part and suburban areas. Enhancing the benefits of water and soil resource utilization, strengthening habitat resistance, and stabilizing landscape patterns are key strategies for current-stage rural resilience governance in the middle reaches of the Heihe River. This study aims to optimize the human-land relationship in the rural areas of the middle reaches of the Heihe River. Full article

As a zone lying adjacent to urban areas, construction land development in suburbs includes urban expansion caused by urbanization and rural construction land increments caused by rural development. Given the necessity of satisfying urban and rural development demands while protecting the ecological environment, goals of land use efficiency, socio-economic coordination, and ecological benefit need to be ensured simultaneously, which indicates that the coordinative development of suburban construction land is of great significance, thereby raising the need for a reasonable evaluation for the coordinative level from multiple dimensions. However, the evaluation of suburban construction land coordination considering spatial, socio-economic, and ecological factors is insufficiently studied. To fill the research gap, this study comprehensively evaluates the coordination of suburban construction land at the town level. Specifically, four indicators from spatial, socio-economic, and ecological dimensions, including landscape pattern, accessibility, socio-economic symbiosis, and ecological functional suitability, are selected. By utilizing coupling coordination degree estimation, the coordination among the four selected indicators is evaluated. By adopting a case study of suburban Wuhan, different coordinative levels regarding suburban construction land development are identified and respondent suggestions to promote the coordination of suburban construction land under current China’s land use policies are provided. This study contributes to understanding the coordinative development of suburban construction land and proposing a method to estimate the coordination. Full article

Rural settlement is the main vehicle for the existence and development of the countryside. The functions of rural settlements vary across different regions, influencing land use patterns. This study conducted multi-function evaluations of rural settlements by selecting three representative villages from different locations in Hebei Province, China. This was achieved through the establishment of an evaluation indicator system and the adoption of methods such as coordination degree, dominance degree, and obstacle factor diagnosis. This paper also used the Markov and CLUE-S models to predict future changes in land use within these settlements. The results showed that the closer the relationship between rural settlements and towns, the more obvious the settlement’s overall function becomes. Suburban settlements showed the highest multi-function coordination degree, with a prominent living function, but lagged in production and ecological functions. These villages should prioritize areas for commercial, landscape, and greening land to better serve the urban areas. Exurban villages excel in production but fall short in ecological and residential aspects. These areas should allocate land for environmental and infrastructure development to support a larger peasant population. Remote villages showed good multi-functionality, with a strong focus on eco-friendliness. However, they lacked in production and living function. Future plans should include converting residential areas to commercial use and enhancing public services and infrastructure to raise the living standards of villagers. Full article

This study aims to understand the impacts of climate change and extreme climate events on residential buildings and explore how existing buildings can be adapted to resist these negative impacts. A bibliometric and scientometric analysis was conducted on resilient residential retrofits to highlight the prevalent themes, critical directions, and gaps in the literature, which can inform future research directions. The resilient residential retrofit publications from 2012 to 2023 were retrieved and analyzed using text-mining software. In all, 4011 publications and 2623 patents were identified. The analysis revealed an average annual publication growth rate of 11%, indicating increasing interest in resilient residential retrofits. Four central topics were explored specifically throughout the study, as they are known to be the most prevalent climate risks for residential buildings: Overheating, Flooding, Wind, and Wildfires. The research trends analysis reveals that emerging interests in resilient residential retrofit encompass nature-based solutions, energy efficiency, thermal comfort, microclimates, durability, post-disaster recovery, and extreme events. Nearly half of the publications reference urban context and over one-third mention costs. The building envelope is the most frequently discussed housing component. Although energy retrofit was not the primary focus of this study and was not specifically searched for, energy concerns were still prevalent in the dataset, highlighting the critical importance of energy efficiency and management in resilient residential retrofits. The analysis of R&D momentum revealed several research gaps. Despite high growth rates, there are low publication rates on key topics such as durability, holistic approaches, microclimates, nature-based solutions, and traditional homes, to name a few. These areas could benefit from further research in the context of climate-resilient residential retrofits. Additionally, the analysis indicates a lack of publications on cross-themed research specific to rural and suburban settings. There are also few studies addressing combinations of themes, such as overheating in high-rise buildings, wildfires in Nordic climates, and flooding risk in smart homes within the scope of resilient residential retrofits. The United States leads in publication output, followed by China and the UK, with China dominating the patent landscape. This scientometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the research landscape in resilient residential retrofit, systematically maps and analyzes the vast amount of research output, and identifies the key trends and gaps, enabling us to see a type of quantitative snapshot of the research in a field at a certain point in time and thus providing a unique point of view. This study helps stakeholders prioritize efforts and resources effectively for guiding future research, funding decisions, informing policy decisions, and ultimately enhancing the resilience of residential buildings to climate-related challenges. Full article

The conversion of open space to residential development increasingly continues across the United States, impacting both humans and nature. Residential development requires public input to generate meaningful places and understand contextually relevant priorities. Most municipal policies do not guarantee the provision of open spaces when residential development occurs, missing opportunities for benefits to those communities and reducing both environmental and spatial justice. This study operated a seven-state verbal questionnaire to collect and analyze a small-sample population perceptions concerning open space conservation and green space preferences towards future residential development priorities. Statistical analytical results indicated patterns, trends, and relationships within data. Although 46% of United States residents living in rural, suburban, and urban community types believe the amount of open space required in new developments should be determined on a case-by-case basis, just under half believe that requiring at least 50% open space in new developments is appropriate. More than half of Americans in the states targeted, particularly Colorado and liberal-leaning respondents, believe a lack of coherent planning will prevent open space conservation and that open space planning and conservation should be a priority for city governments. Beyond the United States, this study provides research and insight into conservation strategies that foster healthier landscapes and living environments globally. Full article

Rural landscapes are experiencing ecosystem degradation due to urbanization and rapid suburban expansion. Ecosystem services derived from natural resources and essential public services facilitated by social capital collectively address the growingly diverse social and ecological requirements of rural residents. Even so, ecosystem services and public services are often trade-offs, highlighting the necessity to enhance their coordinated development. However, it remains unclear how to use the identified thresholds to delineate functional zones. This will scientifically guide sound and efficient spatial planning and ecological management. This study takes the suburban countryside of Jiangning in Nanjing as the study area. It explores the inclusion of the threshold value of rural public services and ecosystem services in the strategic design of sustainable suburban development in China. First, we quantify and map six types of ecosystem services (ESs) and 13 types of rural public services (RPSs). Secondly, we use the piecewise linear regression method to identify the response and threshold of 13 types of RPSs to six kinds of ESs. Finally, the combination and classification of threshold values are used to divide functional areas, and space-specific management and planning suggestions are put forward. The results are as follows (1) With the increase in RPSs, all ESs respond with a downward trend. (2) In addition to the negative linear relationship between education and social welfare services and ESs, the response thresholds of other RPSs and ESs were identified. (3) According to multiple density threshold analysis of each RPS’s response to ESs, four functional areas were obtained. We emphasize the priority of spatial planning and management, that is, the priority management of “ESs enhancement area and RPSs optimization area”. (4) The threshold values of ESs and RPSs can be used as tools to delineate functional zones and guide the spatial planning and management of rural functional areas. In general, our research helps ensure the maximization of rural ecological benefits while also meeting the growing diversity of needs of rural residents and enabling efficient, phased, gradient, and precise spatial management of suburban rural ecosystems and public services to promote the sustainable development of suburban rural areas and realize rural revitalization. Full article

Urban fringe areas, serving as transitional zones between urban and rural landscapes, are characterized by their transitional nature, high dynamics, and spatial heterogeneity. Identifying the extent of an urban–rural fringe (URF) and analyzing its evolutionary characteristics are crucial for urban planning and development. However, limited research exists regarding the identification of a URF and the analysis of its spatiotemporal evolution in polycentric cities. Using Chengdu as a case study, this research employed the K-means clustering method to identify the spatial extent and evolution patterns of the URF in Chengdu from 2010 to 2020 based on the spatiotemporal characteristics of multi-source data. The results indicate that (1) the K-means clustering method can reasonably and efficiently identify URF in polycentric cities; (2) Chengdu exhibited a polycentric urban structure with a “main center-subcenter” pattern, where the URF was adjacent to the main and subcenters, assuming an overall annular wedge shape; (3) there was a significant expansion of the URF in the northeast–southwest direction from 2010 to 2020, accompanied by substantial land use changes. The evolution of the URF was driven by the dual mechanisms of urban suburbanization and rural urbanization, exhibiting characteristics such as singular urban functions, dispersed and chaotic land use, fragmented landscapes, and increasing complexity. This study extended the research on URFs, aiding in the understanding of urban spatial growth patterns and providing decision support for the integrated development of urban and rural areas. Full article

This study aims to investigate the cognitive mechanisms of rural residents amidst the renewal of suburban historical and cultural villages by examining the interplay between nostalgia, collective memory, subjective well-being, and place identity in rural tourism destinations. Using Naobao Village as a case study—a suburban historical and cultural village in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia—this research employs a comprehensive approach integrating experimental methods and questionnaire surveys. The findings demonstrate that analyzing the interaction among the four emotions can elucidate the cognitive mechanism of residents. Moreover, it uncovers that positive tourism effects significantly influence residents’ perception of their living environment with positive effects on collective memory, subjective well-being, and place identity. In the theoretical model for generating cognition among residents in suburban historical and cultural villages, subjective well-being and collective memory play crucial mediating roles. This study offers a novel perspective for spatial reconstruction and cultural evolution of tourist landscapes in suburban rural tourist destinations. Full article

The Yangtze River Delta is one of China’s most economically developed regions and includes parts of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. The economic development of the Yangtze River Delta region is in a stage of rapid growth. As a unique intersection of urban and rural functions, contradictions are prominent. The production, life, and ecological functions of suburban rural landscapes are forming new trade-off and synergistic relationships. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the production–living–ecological function of the suburban rural landscape in the Yangtze River Delta region. Jiashan County is located in Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, and is an important part of the Yangtze River Delta region. Jiashan County, which has location advantages and economic development, can be used as a representative area to study the relationship between the production–living–ecological function of the suburban rural landscape in the Yangtze River Delta region. To evaluate the current status of the production–living–ecological functions of suburban rural areas in the Yangtze River Delta region and provide data support for future planning decisions in the Yangtze River Delta region, this study selected the suburban rural landscape of Jiashan as the research object and used temporal rank correlation analysis and spatial bivariate autocorrelation analysis to explore the evolution characteristics of the suburban rural landscape of Jiashan from 2000 to 2020. The results show that (1) the linear increase in the production and life functions of Jiashan rural areas has led to a decline in ecological functions, and life functions has been dominant. (2) There are trade-offs and synergistic relationships between the different functions of the suburban rural landscape of Jiashan, showing a temporal change pattern dominated by trade-offs. (3) The multifunctional trade-offs and synergistic relationships for the suburban rural landscape in Jiashan County exhibited obvious spatial pattern variability, and there were differences in how the streets and towns evolved. The relevant policies for the construction of ecological green comprehensive demonstration areas affect the economic, social, and ecological development of the Yangtze River Delta region, resulting in substantial differences in the types of and trends in the spatiotemporal evolution of the functional trade-off and synergistic relationships of the suburban rural landscape. Targeted measures should be taken according to the local conditions to guide the coordinated development of landscape functions. Full article

Rural areas provide ecosystem services (ESs) to urban metropolitan regions. These services are threatened by the constant pressure of urbanisation and new interest in rural development. This has heightened the conflict between environmental concerns and developmental needs, thereby presenting significant land management and rural planning challenges. Employing a quantitative measurement and optimisation framework, we investigate six representative ES variables to assess planning strategies that can address this contradiction. We used a suburban rural area around Nanjing, China, as our study area. We collected spatial data from 2005 to 2020 at two scales (village level and 500 m grid) to map ESs, quantify interactions (trade-offs and synergies among ES bundles), and identify the social, ecological, and landscape drivers of rural change. Based on this, rural planning strategies for optimising ESs at different scales have been proposed. Our findings include (1) spatial heterogeneity in the distribution of ESs, (2) the identification of seven synergistic and eight trade-off pairs among ESs, (3) a spatial scale effect in suburban rural areas, and (4) the spatial trade-offs/synergies of ESs exhibiting a ‘Matthew effect’. The identification of key trade-offs and synergistic ES pairs and the categorisation of ES bundles form the basis for a multi-scale hierarchical management approach for ESs in the region. By examining the commonalities and variations in drivers across diverse scales, we established connections and focal points for spatial planning. We use these findings to propose spatial planning and landscape policy recommendations for rural suburban areas on multiple scales. This study aims to provide a comprehensive and detailed spatial optimisation strategy for rural areas that can help contribute to their revitalisation. Full article

With the acceleration of urbanization, the ecosystem around cities is facing severe challenges. The drastic changes in the landscape pattern, especially in urban–suburban areas, are usually regarded as one of the main drivers. However, the spatiotemporal heterogeneous impacts of landscape patterns on the ecosystem services in this region remain unclear. To address this issue, we propose a novel framework integrating the InVEST-based ecosystem service assessment and spatiotemporal weighted regression (STWR)-based analysis of the spatiotemporal heterogeneity in urban–suburban areas, and apply it to the empirical study of Fuzhou City from 2000 to 2020. It first utilized the InVEST model to build a comprehensive ecosystem service index (CES) from five aspects (i.e., habitat quality, carbon storage, water yield, soil retention, and water purification capacity). Then, four landscape pattern indices (LPIs) (i.e., patch density (PD), area-weighted mean fractal dimension (FRAC_AM), splitting (SPLIT), and Shannon’s diversity (SHDI) index) were selected to build the STWR model. We compared and analyzed the differences in the spatial coefficient surfaces and significance tests generated by the STWR model in urban, urban–suburban, and rural areas. Results show that the following: (1) The CES in Fuzhou shows an upward trend from the urban area to the urban–suburban and rural areas, with significant gradient differences. (2) Compared with other areas, the LPIs in urban–suburban areas show more fragmentation, discreteness, and diversity, indicating more socioeconomic activities. (3) Although LPIs’ impacts on CES change over time (increasing from 2005 to 2010 and 2020 but decreasing in 2015), their effects are relatively low in urban–suburban areas, significantly lower than in urban areas. (4) Interestingly, the LPI coefficients near the urban–suburban boundary seem more significant. (5) This framework can effectively reveal the spatiotemporal heterogeneous relationships between various LPIs and CES, thus guiding concrete policies and measures that support decision-making for improving the ecosystem services surrounding cities through shaping landscape patterns. Full article

Local producers constitute a crucial segment of the local economy, playing a pivotal role in driving rural development and the progress of tourism. Their avenues for showcasing products extend beyond markets, bazaars, or food events, often being integrated into a destination’s tourism offerings. Moreover, they contribute to the culinary progress within tourism. Originating from wider rural areas or nearby villages, local producers significantly impact everyday migrations, services, and financial transactions in relationships spanning suburban–urban, village–town, and cross-border cooperation. This study aims to scrutinize the social facets of the organization and work of local producers, offering insights into contemporary market processes. It also serves to illustrate cross-border cooperation and the role of culinary tourism in local business. Through qualitative data processing, we will delve into the outcomes of cross-border projects, emphasizing ethical and sustainable values rooted in territory, landscape, local culture, authenticity, and the application of culinary elements in tourism. The results will shed light on the economic, social, and cultural ramifications on markets in border regions, influencing daily life and the economy. This study will define key aspects of rural development. These research findings can inform local governments, the economy, and communities in future strategic planning for developing this market segment. Tourism, especially in hospitality, will empower rural communities to enhance financial inflow and create local employment opportunities, such as roles for vineyard tour guides or local chefs. Simultaneously, it will bolster other sectors of the local economy, such as agriculture. Full article

Building urban green ecological network systems and increasing urban and rural landscape connectivity are effective ways to improve urban biodiversity and landscape sustainability. The ecological sources in the main urban area of Qingdao City (Shandong, China) were identified based on morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) combined with a biodiversity conservation function assessment, with the ecological corridors established and the ecological network structure optimized. The results showed that (1) the study area lacked high-quality patches with strong landscape connectivity; (2) the potential green ecological network of the study area was composed of 38 ecological sources, 703 ecological corridors, and 284 ecological nodes, effectively connecting urban and suburban green spaces; (3) after optimization, the green ecological network contained a total of 223 important corridors and 61 key nodes, with significantly increased network connectivity; (4) the optimal ecological corridor width in Qingdao was determined to be 30 m. Our study provided important guidance for the construction of ecological security patterns and scientific evidence to support urban green space planning and sustainable development in Qingdao. Full article

China’s distinct rural revitalization process has attracted global attention due to its impressive speed, massive scale, and policy interventions. A relatively limited amount of research has been conducted on how rural transition characteristics and policy mechanisms are interrelated at the micro level. To fill this research gap, following the main research thread of dividing rural development stages, revealing transition characteristics and exploring policy mechanisms, this paper utilizes a participatory rural appraisal, a landscape metrics analysis, and in-depth interviews to analyze the spatial transition laws of Dayu Village. First, the results show that the village experienced three stages from 1990 to 2020: strict homestead control, village relocation, and land consolidation. Second, the village exhibits multidimensional transition characteristics. With a reduced rural settlement area, regular patch formation, and a dense interior subdivision of rural houses, the land use layout changed from homogeneous to multiple nests. As the industrial structure became more diversified, the villagers’ livelihoods became more differentiated. Inflows of tourists and migrants changed the population structure, causing social relations to become defamiliarized. Moreover, mechanism research finds that policy can promote rural settlement transition by allocating land resources and regulating village behavior. The policy’s scope expanded from a single settlement to the whole village, optimizing external forces, with village behavior effects acting as an internal force. The degree of matching between policy formulation and villagers’ needs is the key to promoting the transition of rural settlements. This research deepens the understanding of the transition laws of suburban villages in megacities in developing countries at the micro scale and provides a reference for land policies in similar villages. Full article