Synergies in Land Use Planning: Advancing Urban-Rural Integration for Sustainable Development

Dear Colleagues,

The challenges of achieving sustainable development amidst rapid urbanization and rural transformation are multifaceted and intricate. As the global population continues to gravitate toward urban centers, the interplay between urban and rural areas becomes increasingly pivotal in strategizing for long-term sustainability. Effective urban-rural integration can cultivate a more harmonious coexistence between diverse land uses, reaping benefits for both urban and rural communities alike. This Special Issue aims to delve into how research domains such as land property rights, environmental impacts, urban regeneration, intelligent habitat planning, and spatial reconfiguration can be synergized within land use planning. The goal is to foster sustainable and equitable development that bridges the urban-rural divide.

The objective of this Special Issue is to compile a collection of papers, encompassing both original research and review articles, that offer valuable insights into fostering a seamless integration of urban and rural land use planning. These contributions will address the urgent challenges and opportunities in crafting more interconnected, sustainable, and habitable environments that cater to the needs of both urban and rural populations. This journal is committed to tackling sophisticated land-related issues, and through this Special Issue, we aim to enrich the conversation by delivering critical perspectives on the interdependencies between urban and rural domains. It will advance our comprehension of how integrated land use planning can tackle land property rights, environmental consequences, urban and rural revitalization, and the imperatives for sustainable economic and social progress across urban and rural landscapes.

We extend a heartfelt invitation to scholars across various disciplines to contribute innovative and avant-garde ideas and methodologies that can enhance land use planning practices, policies, and technologies, thereby fostering urban-rural integration and aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This Special Issue is eager to receive manuscripts that explore, but are not confined to, the following themes:

1. Land Property Rights and Governance:

• The pivotal role of secure and equitable land tenure systems in enabling urban-rural integration.
• Resolving disputes over land use and access within the realms of urbanization and rural development.
• Investigating land reform, land rights recognition, and the significance of community-based land management in advancing sustainable land use practices.
• Policy innovations aimed at enhancing land governance in peri-urban and rural regions to curb land grabbing, ensure fair access, and encourage sustainable land management practices.

2. Environmental Outcomes and Ecosystem Services:

• Assessing the environmental impacts of urban expansion on surrounding rural areas and the role of integrated land use planning in mitigating negative outcomes.
• The importance of ecosystem services (e.g., water filtration, carbon sequestration, soil conservation) provided by rural landscapes in supporting urban sustainability.
• Integrated land use approaches that promote environmental resilience and sustainability, particularly in the face of climate change.
• Strategies for preserving biodiversity and maintaining ecological corridors between urban and rural zones.

3. Urban-Rural Integration Development:

• Defining and fostering a balanced approach to urban and rural development that minimizes disparities in wealth, access to services, and quality of life.
• Promoting inclusive development strategies that address rural poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion while improving urban infrastructure and accessibility.
• Strategies for creating integrated regional economies where urban and rural areas complement each other through trade, services, and labor force dynamics.
• Encouraging rural-urban linkages through transportation networks, market access, and regional economic policies.

4. Urban and Rural revitalization:

• Urban renewal as a tool for bridging the gap between urban and rural areas, focusing on revitalizing underused urban spaces while integrating surrounding rural landscapes.
• The challenges of regenerating declining urban areas while avoiding the displacement of low-income communities and ensuring environmental sustainability.
• Case studies on successful urban renewal projects that have integrated rural land use and urban revitalization efforts in a mutually beneficial manner.
• The role of heritage conservation and adaptive reuse in urban renewal projects that respect rural cultural landscapes.

5. Smart Habitat Planning and Technology:

• The role of smart technologies in advancing urban-rural integration, including digital platforms for land management, geographic information systems (GIS), and data analytics.
• Smart habitat planning strategies that integrate urban and rural spaces through innovative solutions such as green infrastructure, energy-efficient buildings, and urban farming.
• The potential for digital connectivity and smart cities to foster more equitable and efficient land use in urban-rural interfaces.
• Utilizing technology for participatory planning, enabling rural and urban communities to collaborate in shaping land use policies.

We look forward to receiving your original research articles and reviews.

Prof. Dr. Li Tian
Prof. Dr. Yan Song
Dr. An Huang
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.

• land property right
• environmental outcome
• urban-rural integration development
• urban and rural revitalization
• intelligent land use planning