Mapping Re-Naturalization Pathways for Urban Ecological Governance: A Spatial Decision-Support Framework Based on Ecosystem Service Valuation

Traditional urban expansion struggles to balance economic and ecological demands. Intensive development planning based on re-naturalization has become the policymakers’ choice. However, planning-oriented land use patterns and re-naturalization pathways remain difficult to determine. This study devel...

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Main Authors: Chengji Shu, Kaiwei Du, Wenbo Cai, Zhengwu Cai, Li Lin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Land
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/5/917
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author Chengji Shu
Kaiwei Du
Wenbo Cai
Zhengwu Cai
Li Lin
author_facet Chengji Shu
Kaiwei Du
Wenbo Cai
Zhengwu Cai
Li Lin
author_sort Chengji Shu
collection DOAJ
description Traditional urban expansion struggles to balance economic and ecological demands. Intensive development planning based on re-naturalization has become the policymakers’ choice. However, planning-oriented land use patterns and re-naturalization pathways remain difficult to determine. This study developed a spatial decision-support framework integrating ecosystem service valuation (ESV), land-use simulation, and ecological planning for Shanghai. This study assessed the spatiotemporal dynamics of ESV and simulated land use patterns and ESV for 2035 under different scenarios (inertial development, cropland protection, and ecological development). The optimal scenario and corresponding re-naturalization pathways were determined based on the principle of the optimal ESV. The results showed that ESV has declined over the past 20 years (−5.21%/5 years). High-value areas shrank significantly due to ecological space degradation. The planning-oriented ecological development scenario is the optimal scenario, with the highest ESV of CNY 189,240.29 million, which is higher than the status quo, inertia development scenario, and cropland protection scenario by 9.69%, 23.27%, and 9.53%, respectively. Taking the land use patterns under the ecological development scenario as the re-naturalization objective, 12 re-naturalization pathways totaling 686.88 km<sup>2</sup> were identified. Cropland to forestland and built-up land to cropland were the largest, accounting for 67.88% and 15.02%, respectively. This study provides valuable insights into ecological planning and re-naturalization in urbanized areas.
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spelling doaj-art-b9ced9abd5ea42969acaa881183aa5ae2025-08-20T01:56:31ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2025-04-0114591710.3390/land14050917Mapping Re-Naturalization Pathways for Urban Ecological Governance: A Spatial Decision-Support Framework Based on Ecosystem Service ValuationChengji Shu0Kaiwei Du1Wenbo Cai2Zhengwu Cai3Li Lin4The Center for Modern Chinese City Studies, Institute of Urban Development, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, ChinaDepartment of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture, School of Architecture and Design, Chongqing College of Humanities, Science & Technology, Chongqing 401524, ChinaThe Center for Modern Chinese City Studies, Institute of Urban Development, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environment Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shuangqing Rd. 18, Beijing 100085, ChinaCollege of Landscape Architecture and Art, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaTraditional urban expansion struggles to balance economic and ecological demands. Intensive development planning based on re-naturalization has become the policymakers’ choice. However, planning-oriented land use patterns and re-naturalization pathways remain difficult to determine. This study developed a spatial decision-support framework integrating ecosystem service valuation (ESV), land-use simulation, and ecological planning for Shanghai. This study assessed the spatiotemporal dynamics of ESV and simulated land use patterns and ESV for 2035 under different scenarios (inertial development, cropland protection, and ecological development). The optimal scenario and corresponding re-naturalization pathways were determined based on the principle of the optimal ESV. The results showed that ESV has declined over the past 20 years (−5.21%/5 years). High-value areas shrank significantly due to ecological space degradation. The planning-oriented ecological development scenario is the optimal scenario, with the highest ESV of CNY 189,240.29 million, which is higher than the status quo, inertia development scenario, and cropland protection scenario by 9.69%, 23.27%, and 9.53%, respectively. Taking the land use patterns under the ecological development scenario as the re-naturalization objective, 12 re-naturalization pathways totaling 686.88 km<sup>2</sup> were identified. Cropland to forestland and built-up land to cropland were the largest, accounting for 67.88% and 15.02%, respectively. This study provides valuable insights into ecological planning and re-naturalization in urbanized areas.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/5/917ecosystem servicesre-naturalization pathwaysmappingShanghaiPLUS
spellingShingle Chengji Shu
Kaiwei Du
Wenbo Cai
Zhengwu Cai
Li Lin
Mapping Re-Naturalization Pathways for Urban Ecological Governance: A Spatial Decision-Support Framework Based on Ecosystem Service Valuation
Land
ecosystem services
re-naturalization pathways
mapping
Shanghai
PLUS
title Mapping Re-Naturalization Pathways for Urban Ecological Governance: A Spatial Decision-Support Framework Based on Ecosystem Service Valuation
title_full Mapping Re-Naturalization Pathways for Urban Ecological Governance: A Spatial Decision-Support Framework Based on Ecosystem Service Valuation
title_fullStr Mapping Re-Naturalization Pathways for Urban Ecological Governance: A Spatial Decision-Support Framework Based on Ecosystem Service Valuation
title_full_unstemmed Mapping Re-Naturalization Pathways for Urban Ecological Governance: A Spatial Decision-Support Framework Based on Ecosystem Service Valuation
title_short Mapping Re-Naturalization Pathways for Urban Ecological Governance: A Spatial Decision-Support Framework Based on Ecosystem Service Valuation
title_sort mapping re naturalization pathways for urban ecological governance a spatial decision support framework based on ecosystem service valuation
topic ecosystem services
re-naturalization pathways
mapping
Shanghai
PLUS
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/5/917
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AT wenbocai mappingrenaturalizationpathwaysforurbanecologicalgovernanceaspatialdecisionsupportframeworkbasedonecosystemservicevaluation
AT zhengwucai mappingrenaturalizationpathwaysforurbanecologicalgovernanceaspatialdecisionsupportframeworkbasedonecosystemservicevaluation
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