AHP-based Landscape Value Evaluation of Perennial Flower Border Application in Hefei City

An analytic hierarchy process(AHP)was employed to establish a landscape value evaluation model for 20 common species of perennial flowers in the flower border of Hefei City.With the overarching objective of determining the application value of the flower border,10 evaluation factors were identified and subsequently classified into 3 distinct grades.Grade I(L>2.5)was defined as perennial flower resources with the highest development and utilization value,including only one species of Salvia farinacea.Grade II(2.0≤L≤2.5)was defined as perennial flower varieties suitable for most areas,encompassing 9 species of plants,such asTaraxacummongolicum.Grade III(L<2.0)was defined as perennial flower varieties with low application value,encompassing 10 species of plants,such asRuellia brittoniana,but lacking the value of further popularization and application.Consequently,the proportion of their application in the flower border should be reduced.The evaluation results can serve as a theoretical foundation for the implementation of perennial flowers in urban flower borders.

Evaluating Value of Natural Landscapes in China

Natural landscapes consist of the natural substances, environment, and phenomena, all of which provide many benefits to people, including a sense of place, sightseeing, relaxing, and recuperating. However, the economic value of natural landscapes has only been recognized in recent decades, and the resulting large-scale decline and degradation of ecosystems now severely threatens the sustainable provision of their services to society. There is an emerging consensus that natural capital should be incorporated into the current socioeconomic accounting system. Many studies valuated natural resources at local and regional scales, but there are very few empirical studies at a national level. To provide a benchmark for natural landscape management on a national scale, we use the travel cost method(TCM) and the contingent valuation method(CVM) to determine the economic value and the spatial distribution of natural landscapes across China. Our results show that the total economic value of China′s natural landscape was 9.75 × 10^(11) U.S. dollars(USD) in 2012. Of this value, the highest proportion was in the eastern and southwestern regions of China, which accounts for 23.7% and 18.3%, respectively. The provinces of Guangdong, Sichuan, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia, and Heilongjiang were the top five in terms of the largest number of natural landscapes and largest economic values. Together, these five provinces accounted for 32.9% of the total number of natural landscapes and 29.4% of the total economic value in 2012. We believe this study will increase awareness of the value of natural landscapes, and more importantly provide a scientific basis for resolving conflicts between development and resource conservation.

Evolving Values and How They Have Shaped the United States National Park System

As one of the oldest and best-known park systems,the US National Park System continues to influence park systems around the world.However,the origins and wide diversity of US national parks are often not fully understood as there is a long-lived misconception that the large western parks represent the entirety of the US National Park System.In fact,the establishment of the first US national parks was heavily influenced by large 19th-century picturesque urban parks that provided benefits to the public and society.The foundational concept of national parks serving a public purpose has never changed,however,the types of landscapes selected as national parks have changed as societal values have evolved and now the system provides public benefits beyond those originally envisioned.This paper examines the development of the US National Park System,emphasising the evolution of landscape values.The emergence of the cultural landscape concept illustrates the evolution of landscape values from their early antecedents in the late 19th century to their contributions to innovative conservation strategies today.Throughout the development of the US National Park System,international exchange has and continues to play a pivotal role,advancing the inter-linkages of culture and nature for the most effective conservation.