Study on the Characteristics and Driving Forces of Changes of the Urban Land-Use Structure in Wuhan in 1990s

On the basis of the information entropy and equilibrium degree of urban land-use spatial structure, the paper analyzes the characteristics and rules of urban land-use spatial structure changes in Wuhan in 1990s, in which the types of land-use are shrinking and urban land-use changes are disequilibria. With PCA and GRA employed, the driving forces have also been analyzed. The driving force of city welfare and social structure, the towing force of city industrial structure transition, and the pressing force of city construction and reconstruction are main momentum factors. Moreover, the latter forces are more significant.

SUSTAINABLE LAND USE PLANNING BASED ON ECOLOGICAL HEALTH——Case Study of Beiwenquan Town, Chongqing, China

This paper, taking Beiwenquan Town of Beibei, Chongqing as an example, assessed the impacts of land use on ecological health by comprehensive index method, and discussed methodological system of sustainable land use planning based on ecological health. Results indicated that: 1) From 1992 to 2002, land use changes focused on 12 patterns with the total conversion area of 92.11%, which were related to cultivated land, residential and industrial-mining area, and orchard land. Urbanization and economic reconstruction were the leading driving forces. 2) There was obvious difference of the areas of ecotypes driven by land use change in wide valley and mild slope between 1992 and 2002, while there were little or no difference in steep slope and very steep slope. 3) Both of the conditions of ecological health in 1992 and 2002 were sound, and the ecotypes focused on the types of health and sub-health. But, health ecosystem in 1992, with an area of 764.64ha, accounting for 38.51% of the total evaluation area, was better than that in 2002, with an area of 636.10ha, accounting for 34.19% of the total evaluation area. 4) The ecotypes involved into different ranges have already degenerated, due to humankind’s disturbance, while the conditions of ecological health in the same ranges in 1992, regardless of stability and reconstruction, were better than that in 2002. 5) The planning scenario based on ecological health was accorded with the practice condition of Beiwenquan Town: 388.29ha of cultivated land could meet the Beiwenquan demand of food and byproduct; 1045.26ha of forest land area, the Beiwenquan demand of ecological health; and 1004.73ha of the residential and industrial-mining area, the Beiwenquan building demand. 6) Sustainable land use planning based on ecological health had higher useful value, because it not only stood to ecological theory, but also satisfied the developmental demand of society and economy.

The effects of land market development on economic growth: an empirical analysis based on Chinese panel data,1999-2005

Optimized land resources allocation is important for economic growth because land is one of the basic elements for economic development. And urban land resources allocation has had an increasingly important influence since the Chinese socialist market economy system was established. This paper estimates the production function of both the secondary and the tertiary industries of China＇s 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government through an analysis of the panel data of the total output value of the secondary and the tertiary industries, invested capital, invested labor jorces and the land market-jeatured management of the above-mentioned regions during the period of 1999-2005. and examines the positive influence of the above- mentioned factors on regional economic output, This study concludes that urban economic output is positively related with the level of urban land resources market-featured management, since the rate of economic growth of those regions approximates 14. 7% under the condition of urban land market running during the period of 1999-2005.

The urban land use system in China

The obstacles to urban land development caused by Chinese immature land use system are explored. Key features of the dual land use system are analyzed on base of the constructing model of the dual land market in Chinese cities, in which market-based allocation including negotiation, tender and auction conveyance and non-market administrative allocation coexist. Some suggestions for solving the problems are brought forward after illustrating by facts problems existing in Chongqing抯 land market that the administratively allocated land is difficult to be collocated optimally and the black market is harmful to urban land development. In conclusion the land use system reformation is a complicated systems engineering involving interactions among various factors. Government to institute and execute corresponding policies is important to establish a uniform land market system.

The Highest and Best Use of Agricultural Land in a Multifunctional Land Market, Evidence from South Africa

Agricultural land has conventionally been perceived primarily as a production factor. For this reason the highest and best use （HBU） of such land was considered to be agricultural production for income purposes. The transition towards a multifunctional agricultural land market, where alternative uses--such as for lifestyle purposes--is evident, has challenged this view. Lifestyle buyers of farms often focus on a variety of characteristics of agricultural land which are not necessarily related to income but usually more intangible and subjective, which pose a measurement problem for valuers. The continued use of familiar traditional farming characteristics when valuing agricultural properties where lifestyle motivations are present, and the exclusion of less measurable characteristics, means that the market sales comparison method cannot be executed accurately. This study used a mixed methods research strategy to determine whether valuers use characteristics mainly related to agricultural production as HBU in valuations of agricultural properties bought for lifestyle purposes, and to identify the value attributes of farms that attract lifestyle buyers （and whether these differ from production oriented buyers）. This was done in an intensive and extensive agricultural area within the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Results indicate that valuers use familiar production related characteristics when valuing farms bought for lifestyle purposes, while lifestyle and production oriented buyers also interpret the value attributes of agricultural properties differently. For this reason a multiple perspective approach to agricultural land valuations where the HBU is uncertain is proposed.

Urban Configuration Analysis of Idle Land Market Based on Game Model

In recent years, the speed of urban development becomes faster and faster with expanding of land construction scale, and a lot of idle lands lead to serious land waste. This paper builds game model by carrying out a market allocation analysis and applying economic game theory to the analysis of current idle land problem; it gets six kinds of results through analyzing the game model of idle land market, and the final Nash equilibrium is(system innovation, publicly traded) through contrastive to help balance the game relationship between government and the user of idle land and raise some new scientific and rational institutions to serve as future references for effective usage of idle land.

Mass Valuation and the Implementation Necessity of GIS （Geographic Information System） in Albania

In the last decade, mass valuation system is applied in Albania in addition to individual valuation system for real estate valuation. This system is used for compiling the land value map and apartments value map. Due to the lack of experience in the compilation of these maps, the methodology of valuation is based on the experiences of other countries with similar development of real estate market. The mass assessment, which is applied in determining the values for specific purposes, such as expropriation, compensation and taxes for property transfer through the methodology adopted for this aim, is analyzed in the light of the finding of issues that accompany this application. The aim of this research is to highlight the problems to provide the ways of overcoming them in order to approximate the values of map values with market values. The mass appraisal process requires effective valuation models and proper management of resources. Its accuracy depends upon the extent and quality of property data available. Because of this reason, it is recommended the usage of the GIS （geographic information system）, an automated system for collection and processing of the data necessary for valuation, as the first point of integration between two process of valuation, individual and mass valuation.

The Impact of Land Reform on Land Market Activity in Rwanda and Suggestions in Support of Sustainable Urban Development

After a trial period between 2008 and 2010, the LTRP （Land Tenure Regularization Program） was implemented in Rwanda. The program is the consequent implementation of the National Land Policy （2004）, which initiated the reform of the administration of land. With the LTRP, titles to land were registered in the name of every landholder to unlock the potentialities for sustainable growth based on a clear framework, equally valid to all landholders. This paper describes the changes in land and property market activity after the reforms and comments on increasing development pressure on land which can be observed. It recalls that this new market activity is intended and policy-made as a result of the Land Policy with the land tenure regularization and changed land tenure principles, the EDPRS2 which clearly focuses on enabling the private sector to participate in and drive economic development, and the new urbanization agenda coming with the Vision 2020 and the EDPRS2. Identified factors are also discussed which contribute to the new market values of land and a case study in Kigali is referenced which identified accessibility to an area as the most influencing factor, besides access to services and levels of investment on the land. The importance is now, to keep ensuring and enhancing the positive impact of the policy directions in a sustainable manner for their maximum positive impact on socio-economic progress. Provided are recommendations of how to strategically guide public policies and investment in support of sustainable land market activity and using geospatial technologies. The supportive application of technologies is explored.

The new economy of nature:can carbon pay for nature conservation? The case of the Hong Kong Country Parks

The Country Parks of Hong Kong occupy 40%of the total landmass of Hong Kong,and consists of vast areas of secondary woodlands,scrublands,grasslands,and reservoirs.That vegetation-and the soil underneathsubtract carbon from the atmosphere,which has a market value.The aim of this paper is to estimate the value of that carbon,to assess whether that value would be sufficient to pay for the upkeep of the Country Parks,and to compare that value to the costs of alternative ways to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide.To do this,we compare the land cover of 1978,1991,1997 and 2004 using remote sensing,and identify the three predominant land covers(woodlands,scrublands,grasslands) .We then estimate the amount and value of the carbon sequestered by the vegetation and soil of the Country Parks,and compare it to the budget available to the Agriculture,Fisheries and Conservation Department to run the Country Parks(HK$234 million in 2009/2010) .We extrapolate our results over 50 years,from 1978 to 2028.We conclude that by 2028 the carbon sequestered would be valued over HK$800 million,but the value of the additional carbon subtracted yearly would only cover approximately 7%of the total budget needed to run the Country Parks.We also conclude that because of the large budget allocated to the Country Parks,alternative methods of carbon sequestration-represented by the EU ETS price of carbon-are much cheaper.

Drivers of Change, Threats and Barriers to the Conservation of Biodiversity in Traditional Agricultural Systems

People and nature are working in tandem to reduce the integrity of traditional agricultural systems. The paper highlighted the drivers of change acting on traditional agricultural landscapes including the threats and barriers hindering biodiversity conservation. The drivers of change are： modem agriculture, tourism, education and outmigration and climate change. The threats are encroachment and land-use change, pollution, replacement of traditional varieties and erosion of indigenous knowledge systems and practices. The barriers to biodiversity conservation include the incapacity of farmers to respond to pressures affecting their traditional farming systems, absence of methodologies for integrating traditional and modem knowledge in biodiversity conservation and the multi-functionality of traditional agriculture not fully captured by the market. The conservation framework to guide stakeholders for in-situ management of biodiversity includes niche market development, revenue generation and cultural restoration. The study made use of data collected during the series of workshops conducted in 2005-2007 covering the Ifugao Rice Terraces of the Philippines. Secondary data from other traditional agricultural systems were integrated to enrich the discussion and write-up of this paper.