How to balance protection and development? A comprehensive analysis framework for territorial space utilization scale, function and pattern

• Published in: Journal of environmental management Vol. 339; p. 117809
• Main Authors: Qu, Yanbo, Dong, Xiaozhen, Su, Desheng, Jiang, Guanghui, Ma, Wenqiu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2023
• Subjects: Adaptation, Physiological; Advantageous function; Agriculture; Background scale; China; Cities; City Planning - methods; Conservation of Natural Resources - methods; Development and protection strategic pattern; Ecosystem; Humans; Territorial space utilization; The yellow river basin in China; China; Territorial space utilization; Development and protection strategic pattern; Advantageous function; The yellow river basin in China; Background scale
• ISSN: 0301-4797; 1095-8630
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117809

The harmonious coexistence of man and nature is a universally recognized standard to test the rational utilization of multifunctional territorial space, and the planning of territorial space adapted to nature is a scientific guide to balance ecological protection and human development. This study focuses on the inevitable relationship between the scale, function and pattern of territorial space utilization (TSU), and puts forward a process research framework of “background evaluation-advantage comparison-optimization conduction”. Based on the evaluation of resource and environment suitability, this paper determines the scale of multifunctional territorial space through the potential conflict identification model of TSU. The location entropy method is used to identify the advantageous functions of the county level, and the matching characteristics of the research results and the current situation are obtained by comparing them with the current plan. Finally, from the county functional zoning to the regional TSU pattern, the corresponding optimization conduction path is designed to form a new development and protection pattern. The empirical results of research area show that: (1) The study area is suitable for urban construction and agricultural production as a whole. The ecological protection is mainly at the general important level, and there is a moderate potential conflict between the development and protection of territorial space. The space scale of urban construction, agricultural production and ecological protection are accounted for 8.77%, 78.71% and 12.52%, respectively. (2) The advantageous function of TSU in county-level administrative units is dominated by single advantageous function, and the number of composite advantageous functions is generally small. The advantageous functional types determined by this research have a high matching with the current plan. (3) Based on the analysis of the scale structure and functional use of territorial space, this paper defines the ecological space that should be strictly protected and the agricultural and urban space that should be moderately developed for production and construction, and sets up elastic development areas. Finally, a strategic pattern of “one corridor, two screens, three circles and four zones” is conducive to the realization of the beautiful vision of the unification of protection and development. •Ecological protection is a prerequisite for territorial space utilization (TSU).•There is relation among scale, function and pattern of TSU.•Resource and environment carrying capacity decides the scale of TSU.•Multilevel coordination is an important way to balance protection and development.•A functional and strategic pattern is helpful for efficient TSU.