Exploring the Patterns and Mechanisms of Reclaimed Arable Land Utilization under the Requisition-Compensation Balance Policy in Wenzhou, China

Lin Lin, Hongzhen Jia, Yi Pan, Lefeng Qiu, Muye Gan, Shenggao Lu, Jinsong Deng, Zhoulu Yu and Ke Wang
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Lin Lin: College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Hongzhen Jia: College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Yi Pan: Institute of Land and Urban-rural Development, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou 310018, China
Lefeng Qiu: Institute of Land and Urban-rural Development, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou 310018, China
Muye Gan: College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Shenggao Lu: College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Jinsong Deng: College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Zhoulu Yu: College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Ke Wang: College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

Sustainability, 2017, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Arable land in China is undergoing significant changes, with massive losses of arable land due to rapid urbanization and the reclamation of arable land from other lands to compensate for these losses. Many studies have analyzed arable land loss, but less attention has been paid to land reclamation, and the utilization of reclaimed land remains unclear. The goal of our study was to characterize the patterns and efficiency of the utilization of reclaimed land and to identify the factors influencing the land utilization process in Wenzhou using remote sensing, geographic information systems and logistic regression. Our results showed that only 37% of the total reclaimed land area was under cultivation, and other lands were still bare or had been covered by trees and grasses. The likelihood that reclaimed land was used for cultivation was highly correlated with the land use type of its neighboring or adjacent parcels. Reclaimed land utilization was also limited at high elevations in lands with poor soil fertility and in lands at a great distance from rural residential areas. In addition, parcels located in the ecological protection zone were less likely to be cultivated. Therefore, we suggest that the important determinants should be considered when identifying the most suitable land reclamation areas.

Keywords: land reclamation; utilization efficiency; arable land; logistic regression; policy implication; sustainable land use (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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