Land Use Change and Farmers’ Sense of Place in Typical Catchment of the Loess Hilly and Gully Region of China

Yi Li, Yurui Li, Bin Fang, Lulu Qu, Chongjing Wang and Wubo Li
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Yi Li: School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
Yurui Li: Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Bin Fang: School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
Lulu Qu: School of Public Policy and Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
Chongjing Wang: School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
Wubo Li: School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China

Land, 2021, vol. 10, issue 8, 1-19

Abstract: Clarifying the relationship between land use and farmers’ sense of place on a micro scale is significant for enriching the perspective of research on human–environment relationships. Therefore, this paper analyzed land use change and the sense of place of farmers and further explored the interaction between them in the Yangjuangou catchment of Liqu Town in Baota District, Shaanxi Province from 1984 to 2020. The results indicated that: (1) the change in croplands was the most significant, i.e., its share in the total area decreased by 40%, and the decrease in sloping fields was the highest. The average relative altitude of croplands has decreased. The change in ecological land was also more significant, showing an increasing trend. Overall, the exploitation of land resources has declined; (2) the intensity of the sense of place of local farmers fluctuated downwards. The intensity of place attachment and place dependence decreased, and the intensity of the place identity increased; and (3) the decline in the intensity of the place attachment and place dependence promoted the reduction of sloping fields, the growth of ecological land and abandoned fields. By comparison, the increase in ecological land and check dam land promoted an increase in the intensity of place identity for local farmers. This paper suggested that rural areas in the Loess Hilly and Gully Region should strengthen innovation in land use patterns and focus on sustainability of farmers’ livelihoods, in order to promote the harmonious development of human-environmental relations.

Keywords: land use; sense of place; catchment; Loess Hilly and Gully Region (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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