Evaluating the Implementation of Ecological Control Line Planning (ECLP): A Case Study of Wuhan Metropolitan Development Zone

Abstract

China’s unprecedented rapid urbanization has encroached upon ecologically sensitive areas. Since 2013, Wuhan, a central urban hub in China, has adopted Ecological Control Line Planning (ECLP) to regulate urban growth and preserve ecological integrity. This study evaluates how ECLP is implemented in the Wuhan Metropolitan Development Zone (WMDZ), a critical region for harmonizing urban expansion with ecological preservation. The assessment integrates two fundamental aspects—conformity and utilization—with evaluations across spatial and ecological dimensions. This methodology builds a technical framework for rapid identification and detailed analysis of planning effects through LULC statistics and landscape connectivity index monitoring. The findings reveal that the ECLP is spatially conformable and utilizable, successfully curbing urban expansion and channeling development towards the urban growth boundary (UGB) and ecological development area (EDA). However, ECLP has not significantly mitigated the decline in ecological connectivity. Details include the following: (1) The general spatial consistency of the ECLP was 88.53%, with the EDA and ecological baseline area (EBA) achieving 85.18% and 88.98%, respectively. (2) Most of the increase in impervious land within ecological lines originated from agricultural and water areas, with only 7.02 km2 of land transitioning to non-agricultural and non-ecological uses. (3) The integral index of connectivity (IIC) exhibited a more rapid deterioration post-ECLP implementation, suggesting the disruption or degradation of critical connectivity pathways or patches within the ecological network. (4) Core ecological patches experienced significant losses inside and outside the UGB, with losses within the UGB being 2.51 times greater. The findings underscore the importance of ecological connectivity in implementing ecological space protection planning and the need for the flexible governance of areas where protection and development conflicts arise.