Watershed Spatial Planning Branch Committee of the Urban Planning Society of China

The Watershed Spatial Planning Branch Committee of the Urban Planning Society of China (hereinafter referred to as the "Watershed Branch") was established in May 2023 as a professional academic organization under the Urban Planning Society of China (UPSC). Its host institution is the College of Architecture and Landscape, Peking University.

Watershed space represents the primary geographical environment for early human activity, a current spatial carrier experiencing intense human-land relationships, and a crucial spatial unit for regional studies and planning. Within watershed spaces, urban and rural areas hold significant importance, often constituting focal points and challenges where practical issues converge, thus urgently requiring the support and guidance of academic research.

National major strategies are increasingly emphasizing the comprehensive protection of watersheds and the high-quality development of urban-rural systems. For regions such as the Yellow River Basin, the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal Cultural Belt, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the state has issued a series of policies and regulations. While academic organizations in related disciplines have established specialized bodies focusing on watershed water ecology and water environment issues, the UPSC approved the establishment of the Watershed Spatial Planning Branch specifically to promote academic research and exchange in the field of watershed spatial planning.

The Watershed Branch intends to focus on academic issues pertaining to the planning of urban and rural spaces within watersheds. It will address these across different scales—from the regional system space of the watershed, down to the spatial level of towns and villages, and further to specific sites and architectural spaces. Its work involves coordinating relationships within watersheds, such as the "city-water" dynamic, the interplay between the ecological environment and human settlements, and the relationships between productive, living, and ecological spaces in urban and rural areas. The aim is to fully leverage the comprehensive strengths of the planning discipline, promote its deepening and expansion, and support planning work at the watershed spatial level.

The Watershed Branch will carry out the following tasks:

1. Organize academic research and exchange in the field of watershed spatial planning, providing a new academic platform for the development of the urban and rural planning discipline and fostering the accumulation and integration of knowledge related to watershed spatial planning.

2. Address national strategic needs by providing suggestions and advice on watershed spatial planning issues, cooperating with relevant departments to conduct research on institutional mechanisms and policies, and offering policy recommendations.

3. Provide consulting and technical services to governments at all levels for scientific decision-making related to watershed spatial planning, promoting the transformational development of urbanization within watershed spaces.

4. Advocate for increased attention to watershed spatial planning within the planning profession, conduct relevant professional training and public science outreach, and encourage the strengthening of curricula related to watershed spatial planning in urban and rural planning and associated disciplines.

5. Collaborate with other branches of the UPSC on work related to regional planning, master planning, detailed planning, and engineering planning.

6. Undertake other relevant tasks assigned by the UPSC.

Reference: https://www.planning.org.cn/solicity/view_common?type=1&id=1296&cid=10