Regional Ecological Security Patterns: The Beijing Case

Synopsis: Taking Beijing as its case study, this book addresses the ecological crises arising from urban expansion—including weakened hydrological regulation, heightened geological hazard risks, diminished biological habitats, and cultural heritage destruction—alongside the exacerbation of human-land conflicts by conventional planning approaches. It proposes an ‘anti-planning’ theory advocating ‘conservation before development’: first delineating ecological security baselines, then defining urban development boundaries, and guiding urban form through ecological infrastructure.

Employing GIS and spatial analysis techniques, the book constructs single-factor security patterns around five key processes including hydrology and geological hazards. Examples include defining core zones for flood control and water source protection within a comprehensive water security pattern, and preserving biodiversity through a biological security pattern. These single-factor patterns are then overlaid to form a three-tiered integrated ecological security framework: baseline, satisfactory, and ideal. Each tiered control zone fulfils distinct functions: ensuring basic survival, balancing ecology and development, and enhancing ecological quality.

Based on these security patterns, the book simulates five urban expansion scenarios, identifying the ‘satisfactory ecological security pattern’ as the optimal solution that balances ecological services with land development needs. It further proposes the concept of ecological infrastructure and a tiered management system for non-development spaces, critiquing traditional planning shortcomings. Its ‘three-tier management’ framework has been incorporated into relevant specialised plans, providing policy support for Beijing's ecological civilisation development while validating the feasibility of ‘anti-planning’ theory.