Human Settlements in Rural-urban Fringe

Li LIUCollege of City Construction，Jiangxi Normal University，Nanchang 330022，China

Human Settlements in Rural-urban Fringe

Li LIU*
College of City Construction，Jiangxi Normal University，Nanchang 330022，China

On basis of human settlements theory，the research explored status quo of human settlements theory in rural-urban fringe，and analyzed and concluded predicaments confronted by rural-urban fringe，laying foundation for human settlements theory of rural-urban fringe.

Rural-urban fringe；Human settlements；Research status

P rofessor Zou Deci proposed that the science of human settlements is a science in the 21stcentury for resolving human settlement in the century in A New Recognition on Urban Planning from the Perspective of Human Settlements Science.Currently，urbanization proceeds fast in China，and it is necessary for urban planning to resolve problems in terms of how to insist on sustainable development based on insufficient resources and how to meet people’s demands on eco-environment and living quality with undeveloped economy.Rural-urban fringe is a special belt where land use patterns change so frequently in urbanization，with higher ecological sensitivity，posing threats to human settlements under influence of urban industrial pollutions.Therefore，to research status quo of human settlements in rural-urban fringe lays foundation for construction of human settlements in the area.

Advancement of Human Settlements Science

Concept of human settlements science

The science of human settlements develops gradually in the second half of the 20thcentury internationally［1］，concerning the foundation of a village，a town，and a city，with highlights given to interrelation of people and environment，and research on human settlements as a whole from the perspectives of politics，society，culture and technology in a comprehensive and systematic way［1-2］.The standard of ecological and human settlements should be high efficiency，energy saving，comfortness，and beauty［3］. Some experts believe ecological and human settlements should seek a balance aspect between nature and building，and a good ecological and human settlements should be constructed in accordance with mountain，landform，water system，climate，folkcustom，human culture，history，urban planning and targeted customers，so that it is even hard for you to tell where to begin enjoying landscapes and where to end in buildings［3］.Also，some experts believe that ecological and human settlement is just human settlements under the principle of sustainable development［4］.Generally speaking，the concept of ecological and human settlements can be concluded as the optimization practice of applied ecology and systems engineering on living environment，reducing pressure of living system on environment，providing a clean，beautiful and comfortable space for people，and meeting sustainable development［3］.

Research on human settlements science

According to Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in1972in Stockholm，Man is both creature and moulder of his environment，which gives him physical sustenance and affords him the opportunity for intellectual，moral，social and spiritual growth.At present，it is widely accepted of the importance of human settlements for urban residents and quality of human settlements has been one of reference factors in selecting a living site by an increasing number of people.Hence，urban human settlement has become a crucial part of urban competitiveness［4］.

Nevertheless，present urban planning in China tends to ignore construction of living environment，but excessively pursue economy growth［5］.In the process of modern industrialization in western countries，Howard，Gaddis and Matta earliest pointed out garden city，regional plan，organic decentralization and strip city，which lays powerful foundation for construction of human settlement in the countries.In China，however，theory on this aspect starts later.Recently，some progress has made on eco-city and green buildings，but there is a large gap between theory and practice.Hence，construction of urban human settlements will take a long time to complete［6］.

In conclusion，human settlement is a concept deepening and broadening in connotation and extension，whose theory system should extend and deepen with science and technology and social and economic development.

Theory research on Human settlements in Rural-urban Fringe in China at present

Rural-urban fringe is the transition zone where urban and rural uses mix and often clash，in terms of land use interaction，society and population，under influence of non-agricultural and agricultural activities［7-8］.Furthermore，the rural-urban fringe is also known as the outskirts or the urban hinterland［8］.

At present，theoretical system of human settlement construction is unavailable in the rural-urban fringe，and traditional planning is divided into urban and non-urban fields，which belong to plans with different highlights［9］. Strictly speaking，the rural-urban fringe is basically within the control of general plan of land use of non-cities［9］. Traditionally，little attention is paid to village and town constructions in downtowns or suburbs in urban planning，and blanks can be seen out of construction areas of planning construction areas in urban planning map. In fact，residential areas in the regions might have already integrated to cities［9］.Such planning or research of urban and rural areas in a separate way can not resolve problems confronted by human settlements in ruralurban fringe.

Sustainable development of urban human settlements is a final standard of urbanization in order［10］，and rural and urban areas can never be separated［11］.

Development of the Ruralurban Fringe

With rapid urbanization，suburbanization and marginalization proceed increasingly faster and rural-urban fringe has become an active frontier and construction land［9］.The belt is characterized by centrifugal and extensional urbanization with transportation，industry and housing extensions［12］.For instance，urbanization proceeds the most active，land use structure changes the fastest，and agricultural landscapes evolve the most significantly to rural-urban landscapes and urban landscapes［12］.Consequently，land use structure is in chaos，waste of land resources is severe，as well as ecological destruction and environment pollution，posing threats to human settlements.

Deteriorating of eco-environment

The rural-urban fringe is located in a special belt where land use patterns change frequently during urbanization，with a high ecological sensitivity［7］.It is a transition where population mobility，and transportation are poor，under influence of urban pollutions，including water，soil and atmosphere，and such pollution affects people’s health and poses threats to agricultural production.The most important is the shortage of municipal facilities，especially for deficiency of sewage collection pipes，and direct discharge and sheetflood of daily and industrial sewages have led to soil and water pollution and eco-environment deterioration［9］.It is notable that such pollution is not so simple，such as atmosphere or surface water pollution，but soil and underground water contamination，which is so hard to be renovated in a short term，especially for heavy metal pollution which is much serious for human health and level of intelligence［13］.

Severe resource waste

With market-oriented economy，driven by benefit maximization and short-term act of multiple subjects in urban construction，the weak chain in planning and management of the ruralurban fringe is thoroughly exposed，resulting in disorder extension and construction in the rural-urban fringe.On one hand，the interest bodies engage in transformation of farmlands at different scales to non-agricultural lands construction in the rural-urban fringe by different means，destroying farmlands，water sources and forests，and preventing sustainable development of the rural-urban fringe.On the other hand，non-agricultural employment opportunities are increasing in the rural-urban fringe，supplemented by fragmented farmland patterns，disappointing farmers in agricultural activities，and leading to farmland wastes［9］. Shortage of integrality in regional development

The rural-urban fringe is the tail of tail of city and head of countryside，characterized by dual features of rural and urban areas in terms of social system，living style and land use.Territorially，it belongs to urban and rural transition，where urban and rural populations mix，and has the characters of urban and rural economies，economically speaking［9］.What’s worse，urbanrural dual system has led to separation of urban and rural planning，and irrational management，resulting in disappearance of agricultural space，disintegration of traditional villages，interlacing of rural and urban landscapes，and disorder of land division.

Deficiency of long-term consideration of comprehensive supplementary

In terms of transportation androad system，infrastructure construction and ecological framework protection，rural-urban fringe generally lags behind of major cities in system，for rural-urban fringe is located in outskirts of cities，without urban infrastructure，for example road grade is low，and water，electricity and gas pipes are incomplete［9］.Consequently，construction units have to prepare self-governed auxiliary facilities by themselves，and use rate keeps lower based on redundant projects.On the other hand，new projects are constructed relying on roads available，which constitute difficulties for remoulding in future［9］.

Shortage of regional characters of architectural style

In the process of rapid industrialization and urbanization，natural ecoenvironment is seriously destructed in rural areas，and human settlement develops in confusion，involving randomness and disorder of village construction，city-oriented style of buildings，and decline of rural community culture［7］.Driven by urbanization，rural areas are increasingly invaded by urban factors.For example，traditional clustering settlement culture，interpersonal connections，and consciousness of community are replaced by new elements，original geographical landscapes are ignored，and historical culture is destroyed［14］.It is obvious that diversified rural culture is degrading.

Conclusions

China would be in rapid urbanization process for a long term，so that urban expansion becomes inevitable，and broader rural-urban fringe would appear gradually.Human settlement is a concrete aspect of urbanization，reflecting temporal and spatial changes in economy，society，environment，and culture，accordingly.On basis of human settlements in rural-urban fringe and weakness of urban planning theory，it is necessary to make breakthrough in dual pattern of original human settlement construction and to seek the mode balancing in rural and urban areas，in order to improve human settlement theory in rural-urban fringe，fully make use of resources and geographical advantages，and to create ecological human settlement in rural-urban fringe.

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Responsible editor:Xiaoxue WANG

Responsible proofreader:Xiaoyan WU

城乡结合带人居环境问题研究

刘丽*（江西师范大学城市建设学院，江西南昌 330022）

在分析人居环境理论发展基础上，探讨了城乡结合带人居环境理论研究现状，并对我国城乡结合带现阶段普遍面临的困境进行分析总结，为城乡结合带人居环境理论的后续研究奠定基础。

城乡结合带；人居环境；现状研究

江西省社科 “十二五”规划项目（14SH05）。

刘丽（1978-），女，江西南昌人，副教授，从事资源环境方面的教学研究。*通讯作者，E-mail：liuli@jxnu.edu.cn。

2015-02-03

2015-03-08

Sponsored by"Twelfth Five-year Plan"of Jiangxi Provincial Social Sciences Program（14SH05）.

.E-mail:liuli@jxnu.edu.cn

February 3，2015Accepted:March 8，2015