Exploring the impact of urban regeneration programs on wildlife and human well-being: A case study in Nanning, China

Abstract

Amidst the acceleration of urbanization, a heightened focus on sustainable development is essential for maintaining urban ecological well-being. In China, the paradigm of urban construction is evolving from one of mainly expanding cities outward to one of advocating for essential and planned rebuilding through urban regeneration programs (URPs). This study aims to elucidate the interplay between URPs and wildlife, as well as to examine the implications of these programs for human well-being. To achieve these objectives, we used a superior urban regeneration approach that incorporates complex networks, topologies, and ecosystem services into the assessment framework. By adapting the spatial structure of older urban areas, we quantified consequential impacts on both wildlife and human well-being in a representative city located in southern China. Our results indicate that the habitat area for wildlife increased by 4.7% after the implementation of URPs. Moreover, the stability and connectivity of the ecological network significantly improved, as evidenced by changes in robustness curves and connectivity values. For example, the overall connectivity (IIC) of the study area increased by 1.1%, and the possible connectivity (PC) increased by 18.5%. Additionally, the URPs contributed to a partial restoration of ecosystem services in the study area, underscoring their potential to yield substantial improvements in the well-being of both humans and wildlife. Our study offers valuable insights for environmentalists and urban planners aiming to regenerate old human communities in cities while simultaneously bolstering urban ecological resilience.

Keywords

• Urban regeneration programs
• Complex networks
• Topology
• Ecosystem services
• Robustness