Wetland Restoration Planning Approach Based on Interval Fuzzy Linear Programming under Uncertainty

Abstract

When planning wetland restoration projects, the planting area allocation and the costs of the restoration measures are two major issues faced by decision makers. In this study, a framework based on the interval fuzzy linear programming (IFLP) method is introduced for the first time to plan wetland restoration projects. The proposed framework can not only effectively deal with interval and fuzzy uncertainties that exist in the planning process of wetland restorations but also handle trade-offs between ecological environment benefits and economic cost. This framework was applied to a real-world wetland restoration planning problem in the northeast of China to verify its validity and examine the credibility of the constraints. The optimized results obtained from the framework that we have developed indicate that higher ecological and social benefits can be obtained with optimal restoration costs after using the wetland restoration decision-making framework. The optimal restoration measure allocation schemes obtained by IFLP under different credibility levels can help decision makers generate a range of alternatives, which can also provide decision suggestions to local managers to generate a satisfactory decision-making plan. Furthermore, a comparison was made between the IFLP model and ILP model in this study. The comparison results indicate that the IFLP model provides more information regarding ecological environment and economic trade-offs between the system objective, certainty, and reliability. This framework provides managers with an effective way to plan wetland restoration projects, while transference of the model may help solve similar problems.

Zoning of Ecological Restoration in the Qilian Mountain Area, China

“…When planning ecological restoration projects, the allocation of restoration areas and the cost of restoration measures are two major problems faced by decision makers, which can be further studied by considering the construction of appropriate ecological restoration development frameworks. For example, Zhang et al [ 47 ] planned wetland restoration projects based on the framework of interval fuzzy linear programming, which can deal with the trade-off between eco-environmental benefits and economic costs. Under the background of global climate change, ecosystem restoration should not only combine the characteristics of the ecosystem itself, but also consider the impact of climate change [ 48 ].…”

Spatial Planning Strategies for Wetlands Based on a Multimethod Approach: The Example of Tianjin in China

“…From a planning standpoint, conducting wetland research that is rooted in spatial planning enables the allocation of physical space for wetland restoration purposes during urban development, thereby safeguarding wetland areas from encroachment by urbanization [20,21]. Nevertheless, the prevailing challenges in wetland planning encompass issues such as singular planning approaches [22], spatial functional conflicts [23], and inadequate coordination [24]. The absence of a comprehensive mechanism to harmonize and coordinate spatial planning severely impedes the optimization of wetland spaces.…”