Xie, Z.; Ma, Z., and Liu, J., 2014. Conflicts in land use in marine protected areas: The case of the Yellow River Delta, China.

Marine protected areas (MPAs) play an important role in ecosystem service and resource management practices. Conflicts in Yellow River Delta protected areas (YRDPA) have arisen as a result of unpredictable natural hazards and unreasonable anthropogenic activities. The study applied remote sensing images and environmental and socioeconomic data to analyze the change of land use and land cover in YRDPA and to identify the driving forces for these changes from 1986 to 2010. The results show that land use has changed significantly over this period. The study analyzed the main conflict types, such as land use conflict, oil field exploration and wetland protection conflict, management conflict, and environmental conflict. The framework of conflict resolution is also presented, and resolution rules of sustainability, effectiveness, and adaptation are provided to mitigate conflicts to achieve coordinated marine management goals. The purpose of the study is to demonstrate the causes and impacts of conflicts and to identify conflict resolution strategies for marine protected areas management.