Peri-Urban Ecosystems and Societies: Transitional Zones and Contrasting Values

Peri-urban areas are the transition zone, or interaction zone, where urban and rural activities are juxtaposed, and landscape features are subject to rapid modifications, induced by human activities. These critical areas of land cover change, leading to transformations in the hydrological, ecological, geomorphological and socio-economic systems, are often neglected by both rural and urban administrations. However, as cities develop, much of their growth is located in such areas. Many peri-urban activities move outwards as the city grows; other activities and land uses become incorporated within the urban fabric. Peri-urban areas are mosaics of temporary, new residents and activities mingled with longstanding land uses, including farms, villages, quarries and forest patches.