Research on natural coastline conservation indicators values under the coastline occupation-compensation policy: A case study in Yancheng, China

To address the conflict between protection and development of coastal zone, Chinese government is exploring the coastline occupation-compensation policy under the strict implementation of the natural coastline retention rate. However, the conservation of natural coastline leads to the restriction of coastal development. In these regions, the right to development remains constrained, and social equity is compromised. Existing studies remain a gap in applying current ecological compensation methods to the evaluation of natural coastline conservation indicators, with the problem of underestimating the scarcity and protection costs. This study proceeds from the connotation of natural coastline protection indicators, elaborating on their inherent implications and value composition. Specifically, the value of the conservation indicator is categorized into production factor value and ecological mitigation value. Grounded on the theory of opportunity cost and ecological compensation, two types of value assessment methods are established. Subsequently, the Markov model is employed to quantitatively evaluate the potential ecological mitigation value under different marine utilization scenarios, thereby deriving the indicator value within the dual-value framework. Our findings uncover that within a 100-meter seaward protection zone, the value of natural coastline conservation indicators ranges from CNY 194.41 to CNY 336.95 per meter per year, which is significantly affected by territorial spatial planning and habitat distribution. These findings address a critical research gap in the valuation methodologies for natural coastline conservation indicators, while simultaneously achieving a novel expansion within ecosystem compensation (EC) mechanisms. These findings provide actionable insights for conservation initiatives in China’s coastal regions. • The value of natural coastline conservation indicators is significantly influenced by territorial spatial planning and habitat distribution. • Both the production factor value and the ecological mitigation value should be considered in natural coastline conservation indicators. • There is a close coupling relationship between ecological mitigation value and production factor value.