Social value evaluation of cultivated land resources in land reclamation project area

The evaluation of social benefits is an important component of land remediation. Evaluation results of land reclamation project areas lay the crucial basis for evaluating the social benefits of land regulation. Therefore conducting research on land reclamation and social valuation is of tremendous practical significance. A case-study in land rehabilitation project area in Quyang County of Hebei Province was conducted in this research. The social value of cultivated land in the project area was evaluated through constructing a cultivated land value evaluation system based on land reclamation projects and research methods in resource economics, including market value method, alternative market method, achievement reference methods and capital reduction method. In addition, changes and differences in values before and after reclamation were analyzed and conclusions drawn. The results indicated that after land reclamation, the social security value increased by 324.420 2 million RMB. However, the percentage of total value decreased compared with the ratio before the land reclamation. Social stability value increased by 14.532 9 million RMB. Then cultural landscape value increased by 8.843 7 million RMB and both proportions were enhanced. Total social value of cultivated land increased by 347.796 8 million RMB. Land reclamation social benefit was remarkable not only for convenient cultivation conditions and increased cultivated area, but also for enhanced ecology landscape value. This study provided a significant reference for the evaluation of social values of land reclamation. The results also provided the scientific basis for social benefit evaluation of land remediation in Quyang County.