Vegetation restoration reduces landscape ecological risk in the Loess Plateau

• Vegetation restoration effects on landscape ecological risk in the Loess Plateau were assessed. • Vegetation restoration exerts positive effects with long duration than urbanization. • Spatial heterogeneity, suitability, and urbanization process should be considered. Vegetation restoration (VR) is critical for enhancing the resilience of fragile ecosystems, yet its impact on landscape ecological risk (LER) remains uncertain. The VR project on the Loess Plateau in Shaanxi Province (LPSX) was taken as a case study to address ecological and environmental challenges, including soil erosion and land degradation. This study used multi-source data, including land cover, fractional vegetation cover, and nighttime light. It employed landscape pattern analysis, spatio-temporal correlation analysis, and causality analysis to assess the impacts. This study found a generally positive relationship between VR and the mitigation of LER in LPSX, though spatial and temporal variations exist from 2000 to 2020. Localized VR significantly influenced 17.66 % to 27.03 % of the study area. Positive effects were mainly observed in sandy and gully-hilly regions, showing an upward fluctuating trend that peaked at 21.91 % in 2010. After 2010, negative effects in the Fen-Wei Plain, Qinling Mountains, and Liupan Mountains outweighed the positive effects and continued to expand. Urbanization had a broader impact on LER distribution compared to VR. The findings indicate that future VR projects should focus on the spatial pattern of restoration and its associated eco-social effects to ensure sustainable development.