In this research, we created an assessment model based on ecological footprint and ecological carrying capacity (EC) to detect the trend of urbanization in Binzhou city. In this model, we utilized four new indicators based on EF and EC by adding economic and social dimensions and categorized six types of ecological footprints into three main kinds of ecological footprints. The results indicated that (a) the EF and the EC have had enormous increment and decrement respectively; (b) ecological tension and ecological occupancy presented an obvious increasing trend while the ecological security was continuously decreasing in this period, and Binzhou city was in an unsafe level. We suggest that (a) a diversified and optimized energy structure and an energy-saving urban regulation should be accomplished in the future urban ecological security pattern optimiation both in time and spacial scale; (b) fisheries productive land should be protected in the future, especially coastal protection and offshore fishing should be prioritized.
