Aesthetic evaluation of yardang landforms landscape: the Dunhuang Yardang National Geo-park example

Dunhuang Yardang National Geo-park, situated in the Gansu Province of northwestern China (40º25'36"N-40º33'10"N, 93º00'00"E-93º13'30"E), was chosen as a research locality of aesthetics evaluation of yardang landforms landscape. The yardang landforms landscape is a composite structural system of patch-corridor-matrix, with four landscape unit elements as dense group, sparse group, single body and remnant. The study of the landscape aesthetics spatial pattern of Dunhuang Yardang National Geo-park shows that yardang dense group, sparse group and single body provide the greatest contribution to the aesthetic value of yardang landforms landscape. Yardang bodies are scarce, unique, irreplaceable, and priceless resources in yardang landforms areas. However, they are easily destroyed under the influence of the natural and artificial factors. Therefore, when the tourism potential of yardang landforms landscape is exploited, the protection should be fully improved.