Conserving agricultural heritage systems through tourism: Exploration of two mountainous communities in China

Community plays an important role in the preservation of agricultural heritage system （AHS）. Recently, many AHS have been valorized as interesting resources for rural tourism. The expectations are that tourism development （TD） can be supportive for the conservation of AHS while creating benefits for local communities. In this study, two mountainous pilot villages （Longxian and Xiaohuang） in a global conservation project for traditional agricutural systems - Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems （GIAHS） were selected to identify the relationship between AHS conservation and TD. The study undertook in-depth interviews, and questionnaires of village residents and informal discussions with local villagers. A t-test and a linear regression model were implemented to explore the comparative dimensions of the two communities with different geographical location, economic situation, and stage of TD. The research found some similarities and differences in the two mountainous communities during AHS conservation and TD. Firstly, AHS are preservaed well in both villages unconsiously, while the residents in Xiaohuang value more highly the heritage elements than the respondents in Longxian, and the villagers in Xiaohuang are more worried about their heritage system; Secondly, both villages expect lots of benefits from TD and they clearly perceive more positive than negative impact from tourism and thus approve TD, while the hugedifferent perception on transportation and accessibility in the two villages reflects the bottleneck of TD in Xiaohuang village. At the same time, the respondents from Xiaohuang perceive more positive and fewer negative impact from tourism than the respondents from Longxian. Thirdly, the respondents in the two villages all show positive attitudes towards participation in tourism mostly motivated by the high income expectation. The main factors to determine the community perception in two villages were also analyzed based on the data process. A location-based coneeputal framework of AHS conservation in partnership with TD at community scale is proposed at the end of the paper. The dynamics of tourism development, that could enhance a better understanding of the complex relationship between conservation objectives and tourism development are discussed.     

ASSESSMENT OF INDIRECT USE VALUES OF FOREST BIODIVERSITY IN YAOLUOPING NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE, ANHUI PROVINCE

1INTRODUCTIONForestbiodiversityprovidesawiderangeofindirectbenefitstohumanbeing.Whiletheremaybelittlecon-sensusonwhetherthevariouselementsofforestbiodi-versitycanbevaluedineconomicterms, itisincreas-inglyrecognizedthatthesevaluesandtheroleofbio-diversityinmaintainingecologicalservicesareessen-tialtothehumankind.Thenotionofindirectusevalueofbiodiversityhasbeenassociatedwithaminimumlevelofecosysteminfrastructure, withoutwhichtherewouldnotbethegoodsandservicesprovidedbyit(FARNWORTHetal.,1…     

Forest landecape and bird diversity in mountain region, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan

The degeneration of forest landscapes is mainly caused by human impact on the natural environment, which is posing a great threat to biodiversity. We studied the relationship between forest landscapes and birds in mountain regions of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province. In Jinuo ethnic region, forest landscape is degenerating, and bird diversity is reducing as a result of human influence. However, in Hani ethnic region of Mengsong area, a comparative study area, there are also traditional practices of agriculture and forestry. The traditional practices are dynamically adaptive to local geographic environment and social economic conditions. A great deal of biodiversity exists in the place where people have lived for many generations and use the resources of environment in a sustainable manner. Considering bird diversity and forest landscape of mountainous area, both economic and ecological benefits should be taken into account, which relate to land use and landscape protection. Biodiversity conservation, resource management and policy making should pay much attention to the best interconnection of land use and landscapes protection.     

FOREST LANDSCAPE AND BIRD DIVERSITY IN MOUNTAIN REGION, XISHUANGBANNA, YUNNAN

１ＧＥＮＥＲＡＬＳＩＴＵＡＴＩＯＮＯＦＴＨＥＳＴＵＤＩＥＤＡＲＥＡ１．１ＮａｔｕｒａｌＥｎｖｉｒｏｎｍｅｎｔＴｈｅｓｔｕｄｙｗａｓｃｏｎｄｕｃｔｅｄｉｎｔｈｅＪｉｎｕｏＭｏｕｎｔａｉｎ（２０°５３′１１″－２２°９′５９″Ｎ,１００°５５′３３″－１...     

城郊型村庄用地发展问题研究—以2002—2014年莱芜市高庄坡草洼村为例

在城镇化快速演进的背景下,我国建设用地扩展导致耕地面积减少已成为学界共识。农民对城镇化进程成本支付能力低,土地成为来分享财富用于城镇化的工具,导致农村地区频频出现村庄“空壳化”、城镇人口“两头占地”、土地利用粗放等现象。作为城郊型村庄具有明显的区位优势、环境优势和资源优势,不断诱发村庄建设用地扩展、延伸,使土地集约利用的趋势更为严峻。该文通过研究坡草洼村近12年的村庄形态的演变进程,挖掘造成村庄土地利用混乱、耕地面积不断减少、人均建设用地不断增加的原因。在保障农民土地财产权的前提下,应让静态的土地“流”起来,使沉睡的资源“活”起来,不仅能解决“就地城镇化”的土地瓶颈问题,还能让村民生活质量真正的“市民化”。     

Collecting Ophiocordyceps sinensis: an emerging livelihood strategy in the Garhwal,Indian Himalaya

In the Garhwal of Uttarakhand, India, the Bhotiya, an ethnically and culturally distinct tribal group, were historically engaged in seasonal migration(i.e. transhumance) to take advantage of scarce mountain resources and trade relations with Tibet. This livelihood practice has all but disappeared.Households are adapting to these changing circumstances by engaging in the collection and sale of the valuable alpine medicinal fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis, widely known as Cordyceps. The collection of this fungus has exploded, emerging as a lucrative yet high-risk livelihood strategy for many Bhotiya communities.The Bhotiyas' historic herding and trade-based interactions and knowledge of these alpine environments where Cordyceps are found uniquely positions them to access this valuable biological resource. Elsewhere in the Himalayan region, some households are earning as much as two-thirds of their income from the collection of Cordyceps; in China Cordyceps is now listed as an endangered species due to intense over-exploitation in the Tibetan Plateau.This paper seeks to fill the void in the scientific literature on the social, ecological and economic aspects of the emerging Cordyceps trade in the Garhwal. Our study investigates the socio-spatial dimensions of Cordyceps collection in the high alpine meadows. We document how a fusion of local knowledge and practice with alpine mountain systems has served to reinvigorate the economic integrity of mountain communities at a time of rapid socioeconomic change and to reimagine a new relationship between alpine resources and community well-being.The article offers suggestions to address the sustainability of both Cordyceps collection and livelihood activities which hinge on this fungus population. We find a need for(1) community-based conservation measures that are rooted in(2) secure resource access rights for local communities to continue sustainable collection and sale of Cordyceps and(3) participatory-and science-based processes for determining appropriate local collection numbers.     

Utilization of low quality water of mountain reservoirs: a case study from Al Jabal Al Akhdar,Oman

Al Jabal al Akhdar (Green Mountain) in arid northern Oman has freshwater resources that had supported small communities for hundreds of years. Jabal Akhdar receives more rainfall (300-400 mm) when compared to the desert plains. In the last few years, this region had undergone enormous changes due to rapid development. The resident and transient populations have increased and their activities exert severe stress on the water resources. There are 24 retention reservoirs in the area, but most are eutrophic and the nutrient loading is due to input of animal fecal matter via surface run-off. As expected, these waters contaminated with coliform bacteria and some have pathogenic Escherichia coli. Drinking water needs of all the villages met by groundwater extraction. Because of poor quality, the surface water in the reservoirs is under-utilized. A low-cost low-maintenance treatment system designed, constructed and operated in one village to clean the reservoir water for non-drinking human use. The treatment unit improved the water quality parameters. A survey among the adult male population of the village showed their eagerness to adopt this system and use the treated reservoir water for uses other than agriculture. Establishment of these treatment units in other villages should reduce the pressures on groundwater extraction.     

中国风能资源空间分布的估算

风能是一种清洁的可再生能源,是太阳能的一种转化形式,但风能开发利用的成本比太阳能开发利用的成本要低,它是可再生能源中最具开发前景的一种能源。科学、准确地估算我国风能潜力及其空间分布是国家对风能资源开发中一项极其重要的基础性工作。本文利用全国395个气象站10年、每日4次的气象观测数据,计算了每个气象站所在地区常年有效风能密度和有效风时数,在此基础上,通过空间内插,形成全国范围的风能密度和有效风时数分布数据。结果显示,在全国范围内:有效风能密度大于150W/m²、100～150W/m²、50～100W/m²、小于50W/m²的区域面积占全国国土总面积的百分比分别为2.51%、16.45%、53.39%和27.65%;有效风时数大于5 000h、4 000～5 000h、2 000～4 000h、小于2 000h的区域面积占国土总面积的百分比分别为5.28%、22.19%、53.54%和18.98%。用风能密度和有效风时数两个指标分别表达风能资源潜力虽然存在局部差异,但在总体态势上基本一致,二者之间的相关系数,...     

Paradigm and ecological implication of changing agricultural land-use: A case study from Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, Central Himalaya, India

The paper scrutinizes that the changes in any sub-system(i.e.agriculture,livestock and forest) have direct impact on biophysical and social processes in village ecosystem of the central Himalayan region.In view of this,we studied the changes in spatial patterns of agricultural land use and dependency of agroecosystem on forest and animal husbandry over a period of two decades.Based on data analysis it was found that the cultivation of some traditional crops has either been abandoned in the area or declined by 25%-85% due to introduction of cash crops viz.,potato,kidney bean and apple farming with acreage increased up to 51%-72% in the last three decades.Livestock population of different categories has declined drastically by 17%-75%,and has resulted shortage of farmyard manure,deterioration of soil quality and fertility which leads to un-sustainability of agriculture system.The changes in agrobiodiversity have led to the dramatic increase in soil loss and runoff from the croplands together with the increase pressure on forests.The economic evaluation of each crop showed higher monetary benefit from cash crops as compared to traditional crops.Among all the evaluated crops,the monetary output/input ratio was found highest(3.04) for kidney bean and lowest(1.26) for paddy.Changes in land use and management have improved household income but at the cost of forest degradation,less productive animal husbandry and loss of agrodiversity in the region.Therefore,there is an urgent need to bring desirable changes in agricultural policy,research,land use and efficient management of the resources for maintaining sustainability in agro and Himalayan forest ecosystem.     

多源三维模型融合技术在三调城镇村内部细化调查中的应用研究

城镇村内部土地利用细化调查是第三次全国土调查中的重要组成部分,全面细化和完善的城镇村庄内部土地利用调查成果,有助于掌握翔实准确的全国国土利用现状和自然资源变化情况。本文基于多源三维模型融合技术,生成高精度高空地面、室内室外一体化三维模型,将其应用于城镇村内部土地利用细化调查工作中,修正城镇村内部土地利用现状图斑边界和地类属性等内容,最终形成准确的城镇村内部土地利用现状成果。利用融合后的三维模型上开展城镇村内部土地利用细化调查是一种有效的调查模式,可为三调高精度高效率调查工作提供技术支撑。     

Comprehensive evaluation of rural courtyard utilization efficiency: A case study in Shandong Province,Eastern China

China is implementing the strategy of Rural Revitalization. Revitalizing idle and inefficient utilization courtyards is an important measure for rural revitalization. The evaluation of courtyard utilization efficiency is the basis of determining the idle and inefficient utilization courtyards in order to revitalizing it. This study provided a reference for the optimal use of rural courtyard utilization and revitalization through the quantitative comprehensive evaluation of courtyard utilization efficiency and the classification of courtyard utilization types. Taking Shandong Province in Eastern China as study area, we selected eight surveyed villages by stratified sampling method. According to the scale of the villages, full survey and sample survey were used, while middleaged men who familiar with the courtyards were selected as the respondents. Through a household questionnaire survey and face-to-face interviews from2017 to 2018, 578 questionnaires of rural courtyardsin eight villages were obtained. Then based on the functions of rural courtyard and land resource conditions, 16 comprehensive factors were formulated,involving land conditions, construction conditions and economic benefits, to build the comprehensive evaluation index system of rural courtyard utilization efficiency. Next the index weight was determined by analytic hierarchy process, and the linear weighted regression model was used to evaluate the utilization efficiency of rural courtyard. Finally, the K-means clustering analysis was used to classify the utilization efficiency of courtyards. The results showed that among the eight villages, the average utilization efficiency of courtyards was moderate(one village was low, five were moderate, and two were high). The proportions of both idle and inefficiently utilized courtyards were high. There were three vital factors leading to the idle and low efficiency of rural courtyards. They were declining rural industries,limited arable land per capita, and more farmer workers. In this case, the utilization efficiency of courtyards should be improved by transferring rural land, developing secondary and tertiary industries,evaluating the development potential of villages,classifying and optimizing courtyard utilization, so as to make full use of idle and inefficient courtyards,increase the income of farmers and collectives and promote the revitalization of rural areas.     

Analysis of types and changes of village-level economy in rural Gongyi city,Henan Province since 1990

Based on the research on the rural living standard in China in terms of annual net income per capita, we define six types of village-level economy, i.e. ＂to be extremely poor＂, ＂to make a basic living＂, ＂to dress warmly and eat one＇s fill＂, ＂to try to enrich （to disengage poverty）＂, ＂to be well-off＂ and ＂to be affluent＂. The data of average annual net income of all the 292 villages between 1990 and 2004 in rural Gongyi City, Henan Province were collected, verified and classified. By using standard deviation, coefficient of variation and regression analysis, it is found that the Gongyi＇s rural economy has boosted up remarkably from the relative-poverty and absolute-poverty stages in 1990 to the well-off in 2004. However, the absolute differences between villages present a trend of enlargement, while the relative differences fluctuating. On the other hand, spatial analysis of village-level economy shows that most villages with relatively high economic development level were located along national expressway and most villages with absolute-poverty lay in remote mountainous areas in 1990. Since the 1990s, the rapid urbanization and industrialization have had strongly positive effects on rural economic growth. Initial economic foundation, natural resources and traditional techniques also contribute to village economy. From the perspective of geography, villages with location advantages, such as near urban center or industrial parks, have more chances for their economic development and the ＂core-periphery＂ economic structure has been presented in the process of rural development.     

古村落景观基因图谱的平台系统设计

我国古代先进的社会经济文化孕育了为数众多的古村落。本文分析了近些年我国古村落研究的基本特点,并以"文化景观基因学说"分析了古村落景观基因信息图谱平台构建的内容与意义,以及其关键技术与解决方案。同时,讨论了该程序的基本框架和主要功能、需求分析、功能模块划分与实现思路。最后,以湖南江永女书为例,对古村落景观基因信息进行了提取实验。     

Economic value evaluation of wetland service in Yeyahu Wetland Nature Reserve,Beijing

Based on multi-source data,this paper evaluated the economic value of ecological services in the Yeyahu Wetland Nature Reserve,Beijing,China.The ecological services of wetland included gas regulation,water quality im-provement,biodiversity maintenance,erosion control,water supply,recreational opportunity,raw material supply and existence value.Multiple conventional evaluation methods were used to calculate the value of eight wetland services.The results showed that significant values came from biodiversity maintenance and recreational opportunity.The main reasons were as follows.Firstly,Yeyahu Wetland Nature Reserve was the habitat for migrant birds,and government had payed more efforts to protect precious birds.Secondly,the population is large in Beijing.People enjoyed going outside and enjoyed the natural and artificial wetland scenes.At the same time,most people were prepared to pay for wetland conservation.The decline of vegetation cover made the economic value of erosion control the lowest.While the shrink of water resource and the deteriorative water quality caused the economic value of water supply lower.The evaluation results could help decision-makers understand the present status of the Yeyahu Wetland Nature Reserve and provide a scientific basis for strategic decision.     

Community tourism as practiced in the mountainous Qiang region of Sichuan Province, China — a case study in Zhenghe Village

In China, community tourism is still a relatively new phenomenon, but the villagers of a small Qiang village in the Qiang Autonomous County of Beichuan in Southwestern Sichuan have initiated tourism in a way which conforms to the basic theory of community tourism development. This demonstrates that community tourism possesses a strength and vitality that can promote the development of tourism in the rural and mountainous areas. In the district of Zhenghe Village, the tourism industry, based on the community tourism model, is the mainstay of its economy. The practice of community tourism in the village not only promotes the economic development of the village community, but also leads to the protection of the mountainous natural environment and of the culture of the Qiang people. This paper investigates the development process of community tourism in Zhenghe and shows how the local residents participate in this process. It also looks at how profits have been distributed within the community. It demonstrates that community tourism is a correct choice by the Zhenghe people as they have dearly been moving from poverty to prosperity, while the local ecology and environment have been simultaneously protected. The authors hope that other minority villages with similar local conditions and natural resources will be able to use this example to develop their own community tourism.     

Community attitudes toward ecotourism development and environmental conservation in nature reserve: a case of Fujian Wuyishan National Nature Reserve,China

Using social exchange theory, this study investigated residents’ attitudes toward the preliminary stage of tourism development in nature reserves in Wuyishan National Nature Reserve of China, and the socio-economic and negative effects of residents’ attitude toward the tourist industry. Results of the questionnaire survey indicated that local people perceived they could benefit from the economic activities related to tourism, and were supportive of the conservation of natural resources and local culture, sustainable community development, and community participation in ecotourism planning and management. This study also revealed that the variables of age, gender, education level, household income, family size, non-farm work arrangements, and the distance to tourism attractions, have significant association with respondents’ attitudes toward ecotourism development, or negative impacts of the tourist industry. Respondents who are male, or have a higher household income, are more supportive of tourism development inside the reserve. Younger and more highly educated community members are more likely to support learning more about natural and cultural resources and landscapes. Respondents who have a higher household income, or live far from the village center, are more concerned about the negative environmental impacts of tourism development.     

Mountain Land Use Planning of Metropolitan Suburbs： the Case of the Jinyun Mountain and Its Surrounding area, Chongqing, China

Open space of metropolitan suburbs in mountain region, has been increasingly becoming the coupling mosaic structure of industrial actions and landscape behaviors. However, the local governments, when making land use planning, often aim at economic development, and rarely refer to the coordination of compatibilities and conflicts between industrial actions and landscape behaviors in the mosaic structure. In this study land use in the Jinyun Mountain and its surrounding area, Chongqing is adjusted by gray multi-objective programming approach and local-level decision-making process to cope with conflicts between objectives for human welfare and objectives for landscape conservation. The results indicate that： 1） the compatibilities and conflicts among different behavior characters and different landscape types result in the compatibilities of landscape to human behavior; 2） a land use planning in the study area is produced based on the sustainable land use and social-eco development, which pays more attention to the resources and environment constraints and economic objectives, and follows the distribution law of rare resources; 3） in the study area, cultivated land of 1,207.27 ha can meet the demands for food and byproducts by the residents there, orchard land and forestland of 632.55 ha, 2,276.61 ha, respectively can provide enough spaee for the local people to improve their living structure and meet their demands for reereational activities, and urban residential land, rural residential land, mining land and transportation land of 1107.60 ha, 120.27 ha, 162.48 ha, 100.91 ha, respeetively can satisfy the resident＇s eeonomie development and infrastructures; 4） the equilibrium among industrial actions, landscape accessibility and ecological conservation can be obtained by analyzing the possible impaets of human activities on landscape eeologieal proeess in open spaee of metropolitan suburbs in mountain areas.     

基于SMOTE-RF算法的村庄发展类型识别方法研究

准确把握区域发展规律,定量、客观地认识村庄发展类型,对“因地制宜、分类推进”乡村振兴具有非常重要的现实意义。针对区域村庄发展类型自动、准确识别问题,研究提出了一种基于SMOTE-RF算法的村庄发展类型识别模型。研究首先从地形、区位、社会经济、农业生产和生态环境等方面提出了面向村庄发展多维特征表达的指标体系。在此基础上,针对村庄样本不平衡分布特点,利用SMOTE过采样技术对少数类样本进行分析和模拟,合成平衡化的村庄分类样本集;进而利用随机森林算法自动构建村庄发展的多维属性特征与村庄类型之间的非线性关系,形成可用于区域村庄发展类型自动识别的智能分类器。为验证模型的有效性,研究选取山东招远市作为试验区开展了实证研究。实验结果表明,耦合SMOTE过采样技术的随机森林分类模型有效保障了村庄分类结果的可靠性和准确度。在试验区,模型自动识别结果与规划专家分类结果的一致性达88.27%,Kappa系数为0.78,整体一致性良好。相对于人工分类,基于SMOTE-RF方法的村庄类型自动识别方法减少了依赖人工经验分类带来的不确定性,保障了分类结果的一致性,能够为国土空间规划和乡村振兴专项规划决策提供可靠的决...     

Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Community-based Natural Resource Management in Northeast India

Community-based natural resource management in northeast India has a long history. Indigenous knowledge and adaptation are the collective information, with improvement from generation to generation. The expectation is that under community control, local expertise on biodiversity will play a significant role in natural resource management through traditional practices. This paper discusses the characteristics and application of the traditional ecological knowledge of aboriginal peoples in northeast India and its role in natural resource management. Examples are provided in two different eco-cultural landscapes, i.e., Demazong (the Buddhist eco-cultural landscape in Sikkim Himalaya) and the Apatani eco-cultural landscape in Arunachal Pradesh, which illustrate the utility value of traditional ecological knowledge in sustainable natural resource management. Both eco-cultural landscapes are indeed very complex and highly evolved systems with high levels of economic and ecological efficiencies. The paper concludes that traditional ecological knowledge systems and institutions could serve as entry points into the sustainable utilization and management of natural resources. This could be achieved through the exploration of the cultural practices of the local people and integrating useful aspects into the modern natural resource management expertise. With rapidly depleting biodiversity in the developing tropic regions, there is a greater utilization today than ever before of the value of respecting the "Sacred" as a tool towards better conservation of natural resources.     

Cultural Landscape Evolution of Traditional Agricultural Villages in North China —— Case of Qianzhai Village in Shandong Province

Agricultural village is an important rural type in China. The evolution process and mechanism of its cultural landscape are different from those of the industrialized village. The paper focuses this theme by a case study of Qianzhai Village of Qufu City, Shangdong Province. In the case of Qianzhai Village, the evolution of its settlement has experienced three stages： mechanical expansion, sprawling expansion and hollowing, and recentralization. The land- scape evolution of residents＇ houses has undergone three phases： traditional quadrangle house, one-storied house and multistoried house. The evolution of its land use has experienced three stages： circled stratification, fragment and intensive use, and concentration and extensive use. We can see that the main driving factors of cultural landscape evolution of agricultural village are the changes of rural population, society, economy and culture, which are influenced by the change of urban-rural relation, the national modernization process and economic development, the reform of family planning and land system, and the changes in governmental policies. In the future, the modernization, ecological trend, and individualization for residents＇ houses of agricultural villages in China will develop step by step. The recentralization of settlement and the scaled, sustainable, intensive land use are likely to be the trends of agricultural villages in China.