Mapping cultural diversity conservation networks to enhance cultural sustainability in rural Southwest China

Abstract

Abstract Cultural diversity conservation is crucial for global sustainability, especially in rural areas facing challenges such as shrinking settlements and integration into nature reserves. However, existing research lacks discussion on how to establish cultural diversity conservation areas while considering the trade-offs with nature reserves. To address this gap, we employ the SCP method to develop a planning framework that balances ecosystem service benefits for nature conservation with the effectiveness of cultural diversity conservation, applied in rural Southwest China. Our findings indicate that overly ambitious or conservative conservation goals hinder cultural diversity conservation, whereas a value-based scenario enhances conservation effectiveness and reduces conflicts with rural natural ecosystems. We propose rural cultural diversity conservation networks comprising 9 cultural diversity areas, 33 core conservation areas, and 233 subcatchments. Compared with existing systems, our new conservation networks improve effectiveness by 29.62% and reduce the impact on the ecosystem service benefits of ecological conservation by 23.65%. These findings provide guidance for global cultural diversity conservation planning and sustainable development across various regions and scales.

Keywords

• Cultural heritage
• Cultural diversity
• Ecosystem services
• Systematic conservation planning
• Marxan
• Southwest China