Research progress on world natural heritage conservation: its buffer zones and the implications

Abstract

Abstract In recent decades, World Heritage Sites (WHSs) have faced external severe threats in the context of global economisation and urbanisation. The buffer zone as a conservation layer and management tool for WHSs has attracted increasing scholarly attention and debate. However, there is limited understanding of buffer zones’ social and ecological role in the conservation of World Natural Heritage Sites (WNHSs) and a lack of summary of research progress on buffer zones. To fill this gap, this study systematically reviews the existing knowledge and research gaps on buffer zones in WNHSs worldwide. We used a systematic literature review framework of Search, Assessment, Synthesis and Analysis (SALSA) through the WoS and CNKI databases to obtain 188 articles that met the inclusion criteria. The aim was to analyze the temporal and regional distribution of publications, types of studies, main processes and landmark achievements, gaps, and implications for future research. Results indicated that: (1) there is an overall upward trend in the number of publications, reaching a maximum in 2020, with the most published in Asia and Europe. The research process presents two main categories of ecologically and socially oriented. (2) The main landmark achievements include theoretical research, technology and methods, model construction, benefit monitoring and evaluation, experimental demonstration, etc. Among them, theoretical research is the most numerous (58.51%). (3) On this basis, 8 key scientific issues are summarised. Reviewing the research progress and summarising the critical scientific issues will provide practical guidance for the effective implementation of the role of buffer zones in global WNH conservation, especially for karst WNHSs with fragile ecological environments. (4) The future of Karst WNH conservation should be based on the effect of human-land relationship in promoting heritage protection. Examining the institutional factors of ecological problems and the management of degraded ecosystems from a socio-economic perspective. The purpose is to seek a socio-ecological system that is composed of the social, economic, ecological and cultural dimensions of the buffer zone. Focus on the coupling between eco-industrial development and WNH conservation, and strengthen buffer zone communities’ adaptive and collaborative management. Explore techniques and methods of conservation adapted to the characteristics of the fragile ecosystem of karst itself, and conduct experimental demonstrations.

Keywords

• World natural heritage
• Buffer zone
• Conservation
• Development
• Karst
• Literature review