Rural Heritage Research Articles

Influence of Livelihood Capitals on Landscape Service Cognition and Behavioral Intentions in Rural Heritage Sites

Farmers’ livelihoods are critical for global sustainable development and the conservation and transmission of rural heritage. However, neglecting farmers’ livelihoods increases the risks to living heritage conservation. Therefore, it is essential to explore the impact of livelihood capital on farmers’ landscape services cognition and their behavioral intentions. Based on the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach, this study examines the rural areas of Mulanbei irrigation district, which was recognized as a World Heritage Irrigation Structure in 2014, and uses a structural equation model to investigate the relationships between farmers’ livelihood capital, landscape services cognition and behavioral intentions. The study’s key findings include the following: (1) The levels of human capital (0.541), social capital (0.671), and cultural capital (0.645) are relatively high, while the levels of natural, physical, and financial capital are comparatively low. (2) There are significant differences in landscape service cognition and behavioral intentions among farmers of different livelihood strategies, with diversified livelihood farmers demonstrating the highest levels of both cognition and intentions, while subsidy-dependent farmers show the lowest levels. (3) Natural, cultural and financial capital play a crucial role in influencing farmers’ landscape services cognition and their behavioral intentions. Landscape service cognition mediates the relationship between livelihood capital and behavioral intentions. (4) To increase farmers’ willingness to protect and promote rural heritage, efforts should focus on enhancing natural, physical, and financial capital while fostering cultural capital to promote advocacy.

Village (re)commoning: rethinking Hong Kong's rural built heritage as commons

In recent years, a growing number of village revitalisation schemes have been initiated in Hong Kong by nonprofit organisations (NPOs) with expertise in ecological and heritage conservation. Although many projects have been commended for their success, villagers feel excluded and remain largely disengaged from the revitalisation process. This article proposes redefining the current understanding of Hong Kong’s rural heritage by introducing the concepts of commons and commoning as a relatively new theoretical framework for analysing village revitalisation. Although it has been mobilised in Hong Kong’s urban context, the concept of commoning is rarely used as a theoretical framework for discussing rural heritage. What new knowledge can be derived from a commoning approach to Hong Kong’s village heritage? How does this approach elucidate past assumptions regarding the value and significance of built heritage? How can the concept of commoning be used to reinterpret the relative success or failure of recent revitalisation initiatives? First, commoning can provide a better understanding of how village heritage was created and managed over time. Second, the literature on commoning provides better tools for understanding the historical processes that led to the disappearance of Hong Kong built heritage commons in the second half of the 20th century. Third, the concept of recommoning is helpful for better understanding the current situation of Hong Kong and the shortcomings experienced by some villagers. This paper also shows that many of the specificities of global contemporary recommoning are relevant to the case of Hong Kong and can partially explain the success or failure of some village revitalisation initiatives. Overall, this article reflects on how various categories of commons and the complex social process of commoning offer multiple advantages to improve our understanding of built heritage when analysing village revitalisation schemes in Hong Kong.

Conserving an underappreciated heritage resource: The rural landscape

Rural landscapes make up a significant percentage of the planet’s lands and waterways and must be included in any efforts to address climate change and habitat loss. However, the contribution of these landscapes to cultural heritage and nature conservation is not always appreciated. While there are multiple international designation programs and state-sponsored heritage landscape initiatives, these have a relatively small impact around the globe. This is also true for international programs that attempt to take a holistic perspective to conserving rural heritage. There are some promising community-based and collaborative programs in Australia and the United States, although in both countries, overall agricultural policies are not supportive of these approaches. The lack of recognition of cross-disciplinary practices is a barrier to integrated land management as is the failure to understand that a key factor is the role of people and their relationship with the land. The challenge is how to reach out and incorporate culture and natural heritage into the larger field of land policy and conservation practice.

Rural Tourism Transformative Journeys into the Heart of the Rural Heritage

Rural Tourism Transformative Journeys into the Heart of the Rural Heritage

Wildland-Urban Interface fire exposure of rural settlements: The case of Montesinho Natural Park

Coexistence with wildfires has always been part of human life. However, the severity of these events has intensified due to the combined effects of climate change and interventions on the environment. Rural settlements, especially those with heritage values, are vulnerable, leaving their existence under constant threat. Montesinho Natural Park, characterised by many settlements with remarkable vernacular buildings, exemplifies this situation. In response to this challenge and added to the wildfire hazard, it was chosen to apply the Wildland-Urban Interface Index (WUIX) methodology to assess the exposure of the wildland-urban interface (WUI) to wildfires in three of the villages: Aveleda, Montesinho, and Rio de Onor. The WUI represents the boundary between the natural landscape and the community and might serve as a path for the percolation of fire. The study focused on evaluating the evolution of WUI over time for those three villages by taking advantage of the two open data national orthophotos of 2018 and 2021. The initial stage of vegetation recognition was changed to an automated process, relying on a Python script that captures the image for the database, extracts the vegetation, converts, and prepares the files for applying WUIX, and again converts and georeferenced the results for analysis. This approach makes the application a faster, reliable and replicable process. As a result, maps of WUIX affectation were generated, visually and quantitatively pointing to the village of Aveleda as the one with a higher level of exposure. While the results alone cannot support the entire vulnerability assessment of those villages, they serve as a complement to efforts to define proactive measures for safeguarding the rural heritage.

Recent Urban-to-Rural Migration and Its Impact on the Heritage of Depopulated Rural Areas in Southern Transylvania

There has recently been discussion regarding how heritage rural areas are culturally affected by recent urban-to-rural migration. However, little research has been conducted on the form this process takes in post-communist contexts. Taking a geography approach to some Romanian heritage sites, this study foregrounds narratives based on interviews with local people in two villages in southern Transylvania that were formerly inhabited by different ethnicities. The results point to quite different perceptions of the cultural landscape changes in the two villages. Although both communities consciously seek to preserve and maintain a sense of place that is rooted in history, those who migrate from urban areas to these rural heritage places represent a catalyst for community resilience and development in areas such as acquisition of buildings, development of facilities, modern social services, and seeking new funding for landscape transformation. As NGOs function as a link between government, local people, newcomers to the community, and investors, we contend that more attention could be paid to channelling their funds towards investment in rural heritage. The greatest challenges to heritage are those posed by tourism, while NGOs and small investors are the driving force that helps to preserve and save cultural heritage.

Architettura rurale in legno: i tabià della Valle del Biois nelle Dolomiti Venete7

This essay examines the evolution of rural wooden architecture in the Dolomite valleys, with a focus on the Valle del Biois in Veneto. The historical and cultural significance of these constructions is explored, tracing the increasing interest in these structures during the early 20th century to contemporary preservation and promotion efforts. The transformation of construction techniques and living habits due to emigration and industrial growth is analysed, with special attention to the variety of materials and architectural styles used. Understanding the constructive aspects of these buildings allows for a philologically coherent recovery and the development of practical instructions for their maintenance. The value of these artefacts must be promoted and conserved in a way that is consistent with the new economies and ways of life of Alpine regions. Despite the absence of any officially recognised institutional management, the importance of rural heritage is underlined and recognised through the creation of strategic programs for its valorisation. The author emphasises the urgency of a coordinated approach to the conservation of rural Alpine heritage, highlighting the importance of cooperation among regions and across disciplines.

Is the Traditional Rural Architecture in the Periphery of Istanbul Climate-Friendly? The Case Study of Şile, Gökmaslı

Nowadays, the decrease in available resources due to excessive use and the deterioration of ecological balance haverevealed the necessity of developing approaches compatible with nature for the whole world. The effects of theseapproaches have been seen for a long time in the construction industry, which constitutes a significant part of energyconsumption, and therefore in the field of architecture. There is an increasing environmental awareness not only ofthe design and implementation phases of new buildings but also of reconsidering existing historical rural settlementsbuilt according to natural and climatic conditions in the past. This paper aims to verify/falsify the theory that it wouldbe beneficial to protect and sustain the traditional rural architectural heritage in combating the negative effects of theclimate crisis, which is widely accepted in the literature. These criteriawere questioned in-depth on a case, which have rural heritage value. The existing physical environment in the Gökmaslı rural settlement of Şile on urban periphery of Istanbul was examined in terms of ecological sustainability, and the possible contributions of the preservation of historical settlements to climate adaptation studies are discussed.

Towards Sustainable Rural Revitalization: A Multidimensional Evaluation of Rural Vitality in China’s Traditional Villages

Traditional villages constitute a significant component of China’s rural heritage. In the context of national efforts to achieve sustainable rural revitalization, there is a lack of comprehensive assessments of rural vitality that can evaluate the balance between the competing demands of heritage conservation and rural development. This study addresses this gap by introducing an innovative evaluation index system, the rural vitality assessment (RVA). The RVA comprehensively evaluates both protective and developmental aspects while integrating natural and cultural ecological factors. This study leverages data from 206 traditional villages in Hebei Province and employs a hybrid model that combines subjective evaluations collected through interviews and questionnaires with spatial data analysis. This study shows that over 90% of traditional villages in Hebei Province exhibit an imbalance between protection and development, which could lead to gradual deactivation. Additionally, the spatial distribution of RVA outcomes shows polarization, with higher levels observed in the north and lower levels in the south. This study concludes that the RVA framework is an effective tool for analyzing the vitality level, spatial distribution, and disadvantage indicators of villages at different zoning levels. The results can provide a reference for the formulation of targeted heritage protection and development planning strategies and further aid in the rational allocation of resources, helping to narrow the development gap between urban and rural areas.

Analysis of Rural Heritage House Facades as the Initial Step Towards Their Adaptive Reuse and Renovation: A Case Study of Sixteen Houses in Mazandaran Province, Iran

The facades of buildings stand as one of the most influential aesthetic elements in urban and rural districts, serving as a boundary between exterior and interior while historically expressing various cultural and climatic functions. In Mazandaran Province, Iran, historical and rural areas have often been overlooked, leading to inappropriate approaches in reusing and renovating these buildings without considering their values. This study aims to analyze the characteristics of the facades of various historical and rural houses to provide a solid foundation for architects dealing with their reuse and renovation or the design of extensions to the existing buildings. In addition to discussing practical applications, this paper offers a methodological approach for scholars active in the field of rural architecture. The research method includes an analysis of several historical houses, drawing from both literature and field studies. The formal approach has been chosen to align with the research goal. The sixteen selected cases are situated in the historical and rural districts of Alasht, Lafour, Qaemshahr, each built in different historical periods of Iran. Given that many historical houses in this area are not officially listed as heritage buildings and no data regarding them are available, the researchers conducted field surveys and interviews with residents to collect the necessary information. The investigation focused on facade elements, including the pattern of openings and the materials used in the selected houses. This research led to the documentation of the facade shapes in the rural areas of Mazandaran Province, highlighting the necessity of documentation to establish a knowledge base before reuse, renovation, or design within these historic regions. This approach could serve as a model for other regions and countries.

Contribution of Leader Community Initiative to People’s Quality of Life: A Case of Thirty Years Application in Rural Spain

Abstract LEADER development programs have a primary objective of enhancing the quality of life. However, their evaluation has been limited due to the extensive time required for analysis. This report investigates the contribution of the LEADER approach to improving the quality of life through a thirty-year case study in the Alcarria Conquense region of Spain (1991-2021). Funding for projects focused on rural heritage, infrastructure, and essential services has played a pivotal role in creating conditions for a prosperous life in the region. Nonetheless, limitations have emerged, including deepening territorial imbalances, a heavy reliance on local government entities, and potential drawbacks to the innovation and management capacity of other economic and social actors. While LEADER offer a valuable tool for policymakers seeking to enhance rural communities' quality of life, further analysis is necessary to refine their implementation and maximize their overall impact.

A study on optimizing public spaces in rural heritage tourist sites from spatial perception: The case of Jinggang historic town

The development of cultural and rural tourism has fostered the expansion of heritage sites while concurrently presenting challenges such as resource wastage and cultural degradation. Optimizing spatial use requires a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics inherent to these sites. An emerging trend involves the integration of human perception technology into spatial perception research. Thus, to examine the correlation between alterations in physical and visual environments, tourists’ perceived changes, and primary influencing elements in rural heritage tourism sites, Jinggang – a historic and cultural town in Changsha, Hunan province, China – was selected as the research site. A comprehensive interdisciplinary analysis was conducted by integrating physical environment data from public spaces. These data include air temperature (Ta), relative humidity (RH), wind speed (WS), equivalent sound pressure level (ESPL), visual environment data (including green view index [GVI], sky view index [SVI], road and pavement view index (R&PVI), and construction view index [CVI]), along with biosensing data (level of stress [LS]) collected from tourists. The findings indicate the following: (i) the LS of the public space in Jinggang falls within the normal range but remains generally high, with the humanistic landscape, dominated by traditional architecture, scoring higher than the natural landscape; (ii) regarding spatial perception, the quantity of physical environment elements influencing LS surpasses that of visual environment elements, and the most relevant indicators, including ESPL, R&PVI, and CVI, all contribute to tourists’ LS; and (iii) ESPL significantly influences LS within the environment domain, where higher environmental noise decibels correspond to tourists’ increased LS. The study concludes that historic towns possess distinct characteristics as types of rural heritage tourism sites. This study provides valuable insights into enhancing spatial environmental quality and promoting an appealing and sustainable rural setting by implementing public space optimization strategies in rural heritage sites.

THE ROLE OF THEME ROUTES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL TOURISM

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to draw attention to the positive tourism development effects of thematic routes in rural areas, using the analysis results of good practices in Germany. Theoretical Framework: The interpretation of the thematic routes and the history of their creation are presented with the help of the literature related to the topic. The examination of the issue is incomplete, so the work aims to fill a research gap. Design/Methodology/Approach: In the ongoing research, in addition to the analysis of secondary sources, we performed a website analysis and visited the most important thematic routes using the methodology of personal qualitative observation. We have created a database covering more than 250 thematic routes. Findings: Good practices discovered during our research confirm that the development of tourist thematic routes can be an effective tool for the protection of rural heritage and for the development of rural gastronomy, in the presence of a suitable management organization. Research, Practical & Social Implications: The German practice can serve as a good example in other countries in the development and operation of effective tourist thematic routes. However, effective operation requires a responsible "host" organization, professional management, and it is necessary to take into account trends affecting the demand-side of tourism during development. Originality/Value: The results show the chronological distribution of the development of the thematic routes, and contain a recommendation on the important aspects to be taken into account during development.

A study of spatial cognition in the rural heritage based on VR 3D eye-tracking experiments

Traditional Chinese villages act as the essential carriers of China’s rural heritage. Such villages are considered to retain living practices of intangible heritage through know-how, artistic and folk customs, as well as a well-preserved architectural appearance. However, their conservation is at stake due to degradation, abandonment, and urbanization. Spatial cognition is one way of bringing people to the matter of what is important to conserve (attributes) and why they are important (values). This is done by analysing how people perceive and value rural heritage. Traditional methods of gathering spatial cognition data, such as laborious fieldwork or subjective qualitative analyses, often fall short of providing a holistic representation of real-world experiences. This article presents an innovative method for analysing cognitive features in traditional village spaces using an immersive virtual reality equipped with an eye-tracking system. We selected Cheng and Jitou, two traditional Chinese villages, as our case studies. In two virtual reality environments, we captured accurate 3D cognitive data, including participants’ locomotion, gaze point, and sightline. The results indicate that the accessibility of village roads affects the distribution of people’s locomotion, which in turn affects the distribution of people’s areas of interest; the changes in the rhythm of the sightline scale reflect the rhythm of spatial changes in the villages. By broadening the understanding of spatial cognition in traditional Chinese villages related to people’s values, this paper sheds light on an alternative approach to assess the cultural significance of such villages for higher conservation and sustainability.

Residents’ perceptions of sustainable heritage tourism development in a rural municipality

ABSTRACT This research investigates the perceptions of rural communities in the Sekhukhune District Municipality, Limpopo, South Africa, towards sustainable heritage tourism development. It aims to comprehend local attitudes by analysing community views, recognising benefits and challenges, and assessing the potential for sustainable practices. The study, utilising a quantitative approach through a structured survey, reveals diverse opinions among rural residents. While acknowledging tourism's positive economic and cultural prospects, concerns arise about environmental impact and traditional lifestyle disruptions. The paper's significance lies in its distinct focus on rural communities, expanding beyond urban-centric research. It enriches the sustainable tourism discourse by presenting local perspectives and suggesting strategies aligning community aspirations with tourism development goals. Overall, the research highlights the necessity of involving and empowering rural communities, advocating for context-specific approaches that harmonise tourism growth with the preservation of rural heritage. This study provides crucial insights for policymakers and stakeholders shaping effective and inclusive strategies for sustainable heritage tourism development in rural areas.

Notes on the tourist exploitation of archaeological sites: A case of study of best practices applied to rural heritage in Spain

Beyond the mere promotion and diffusion of information, the dissemination of heritage sites also requires heightening social awareness of their historical and cultural value, which in turn intrinsically implies a greater appreciation and protection of this heritage by population groups close to it. Effective dissemination involves considering a number of values, actions and criteria. Heritage sites have an intrinsic value as an expression of the history and culture of a community, and it is therefore essential to respect and conserve their authenticity and originality. Dissemination may take the form of a number of actions, such as the creation of educational materials, the organisation of cultural events, guided tours and the promotion of research and conservation as part of the creation of new diffusion strategies. It is therefore of vital importance to identify clearly defined criteria for the selection and dissemination of such spaces, taking into consideration their historical and cultural significance, their state of conservation and their potential for driving awareness and promoting education. In this sense, the dissemination of heritage sites requires an integrated approach that combines research, conservation and promotion that involves both the local community and visitors in their preservation and enjoyment.

A study on the visual defensive system of the Moluo Tower Village, Western China, based on a multi-dimensional model

AbstractScientifically validating the value of rural heritage and exploring construction wisdom has emerged as a significant challenge in the study of rural settlements worldwide. Rural heritage shows significant differences according to the natural environment, history, culture, and socio-economic factors. However, the assessment of the authenticity and effectiveness of heritage values have yet to be quantified due to the difficulty in obtaining evidence directly from samples. By constructing a multi-dimensional model of villages for quantitative analysis, we proposed a multifaceted spatial visibility analysis method based on individual and combined defense structures to empirically study the remains of eight towers in Moluo village, western China. This study demonstrated that towers serve as regional defense structures and are essential for constructing a comprehensive and effective visual defensive system (VDS) in Moluo village, a typical military defense village. The effectiveness and coverage of the towers vary depending on their location, height, type, and other factors. They form a complementary and synergistic relationship, playing a dual mechanism of public and private, local and overall defense. In summary, this method enables the feasible quantification and analysis of the functional value of rural heritage through landscape visual analysis. It provides a new perspective for studying the authenticity of heritage functions.

İżnik Town and Its Rural Landscape: Decision Making, Socio-Demographic Profiling and Conservation Policy Development

ABSTRACT In light of recent advances in landscape conservation, this study introduces a profiling model that provides context-sensitive heritage conservation strategies. The model is adaptable and focuses on socio-demographic profiling of a rural landscape. It uses İznik (ancient Nicaea) town, a UNESCO World Heritage candidate, and the surrounding rural landscape as a case study area. The model captures the intricate interplay between the socio-demographic conditions of agriculture-based local communities and rural heritage, offering policy options to enhance community well-being and conserve rural heritage. Based on the complementary use of Cluster and Multiple Correspondence Analysis, the model employs multi-layered analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. The model identifies six distinct clusters, revealing the vulnerability and resilience of rural settlements around İznik town, and the priority sites where rural heritage and local populations face immediate threat. Fostering a symbiotic relationship between data-driven insights and locally informed policies, this model generates evidence-based, people-centred policy outputs for heritage conservation, which may be applicable in a variety of contexts.

Evolution of cultural landscape heritage layers and value assessment in urban countryside historic districts: the case of Jiufeng Sheshan, Shanghai, China

The heritage value of the historic urban countryside, as a remnant in the transition between the urban boundary and the natural environment, is a consequence of the spatial and temporal evolution of the city. However, through repeated social transformations, the conflicts between urban construction and cultural landscape heritage preservation have increased, resulting in the gradual disappearance of their cultural landscape heritage. This study takes the Sheshan Urban Countryside Historic District in Shanghai and interprets the layers of Sheshan's cultural landscape heritage into five periods, Emergence, Development and Exploration, Diversity and Prosperity, Turbulence and Change, and Stability and Precipitation. It analyzes the evolution of the layers of the cultural landscape heritage by applying Historic Urban Landscape Historic Land use Assessment (HUL) and interpreting the layers of the cultural heritage of Sheshan using Historical Landscape Assessment (HLA) to identify the characteristics and values of Sheshan's layers of heritage. The study indicates that the cultural landscape heritage of Jiufeng Sheshan exhibits four types of stratigraphic relationships: accretion, juxtaposition, overlay, and decline. This findings suggest a continuous evolutionary feature of superposition of multiple stratigraphic patterns. Moreover, the heritage value of the cultural landscape layers of Jiufeng Sheshan has shown a higher growth rate in the modern period. The integrity and survival status of modern religious and scientific buildings are more complete compared to the literati gardens and Buddhist relics. Based on the knowledge and value assessment of its cultural landscape heritage, it is necessary to intervene in the concept of living conservation and renewal of landscape heritage. This involves devising a conservation and renewal strategy for cultural landscape heritage that conforms to the law of historical stratification and connect the scattered historical and cultural relics. This study provides a reference for the conservation and inheritance of cultural landscape heritage in urban countryside historical areas and the organic renewal of urban and rural heritage.

Solar-assisted old dwellings renovation: Thermal-economical study and typical application in China

With the continuous development of urbanization in our country, the contradiction between the protection of traditional village heritage architecture and the development of modern urban lifestyle is becoming increasingly prominent. With the introduction of China's rural revitalization strategy, improving the rural living environment, promoting sustainable development, utilizing renewable energy for power supply, and achieving low-carbon architecture have become particularly important. This article investigates the relationship between solar energy system and site layout in illustrative historic buildings, and uses thermal-economic methods for feasibility analysis of such old building retrofitting program toward nearly zero energy construction. The preliminary results indicate that integrating solar panel roof with old building body for renewable energy exploitation can achieve good economic benefits while reducing carbon dioxide emissions. This work provides reference insights into the sustainable transformation of traditional rural heritage conservation buildings in our country and proposes feasible solutions to reconcile the contradiction between the preservation of traditional architectural heritage and sustainable modernization demands.