农业文化遗产的概念、特点与保护要求

The Concept, Characteristics and Conservation Requirements of Agro-cultural Heritage

农业文化遗产的概念目前存在一些争议,争议的焦点主要在于如何对其英文名称进行翻译以及内涵边界。大部分学术论文中使用"农业文化遗产"和"全球重要农业文化遗产"的说法。农业文化遗产不同于一般的农业遗产,它更强调对生物多样性保护具有重要意义的农业系统、农业技术、农业物种、农业景观与农业文化。也就是说,除一般意义上的农业文化和技术知识以外,还包括历史悠久、结构合理的传统农业景观和农业生产系统。另外,农业文化遗产也不同于世界遗产的其他类型。从概念上来看接近于文化景观遗产,不过文化景观强调遗产的地域性,而农业文化遗产则更强调对某种传统农业知识和农业技术的保护,对这些知识和技术的地域要求并不十分严格。农业文化遗产具有复合性、活态性和战略性的特点,在保护上应当遵循动态保护、适应性管理和可持续发展的要求。

Controversies exist in the concept of agro-cultural heritage at present, mainly focusing on its interpretation from English and its exact connotation. The Chinese translation of the concept of agro-cultural heritage systems and Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems（GIAHS） may change along with the process of GIAHS program in the future. GIAHS is about remarkable land use systems and landscapes which are rich in globally significant biological diversity evolving from the co-adaptation of a community with its environment and its needs and aspirations for sustainable development. It lays emphasis on systems, landscape, techniques, knowledge, species, culture and the co-adaptation to local community. Thus, it is quite different from the definition of the previous so-called agricultural heritage in China. To a certain extent, GIAHS shares Cultural Landscape concept, a new heritage category added to the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage （World Heritage Convention） in 1992, but GIAHS is more focused on the ＂combined works of man and nature＂ and biodiversity conservation. The concept of GIAHS has not positive connection with location and tend to represent intangible systems, while the concept of cultural landscape is definitely about territory. The agro-cultural heritage systems are comprehensive, dynamic and strategic. Therefore, its conservation requires dynamic conservation, adaptive management and sustainable development. GIAHS requires continuous agro-ecological and social innovation combined with careful transfer of accumulated knowledge and experience from generation to generation. Hence, its conservation approach should not be static as is used in museums. It is necessary to build a long-term and self-maintained mechanism for the conservation of GIAHS.