Community Perspective to Agricultural Heritage Conservation and Tourism Development

The rich biodiversity and cultural patterns of agricultural heritage sites are preserved unconsciously in the traditional way of life of local communities.They are also attractive resources for tourism development,which supports the conservation of agricultural heritage systems （AHS） while providing benefits for local communities.As a typical case study,a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System （GIAHS） site with a Rice-Fish-Duck agricultural system （RFDS） in Congjiang County of South West China is introduced to illustrate the community approach to agricultural heritage conservation and sustainable tourism development.The concept of a community approach to agricultural heritage is dynamic both in terms of conservation and livelihood adaptation.Six elements in the concept model and their relationship were analyzed.The community is the core element and the other five are：local community identity,livelihoods,local sustainable tourism development,the farming system,biodiversity and cultural patterns in the site.All are interconnected and thus support the agricultural heritage conservation of agricultural heritage and the development of sustainable tourism in the heritage sites.

Reflections on the Myth of Tourism Preserving “Traditional” Agricultural Landscapes

The renewed interest in ＂cultural landscapes＂ is a global phenomenon to be explained in a multi dimensional way.The process of revalorising traditional habitats,people and their way of living in a particular environment,is closely linked to the introduction of heritage as ＂a cultural,social and economic construct＂.The recognition of cultural landscapes as a new category on the world heritage list （UNESCO） since the 1990s,emphasises the importance of the human-environment interaction and the need for understanding the dynamics of landscapes in time and space.Values are changing and new opportunities emerge for a ＂dynamic preservation＂ of iconic landscapes and traditional communities.A cross disciplinary understanding of interacting processes is essential to plan and manage sustainable heritage（land）scapes.Various pilot projects and case studies-world-wide-lead to critical reflections about the sustainability of heritage landscapes and the sovereign role of tourism.The perspective of ＂Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Sites＂ （GIAHS）,supported by economic resources generated by tourism,requires a research-based approach analysing opportunities and expectations,assessing strategic policies and top down politics.