Harmony in the karst
How to balance tourism development with ecological and cultural sustainability in Karst areas of Puzhehei?
J. Tian (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
A. Petrović – Mentor (TU Delft - Urban Studies)
D. Tan – Mentor (TU Delft - Spatial Planning and Strategy)
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Abstract
This research investigates how tourism development can be balanced with ecological and cultural sustainability in the karst region of Puzhehei, Yunnan, China. In recent years, Puzhehei has experienced rapid tourism growth, resulting in overtourism and placing significant pressure on its fragile karst ecosystems and rich ethnic cultural heritage. The study identifies key challenges, including ecological vulnerability, cultural homogenization, and the absence of integrated governance.
A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining field surveys, stakeholder interviews, GIS-based spatial analysis, and ecological security pattern (ESP) modeling. The research evaluates the economic, ecological, and cultural effects of tourism. Based on the ESP analysis, the research develops a typological zoning framework that classifies the landscape into four categories: priority tourism development areas with ecological resilience, strictly protected fragile zones, ecologically important zones unsuitable for tourism, and potential reserve areas for future activation. This typology informs targeted planning principles and strategies that align tourism development with long-term ecological and cultural sustainability.
The research highlights the urgent need for a paradigm shift toward ecology- and culture-based tourism planning, emphasizing the integration of ecological science, local knowledge, and participatory governance. The analytical methods and design principles presented offer a replicable model for sustainable tourism development in ecologically sensitive areas, aiming to preserve both the natural and cultural distinctiveness of karst landscapes.