Conceptual Evolution, Governance Transformation, and Spatial Planning Approaches for Protected Area–Community Conservation–Livelihood Trade-Offs

Yuan Kang (), Haolian Luan, Xiao Zhao () and Chengzhao Wu
Additional contact information
Yuan Kang: School of Architecture and Design, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Haolian Luan: School of Architecture and Design, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Xiao Zhao: School of Architecture and Design, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Chengzhao Wu: The College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP), Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-19

Abstract: As protected areas (PAs) expand globally at an accelerating rate, reconciling biodiversity conservation with socioeconomic development in adjacent communities has become a critical challenge for landscape sustainability. This systematic review synthesizes literature (1990–2025) to trace three interconnected transitions: (1) the conceptual evolution from exclusionary to inclusive PA–community paradigms, grounded in shifting perceptions of cultural landscapes; (2) the governance transformation from tokenistic participation to power-sharing co-management frameworks; and (3) the spatial planning progression from fragmented “island” models to integrated protected area networks (PANs) leveraging ecological corridors. Our analysis reveals that disconnected PA–community relationships exacerbate conservation–development conflicts, particularly where cultural landscapes are undervalued. A key finding is that cultural–natural synergies act as pivotal mediators for conservation efficacy, necessitating context-adaptive governance approaches. This study advances landscape planning theory by proposing a rural landscape network framework that integrates settlement patches, biocultural corridors, and PA matrices to optimize ecological connectivity while empowering communities. Empirical insights from China highlight pathways to harmonize stringent protection with rural revitalization, underscoring the capacity of PANs to bridge spatial and socio-institutional divides. This synthesis provides a transformative lens for policymakers to scale locally grounded solutions across global conservation landscapes.

Keywords: protected areas; community-based conservation; governance models; spatial planning; landscape connectivity; socio-ecological systems; cultural landscapes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/9/1797/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/9/1797/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:9:p:1797-:d:1741247

Access Statistics for this article

Land is currently edited by Ms. Carol Ma

More articles in Land from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().