Human-Environment System Boundaries: A Case Study of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces as a World Heritage Cultural Landscape

A new methodology framework for demarcating boundaries of UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscapes was developed, using the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces (HHRT) as a case study. The research identified four types of boundaries—river basin, water-allocation organization, economic network, and perceptual—and integrated them to assess sustainability. Findings revealed that parts of HHRT's core boundary do not meet criteria for environmental sustainability, social justice, or the creation of new human-environment systems. This approach provides a holistic perspective for future administrative decisions in similar landscapes.

Hua, H., & Zhou, S. (2015). Human-Environment System Boundaries: A Case Study of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces as a World Heritage Cultural Landscape. Sustainability, 7(8), 10733–10755. https://doi.org/10.3390/su70810733