Search Results (60)

The research is grounded in the perspective of urban historical landscape (HUL), exploring the connections between cultural heritage and a broader urban context, as well as the general public and communities. It also focuses on small cultural heritage sites (SCHSs) in urban areas that have been overlooked in previous studies. By integrating various types of data, an assessment framework and methodology comprising six dimensions and 24 indicators were established and applied to the empirical research of 30 SCHSs in the Beijing section of the Grand Canal. The empirical research demonstrated the operability, effectiveness, and flexibility of the HUL assessment for SCHSs. The research findings are as follows. (1) The method provides differentiated recommendations for the formulation of tailored policies and planning management schemes based on heritage types, conservation levels, and the urban districts in which they are located. (2) The comprehensive quality of the open spaces where SCHSs are situated is critical for the cognition of the general public and community residents. (3) The overall conservation of the community areas containing SCHSs is highly significant, and the linkage between social development levels and cultural resources enhances public cognition of the SCHSs. (4) Cluster analysis offers guidance for the refined improvement of different SCHSs. The research aims to establish an action-oriented assessment framework, with a dimensional framework responding to the requirements of HULs and allowing for indicator flexibility. This study is significant for supporting the conservation and utilization of SCHSs in urban areas and for promoting their sustainable development. Full article

Climate change increasingly threatens heritage-rich river basins, yet the integration of traditional ecological knowledge into formal environmental governance remains underexplored. This study investigates how historically embedded water management practices in Tuscany’s Arno River and New York’s Hudson River can inform adaptive strategies under conditions of climate uncertainty. Employing a Triangulated mixed-methods approach—including a systematic narrative literature review, variable coding (hydrological dynamics, cultural heritage, governance structures, economic livelihoods, and adaptive knowledge), and effect size analysis—we conducted a comparative assessment to uncover regional challenges, capacities, and implementation dynamics. The findings reveal that while both basins contend with hydrological volatility and fragmented governance, the Arno benefits from legally embedded heritage practices that continue to shape canal-based agriculture and flood mitigation. In contrast, the Hudson showcases strong multi-level stakeholder engagement and ecological restoration, though with less institutional reliance on traditional land stewardship. By integrating codified traditional practices with participatory governance and applying a weighted implementation structure, this study illustrates how resilience planning can be more context-sensitive, operationally feasible, and socially inclusive. Ultimately, this research positions cultural landscapes as active infrastructure for climate adaptation—provided they are institutionally supported and community-endorsed—offering a transferable model for policy innovation in similarly vulnerable riverine systems. Full article

The Grand Canal serves as a vital water transportation route, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, and an ecological corridor. It is currently undergoing coordinated transformation through infrastructure development, heritage preservation, and ecological restoration. However, existing research has primarily focused on either cultural heritage conservation or localized ecological issues, with limited attention to the spatial relationship between landscape patterns and ecological quality along the entire corridor. To address this gap, this study examines eight sections of the Grand Canal and develops a gradient analysis framework based on equidistant buffer zones. The framework integrates the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) with landscape pattern indices to assess ecological responses across spatial gradients. A Multi-scale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR) model is applied to reveal the spatially heterogeneous effects of landscape patterns on ecological quality. From 2013 to 2023, landscape patterns showed a trend toward increasing agglomeration and regularity. This is indicated by a rise in the Aggregation Index (AI) from 91.24 to 91.38 and declines in both patch density (PD) from 8.45 to 8.20 and Landscape Shape Index (LSI) from 199.74 to 196.72. During the same period, ecological quality slightly declined, with RSEI decreasing from 0.66 to 0.57. The effects of PD and Shannon’s Diversity Index (SHDI) on ecological quality varied across canal sections. In highly urbanized areas such as the Tonghui River, these indices were positively correlated with ecological quality, whereas in less urbanized areas like the Huitong River, negative correlations were observed. Overall, the strength of these correlations tended to weaken with increasing buffer distance. This study provides a scientific foundation for the integrated development of ecological protection and spatial planning along the Grand Canal and offers theoretical insights for the refined management of other major inland waterways. Full article

As a World Cultural Heritage site, the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal is lined with historic and cultural cities that bear abundant historical and cultural connotations. It is of vital importance to address the issues of landscape homogenization, the disconnect between conservation measures and public needs, and other related challenges in the development of these cities. This study adopts a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative research. By integrating subjective landscape evaluation with eye tracking analysis, the ancient city of Taierzhuang along the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal was selected as the research subject to conduct an in-depth investigation into the visual experience and preferences for different types of landscapes in this area. The study yielded the following findings: There are significant differences in visual experiences among various types of landscapes in Taierzhuang Ancient City. Among them, participants exhibited the highest level of attention toward canal landscapes and the lowest toward heritage site landscapes. In terms of visual distribution differences, eye tracking heatmaps revealed that attention was primarily concentrated on architectural structures and water surface reflections. In the subjective evaluation analysis, canal cultural landscapes received the highest comprehensive score (4.39 points), followed by historical architectural landscapes (4.02 points), historical street landscapes (3.93 points), modern commemorative landscapes (3.72 points), and heritage site landscapes (3.69 points). Additionally, a significant correlation was found between eye tracking data and subjective evaluation results, validating the scientifically effective relationship between subjective assessments of historical cultural landscapes and eye tracking analysis. The findings of this study not only provide a scientific basis for landscape improvement and optimization in other canal-related historical and cultural cities but also offer new research methods and perspectives for the protection and development of other heritage landscapes. Full article

Near the 11–12 locks of the Canal de Castilla, there once stood a paper mill built in the 18th century and dismantled in 1983. Despite the scarce physical remains, the absence of original plans, and the limited availability of data, this research aims to reconstruct its initial layout, characteristics, and operation. To achieve this, an analytical–synthetic method has been followed: in the analysis phase, multiple sources and materials are thoroughly examined from various perspectives, while in the synthesis phase, drawing is employed as a means of reflection, since any hypothesis about this factory must be validated through sufficiently precise graphical representations. The most relevant result is the complete drafting of the factory’s plans, including its machinery, as well as the clarification of its production system. The main conclusion suggests that, although based on the mechanisms and equipment of traditional paper mills, this manufacturing facility sought to be innovative and exemplary in its time. Its dispersed typology was designed to improve and dignify working conditions for employees, while its internal organization optimized the paper production process and increased manufacturing capacity. Full article

The Pinglu Canal, China’s first strategic river–sea transport canal, connects the inland waterway trunk line with the Beibu Gulf International Hub Port, while a diversion channel extension is needed for port development. This study proposed a comparative study of extension routes to Fangchenggang through qualitative analysis and quantitative modeling. Eventually, Route 4 is selected considering the engineering feasibility, ecological impact, and hydrodynamic modeling. It yields the lowest engineering cost, effectively bypasses the ecological protection red lines and cultural heritage areas, and only intersects the controllable ecological restoration zones in a limited manner. Hydrodynamic results show moderate tidal velocities, with maximum rising and falling speeds of 0.72–0.80 m/s and 0.72–0.86 m/s, respectively. The sediment deposition intensity (0.06 m/a) and total volume (58,600 m³/a) are generally lower than the other alternatives. The comparative study shares useful insights into canal route selection and would support the sustainable development of the logistics transportation system in Southwest China. Full article

As a crucial component of the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal’s hydraulic engineering, the Jiangnan Canal has historically played a pivotal role in China’s development as a key hydraulic infrastructure. This water conservancy project, connecting northern and southern water systems, not only facilitated regional economic integration but also nurtured unique cultural landscapes along its course. The Jiangnan Canal and its adjacent cities were selected as the study area to systematically investigate 334 tangible cultural heritage (TCH) sites and 420 intangible cultural heritage (ICH) elements. Through integrated Geographical Information System (GIS) spatial analyses—encompassing nearest neighbor index, kernel density estimation, standard deviation ellipse assessment, multi-ring buffer zoning, and Geodetector modeling, the spatiotemporal distribution features of cultural heritage were quantitatively characterized, with a focus on identifying the underlying driving factors shaping its spatial configuration. The analysis yields four main findings: (1) both TCH and ICH exhibit significant spatial clustering patterns across historical periods, with TCH distribution displaying an axis-core structure centered on the canal, whereas ICH evolved from dispersed to clustered configurations. (2) The center of gravity of TCH is primarily around Taihu Lake, while that of ICH is mainly on the south side of Taihu Lake, and the direction of distribution of both is consistent with the direction of the canal. (3) Multi-ring buffer analysis indicates that 77.2% of TCH and 49.8% of ICH clusters are concentrated within 0–10 km of the canal, demonstrating distinct spatial patterns: TCH exhibits a gradual canal-dependent density decrease with distance, whereas ICH reveals multifactorial spatial dynamics. (4) Human activity factors, particularly nighttime light intensity, are identified as predominant drivers of heritage distribution patterns, with natural environmental factors exerting comparatively weaker influence. These findings provide empirical support for developing differentiated conservation strategies for canal-related cultural heritage. The methodology offers replicable frameworks for analyzing heritage corridors in complex historical landscapes, contributing to both applied conservation practices and theoretical advancements in cultural geography. Full article

The preservation of historic irrigation infrastructure is vital for sustainable water management, especially in regions grappling with rural depopulation, land degradation, and wildfire risk. This study presents a rehabilitation framework for the Acequia del Diablo (Teruel, Spain), a centuries-old gravity-fed canal that supported 60 hectares of agriculture and contributed to ecological connectivity. Its deterioration—following landslides in 1992 and water source loss in 2020—has led to land abandonment, biodiversity decline, and increased wildfire vulnerability. The proposed solution, centered on restoring the original intake at the Azud de Fonseca and stabilizing damaged sections, reestablishes water autonomy and integrates heritage conservation into water governance. A multi-criteria analysis identified this gravity-based alternative as the most technically, economically, and environmentally viable. Drawing from precedents in the literature, the conservation and rehabilitation of historical irrigation systems play a crucial role in sustainable water management in rural areas; this initiative offers a replicable model for other Mediterranean and semi-arid areas. However, challenges include engineering complexity in unstable terrain, administrative delays, and long-term maintenance. Despite these, this intervention enhances rural resilience, wildfire prevention, and biodiversity, while aligning with circular economy principles and European Green Deal objectives. Full article

Iraq faces significant challenges in sustainable water resource management, due to intensive agriculture and climate change. Modern irrigation leads to depleted natural springs and abandoned traditional canal systems, creating a nexus between climate, water availability, agriculture, and cultural heritage. This work unveils this nexus holistically, from the regional to the local scale, and by considering all the components of the nexus. This is achieved by combining five decades (1974–2024) of satellite data—including declassified HEXAGON KH-9, Copernicus Sentinel-1/2/3, COSMO-SkyMed radar, and PlanetScope’s Dove optical imagery—and on-the-ground observations (photographic and drone surveying). The observed landscape changes are categorised as “proxies” to infer the presence of the given land processes that they correlate to. The whole of southern Iraq is afflicted by dust storms and intense evapotranspiration; new areas are desertifying and thus becoming local sources of dust in the southwest of the Euphrates floodplain and close to the boundary with the western desert. The most severe transformations happened around springs between Najaf Sea and Hammar Lake, where centre-pivot and herringbone irrigation systems fed by pumped groundwater have densified. While several instances of run-off and discharge highlight the loss of water in the western side of the study area, ~5 km² wide clusters of crops in the eastern side suffer from water scarcity and are abandoned. Here, new industrial activities and modern infrastructure have already damaged tens of archaeological sites. Future monitoring based on the identified proxies could help to assess improvements or deterioration, in light of mitigation measures. Full article

Among the diverse challenges to the sustainability of China’s rich tangible cultural heritage, climate change, associated with increased temperatures, altered precipitation regimes, and the augmented frequency and magnitude of extreme events, is regarded as one of the most prominent. However, there is a diverse range of rapidly emerging environmental and socio-economic hazards that threaten cultural heritage in the country but have thus far received scant attention in this context. Without adequate attention and intervention, the sustainability of the country’s historic urban heritage is highly vulnerable. Anthropocene threats to this important legacy include climate change, sea level rise, land subsidence, water and air pollution, rampant urbanization, and tourism. Suzhou, situated in the low-elevation Yangtze River delta within one or two meters of current sea level, lies in the heart of one of the fastest socio-economically developing and urbanizing regions in the world and is especially vulnerable to the range of threats. As one of the jewels in the crown of China’s architectural heritage, Suzhou represents a model case in which to consider the conflicting interests of socio-economic development and environmental and cultural conservation in the context of rapidly changing environmental conditions. In this review, we consider the diverse risks to the sustainability of Suzhou’s cultural heritage posed by these circumstances, highlight key problems, and prioritize the most urgent issues requiring attention. In recognizing the spatial and temporal nature of these multiple challenges, we highlight the need for integrated approaches to safeguard the sustainability of such valuable resources. Moreover, considering the imperative of accelerating progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals and reflecting on current theories of sustainable management of urban cultural heritage, we outline the potential policy and practice implications for the conservation of Suzhou’s historic buildings, canals, and gardens. Full article

Heritage buildings are significant humanistic tourism resources for a city. Yangzhou’s heritage buildings have conservation and utilization value and are a key vehicle for promoting urban tourism development. However, there is a lack of research on their spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and subdivision types. This study aims to explore the spatial and temporal clustering and distribution characteristics of Yangzhou’s heritage buildings, as well as the factors contributing to the formation of these distribution patterns, as a means of promoting the tourism development of Yangzhou. Using mathematical statistics and GIS spatial analysis methods, this study analyzes the geographical distribution patterns of 528 heritage buildings and their influencing factors by using average nearest neighbor analysis, an imbalance index, and density mapping. This study reveals the following findings: (1) The temporal distribution shows an “Λ” shape, in which ancient buildings, modern historical sites, and important modern historical sites and representative buildings account for a significant proportion. (2) The temporal center shows a trend of shifting over time, moving from the southwest to the northwest and then to the northeast. (3) The spatial distribution is uneven; most of these are clustered in Hanjiang District, Gaoyou District, and Baoying County, while few are distributed in other regions. (4) The distribution is influenced by both natural and human factors, including topography, water resources, salt merchant culture, revolutionary culture, war culture, and canal transportation culture, with humans and human factors having a more profound impact than natural factors. Based on these findings, strategies such as regional integration and route planning, the prioritization of sustainable tourism development and preservation, and culture fusion and innovative promotion are proposed in this study as references for the all-for-one tourism development and cultural dissemination of Yangzhou. Full article

At the beginning of human history, surface water, especially from rivers and springs, was the most frequent water supply source. Groundwater was used in arid and semi-arid regions, e.g., eastern Crete (Greece). As the population increased, periodic water shortages occurred, which led to the development of sophisticated hydraulic structures for water transfer and for the collection and storage of rainwater, as seen, for example, in Early Minoan times (ca 3200–2100 BC). Water supply and urban planning had always been essentially related: the urban water supply systems that existed in Greece since the Bronze Age (ca 3200–1100 BC) were notably advanced, well organized, and operable. Water supply systems evolved considerably during the Classical and Hellenistic periods (ca 480–31 BC) and during the Roman period (ca 31 BC–480 AD). Also, early Indian society was an amazing vanguard of technology, planning, and vision, which significantly impacted India’s architectural and cultural heritage, thus laying the foundation for sustainable urban living and water resource management. In ancient Egypt, the main source of freshwater was the Nile River; Nile water was conveyed by open and closed canals to supply water to cities, temples, and fields. Underground stone-built aqueducts supplied Nile water to so-called Nile chambers in temples. The evolution of water supply and urban planning approaches from ancient simple systems to complex modern networks demonstrates the ingenuity and resilience of human communities. Many lessons can be learned from studying traditional water supply systems, which could be re-considered for today’s urban sustainable development. By digging into history, measures for overcoming modern problems can be found. Rainwater harvesting, establishing settlements in proximity of water sources to facilitate access to water, planning, and adequate drainage facilities were the characteristics of ancient civilizations since the ancient Egyptian, Minoan, Mohenjo-Daro, Mesopotamian, and Roman eras, which can still be adopted for sustainability. This paper presents significant lessons on water supply around the world from ancient times to the present. This diachronic survey attempts to provide hydro-technology governance for the present and future. Full article

With the development of international cultural heritage, the positive shift from historic environments to historic urban landscapes has been explored in China. At the same time, China is also trying to extend its heritage corridors to historic urban landscape corridors; thus, the spatial organization characteristics and themes of historic landscapes are being explored. This study took the Dunhuang Oasis area as an example and, based on regional, cultural, and natural heritage sites and man-made environmental characteristics, identified and evaluated historic urban landscape corridors. The least cumulative resistance model was applied to identify historic landscape corridors, and the multicenter evaluation model was used to classify the historic landscape corridors. From the perspective of corridor identification, the military defense and historic landscapes of the city ruins together reflect the human need for “city administration–border defense–ancient trade and commerce”. Grottoes and scenic landscapes are more dependent on the Gobi Desert, mountains, and other areas intertwined with the oasis. The drainage system and water conservancy landscape consists of four stable landscape corridors containing east, west, north, and south canals, which are the basic driving force for the growth of the town. From the corridor hierarchy, we studied layer formation from the Dunhuang urban area, the western and northern local oasis dry canal, Mingsha Mountain–Crecent Spring, etc., as interconnected trunk corridors. The periphery of the Dunhuang urban area encompasses the southern trunk canal, southeastern Mogao Grottoes–Sanwei Mountain road, and other branch corridors. This study determined the composition and level of importance of historic landscape corridors, while at the same time enhancing the visual representation and skyline organization, which can be used for territorial spatial planning and research in functional urban areas. Full article

As an important type of linear cultural heritage and a waterfront landscape that integrates both artificial and natural elements, heritage canals provide the public with a multidimensional perceptual experience encompassing aesthetics, culture, and nature. There remains a lack of refined, micro-level studies on heritage canal landscapes from a multidimensional perspective of visual preference. This study focuses on a typical segment of the Grand Canal in China, specifically the ancient canal section in Yangzhou. We employed SegFormer image semantic segmentation techniques to interpret features from 150 panoramic images, quantitatively identifying the waterfront environmental characteristics of the heritage canal. Four perceptual dimensions were constructed: aesthetic preference, cultural preference, natural preference, and hydrophilic preference. Through a questionnaire survey and various statistical analyses, we revealed the relationships between visual preferences for the waterfront landscape of heritage canals and environmental characteristics. The main findings of the study include the following: (1) Aesthetic preference is positively correlated with cultural, natural, and hydrophilic preferences, while natural preference shows a negative correlation with cultural and hydrophilic preferences. (2) Aesthetic preference is influenced by a combination of blue-green natural elements and artificial factors. Natural preference is primarily affected by increased vegetation visibility, cultural preference is associated with a higher proportion of cultural facilities and high-quality pavements, and hydrophilic preference is linked to larger water surface areas, fewer barriers, and better water quality. (3) There are spatial differences in canal waterfront landscape preferences across different urban areas, with the old city exhibiting higher aesthetic, cultural, and hydrophilic preferences than the new city and suburban areas. Finally, this study proposes strategies for optimising and enhancing the quality of waterfront landscapes of heritage canals, aiming to provide sustainable practical guidance for the future planning and management of these heritage sites. Full article

The Grand Canal, the world’s longest artificial waterway, is a cultural treasure deeply embedded in China’s historical traditions. This study emphasizes the importance of safeguarding, preserving, and revitalizing this invaluable heritage to ensure its relevance. Guided by the “Regulations on the Protection and Management of the Grand Canal Heritage”, this research analyzed 276 cultural relics protection units within the Jiangsu section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal (Jiangsu-BHGC). By applying spatial geographic analysis techniques, including point density analysis and gravity shift models, the study mapped the historical evolution, spatial distribution, and typological characteristics of these relics. Additionally, using ArcGIS and geographic detectors, the research explored factors influencing the distribution of these units, pinpointing critical determinants. This rigorous approach provides an in-depth understanding of the spatial arrangement of cultural heritage sites along the canal, supporting its coordinated development. By examining distribution patterns and key attributes, the study offers theoretical insights and data-driven guidance for optimizing the sustainable use of this cultural heritage. Full article