Do Different Livelihood Strategies Result in Varying Barriers to Livelihood Resilience: Evidence from Danxia Mountain World Heritage Site, Guangdong

Abstract

Rural revitalization is an important national development strategy and a necessary means to solve the “Three Rural Issues” (agriculture, rural areas, and farmers). Promoting rural revitalization in world heritage sites from the perspective of livelihood resilience is an important way to advance the modernization of socialism. This study focuses on residents from 6 villages, including Qinghutang Village, within the Danxia Mountain UNESCO World Heritage Site in Guangdong, China. By conducting field research and constructing an obstacle degree model, the study identifies and analyzes the key factors hindering livelihood resilience among local communities. The study finds that buffering capacity is the main obstacle factor affecting the livelihood resilience of residents in Danxia Mountain. Residents with different livelihood strategies share the same main livelihood resilience obstacle factors, although the ranking of these factors varies among groups. Compared with other livelihood strategy groups, for the farming group, social connectivity has a greater constraining effect on livelihood resilience than skill training opportunities. The study proposes recommendations to enhance residents’ quality of production and daily life while strengthening risk resilience against unexpected events from a micro-level perspective. The findings aim to promote sustainable development in China’s world heritage sites and their surrounding areas, thereby facilitating the steady advancement of rural revitalization nationwide.