Countryside conservation has received more attentions in recent years, not only because people want to retain the rural landscape for traditional farming, but also because it can offer urbanites opportunities to enjoy a lifestyle different from the pressured one in a modern city. However, countryside conservation projects take place in a physical location that is neither rural nor urban, a zone where urban visitors are most welcomed and rural inhabitants’ values and experiences are fully respected. To enhance the rural-urban symbiosis in the countryside, traditional settlements and vernacular houses play significant roles for both the host and the guests to engage with each other. In the eyes of contemporary architects and urban planners,  most of these areas have been vibrant agricultural settlements with vigorous traditions and geographic and consanguineous connections for centuries. In many parts of China, these precious rural lands with natural sceneries and rich cultural heritage have been left intact due to the exodus of villagers for better economic opportunities in Chinese cities and foreign countries.

Countryside conservation and revitalization projects in these once dilapidated villages come into sight in respect to the government policy support and availability of funding. Sandwiched between the fringes of cities and the heartlands of nature conservation zones known as country parks, these places are often without vehicular access or infrastructure of modern convenience, and are privileged by funding for rural revitalization to avoid radical private developments and villager confrontation. These projects prompt the villagers, stakeholders, researchers, and other interested parties in varied conservation sectors to work closely together for research, education, and recreation purposes . In this special issue, we are looking for experiences from these participatory action research projects at various rural settings, to give raise to debate on the approach in strategizing and implementing measures to address the dynamics in the communities, identify research opportunities and common interests, work towards regeneration of physical spaces and cultural values, and set forth multidisciplinary research on reviving traditional landscapes.