Countryside conservation has received more attentions not because people want to retain the rural landscape for traditional farming but how urbanites can enjoy the cultural diversity opposing the pressured lifeways of the modern city. Again, countryside conservation takes place in the physical location which is neither rural nor urban, and it is the zone in which urban visitors are most welcomed while rural inhabitants’ values and experiences are fully respected. In order to enhance the kind of rural-urban symbiosis in the countryside area, traditional settlements and local houses play significant roles for both the local host and urban guest to engage with each other in the new countryside zone. Historically, most of those areas in the eyes of architects and urban planners today were for centuries vibrant agricultural settlements with vigorous traditions and connections with each other geographically and consanguineously; in many Chinese societies, these precious land resource with rich cultural heritage were left for nature to reclaim due to the exodus of villagers for better economic opportunities in the city and overseas.

Countryside conservation and revitalization projects in these once dilapidated villages come into sight in respect to government policy support and availability of funding mechanisms. Sandwiched between the fringe of the city and the heartland of nature conservation known as country parks, and often without vehicular access or infrastructure of modern convenience, these locations are privileged by funding for rural revitalization to avoid radical private developments and villager confrontation. This prompts the alliance of villagers, stakeholders, researchers, other interested parties and the public in variegated conservation efforts for research, education and recreational benefits. In this special issue, we are looking for experiences from these participatory action research projects at various rural locations give raise to debates 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.

Reports