Xinghua Duotian Agrosystem is a raised ifeld agriculture system with typical water-land utilization. It was identiifed as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems （GIAHS） site by FAO in April 2014. Based on a literature review and ifeld investigations, we analyzed the history and development, structure and characteristics, functions and values of the Xinghua Duotian Agrosystem in this research. The system has a long history, rich biodiversity, important ecosystem services, traditional adapted agricultural technologies and a folk culture. Altogether, these features form an attractive landscape created by its special water-land utilization. It also has great importance for the livelihood maintenance of the local people. However, the inheritance and conservation effort of Xinghua Duotian Agrosystem is facing great threats from modern agriculture, urbanization and labor loss. This paper wil provide insight into the Xinghua Duotian Agrosystem, and provide scientiifc support for the conservation and development of this special system. It will also provide a good example for similar areas in China and worldwide.
Agricultural heritage is an important type of world heritage. The special features of this kind of heritage are that they are “living” or “real life” systems, in both the ecosystem and in the cultural sense. So, agricultural heritage needs to be conserved in a special way. In a well-reasoned approach to dynamic conservation of agricultural heritage, careful development of heritage sites can realize greater sustainability of the traditional agriculture by considering both conservation and development though tourism. This paper examines the Global Important Agricultural Heritage Systems （GIAHS） as designated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations （FAO） and listed by United Nations Educational, Scientiifc and Cultural Organization （UNESCO） as agricultural heritages sites. Currently, the research in China focuses on tourism resources evaluation and development, production design and marketing, tourism perception and the impacts of tourism development and so forth. There is less emphasis on research about benefit sharing of heritage tourism evolution mechanisms, environmental impacts of agricultural heritage tourism and study methods which should be analyzed in-depth, so as to iluminate the theories and practices of development in a living landscape.
