To reflect the intricate relationships between heritage, tourism, and community pertinent to Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), the framework of community well-being is adapted to evaluate the status and changes to destination communities imposed by conservation and tourism initiatives. A multi-stakeholder, mixed-method approach is adopted using qualitative interviews and a quantitative questionnaire survey at two villages of the Hani Rice Terraces, Yunnan Province of Western China. Results show that positive impacts from tourism are mainly concentrated on the environmental, conservation, and development dimensions. However, the lack of improvements in the education and health dimensions negatively affected the well-being of the local community. In particular, the subjective well-being is reduced with the increasing need for education induced by tourism. The evolution of community well-being is explored and portrayed through well-being hexagons and measures to enhance the positive impacts of tourism are proposed for GIAHS and other heritage sites or protected areas.

Marine microplastic pollution (MMP) is becoming one of the most pressing environmental problems facing humanity today. The novel coronavirus epidemic has raised the issue of environmental contamination caused by large-scale improper disposal of medical waste such as disposable masks (DMs). To assess the impact of MMP caused by DMs and to seek solutions for the prevention and control of MMP, this study uses the Driving force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework to establish a causal chain of MMP caused by DMs. The conclusion shows that the novel coronavirus epidemic has led to a surge in the use of DMs, which has brought pressure on resource constraints and environmental pollution at the same time. Improperly DMs enter the environment and eventually transform into MMP, which not only endangers the marine ecological system but also poses potential human health risks as well as economic and social hazards. In addition, further research on environmentally friendly masks (cloth masks and biodegradable masks) is essential to mitigate the environmental damage caused by the large-scale global use of DMs. This study provides a scientific and theoretical basis for the assessment of MMP from discarded DMs, and the findings of this study will provide a reference for the formulation of relevant policies.

Involving a variety of stakeholders, heritage tourism management requires a collaborative multi-actor approach. Due to the current grid management system, shared management among multiple agencies is not rare in heritage sites in China; however limited research has addressed this situation. A multi-agency management model is thus proposed to highlight the roles of a coordination agency and a collaboration mechanism. Taking Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area as an example, this paper compares the management status and assesses management collaboration between its two main management bodies. Semi-structured interviews with management staff are used as the primary research method. It is revealed that shared management has resulted in the inefficient use of human and financial resources, and inconsistency in the application of management measures and standards due to the lack of an efficient coordination agency and collaboration mechanism. Suggestions are made to facilitate collaboration and enhance management efficiency in this multi-agency management context.

The paper analyses the range of lake management organizations (LMOs) established in China and proposes management recommendations for different lake types and contexts. Based on functions, regional coverage and sectoral focus, nine LMO patterns are identified, ranging from existing agency approaches in which there is no specific lake focus or institutional responsibility to comprehensive and powerful lake basin authorities. LMO development in China faces many challenges, including a preoccupation with organizational form rather than function and objectives, duplication with existing agency functions, and insufficient lake basin management and trans-jurisdictional coordination. We therefore propose that LMOs should be tailored to specific situations and problems, drawing distinctions between plateau, urban, plain, inland and wetland lakes as well as other contexts.