Understanding Residents’ Perceptions of the Ecosystem to Improve Park–People Relationships in Wuyishan National Park, China

A healthy park–people relationship depends essentially on the fair and sustainable maintenance of rural livelihood. When a protected area is designated, people may face restrictions access to land resource use. In Wuyishan China, we analyzed role traditional tea cultivation during consistent management find ways maintain stability this social-ecological system in new national park era. Based meaning perception, used an intensive social survey investigate residents’ perception ecosystem terms its interaction with conservation policies. Results showed that brought major household income was associated multiple cultural services. Protected affected use, outcomes were more obvious farmers than economic ones. We argue multi-functionality forest-tea has potential benefit both local public through conservation-compatible activities at three levels: regulate biophysical elements plot, link production market mountain level, secure tenure encourage community participation landscape level. This knowledge co-production approach revealed avoid negative relationship, people’s right must be respected.