Land layout of rural tourism site based on ecological restraint: A case study of Zixing Village in Jinjiang City, Fujian Province

In order to avoid the negative effects (e.g., rural culture disappearance) and aggravation of ecological risks of rural tourism development, landscape security pattern (LSP) was built (with consideration of rural nature and cultural landscape protection) using the minimum cumulative resistance model. Zixing Village in Jinjiang City, Fujian Province was used as a case study to explore land classification and spatial layout of rural tourism lands with LSP as constraint condition. The results showed that LSP in the study area included four ecological function zones, core protection zone, ecological buffer zone, ecological transition zone and human activity zone, with two kinds of source areas of forest and water. Land use characteristics of four zones were different and decided based on distribution of landscape and the state of land use. Tourism land use in the study area was classified into four types, including natural tourism land, cultural tourism land, facilities land and other tourism lands. The rules of land use for every type of tourism land were differed on the basis of LSP. Natural tourism land, composed of agricultural sightseeing zone and water tourist zone, was distributed in ecological buffer zones, ecological transition zones and human activity zones. This kind land use was based on the order of priority of original landscapes maintaining and landscapes repairing. Namely, for the natural tourism land, the land use was based on the current state of land use, and meantime, increased functions of tourism. This study classified the north of Jinxi District as agricultural experience zone, agricultural research institutes as agro-ecological sightseeing zone, and Zixi Reservoir and Jinxi as hydrological sightseeing zone. These zones as well as existing ruins and ancient buildings were the main cultural tourism lands. The cultural tourism lands were mainly distributed in core protection zones and ecological buffer zones. The use principle of the cultural tourism lands was maintenance and repairmen of original landscapes, such as forbidding any human activities but sightseeing tour. Facilities lands were mainly located in the zones of ecological transition and human activity. The lands were not only remolded by existing buildings, but also by increased quantity. Northwest of Dingxiyuan Village was planned as tourist center and Jinxing Village as family hostel and restaurant concentration area. Other tourism lands were mainly distributed in human activity zones, driven by maintenance of original landscapes. Other tourism lands were distributed mainly in Zixing industrial park. It was suggested that the spatial layout of rural tourism lands based on LSP were useful in coordinating the relationship between human and nature. It was meaningful for planning of rural tourism lands at theoretical and practical scales.