During the last few years, there has been a growing interest in bridging the divide between nature and culture in the World Heritage context. Possible opportunities are being addressed based on the principle that respect and care for nature is perhaps the most profound and ancient form of human culture. Recently, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UN, 2015) acknowledged the role of culture in promoting environmental management practices, preventing biodiversity loss, reducing land degradation, mitigating the effects of climate change, as well as its potential for transforming our patterns of consumption and production.

Studying small settlements gives tangible evidence of the profound interaction between human beings, traditional cultures, and the natural environment. Many villages, dependent on agricultural production, were built by communities rooted in their milieu, carefully using available resources and developing cultural traditions to support the preservation of their specific ecological systems. Nowadays, these traditional patterns can offer exemplary models for the design of new urban agglomerations adopting sustainable practices.

In this regard, Yunnan province is one of the best places to observe how natural and cultural heritage come together. From July 26th to 30th, Anna-Paola Pola from WHITRAP Shanghai visited Yunnan’s Lijiang region. The visit was organised by Wild Mountain Education Consulting Ltd. in collaboration with Lijiang Conservation and Development Association and Yulong County Wildlife Conservation Association. The itinerary included visits to the Old Town of Lijiang, Laojun Mountain (part of the three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan’s Protected Areas ), and other local sites of natural and cultural importance such as Wenhai Lake in Lashihai Provincial Wetland Nature Reserve, and the villages of Yuhu  and Liju.