Identification and analysis of the cultural landscape in an eco-cultural protection area: A case study in Yunnan Diqing

Eco-cultural protection areas are a holistic approach to conservation centred on intangible cultural heritage. Currently, most of the domestic research on the construction and development of eco-cultural protection areas is still in its initial stages, and the identification and analysis techniques for cultural ecosystems still need to be practiced and explored. Cultural landscapes are the material manifestations of cultural ecosystems. This study aimed to establish a reasonable analysis method for identifying cultural landscapes in eco-cultural protection areas. The method is based on the landscape s ecological security pattern of the related theory according to the preset area of various ecological factors that were identified in ecologically sensitive areas. This allows for identifying important ecological plaques and ecological corridors and providing a basis for the scientific protection of eco-cultural protection areas. This study considered the national eco-cultural protection area in Yunnan Diqing as an example. The cultural landscape identification and analysis method successfully determined the spatial characteristics and stability of this area. The results provide significant insights for resource protection and sustainable development of eco-cultural protection areas. © The Author(s) 2025.