The effect of public participation on resource exploitation in heritage sites and national parks: case study of Western China

With the rapid development of the Chinese economy, especially through the enforcement of the strategy of developing the Western Region, conflict over the exploitation and protection of natural resources in heritage sites and national parks (between the government, exploiters and the public) has frequently become a focus that concerns people widely. By analysing three important cases of the public influencing resource exploitation, this paper studies public participation in current China's heritage sites and national parks, demonstrates the ideal framework of sustainable exploitation in heritage sites and national parks under the public influence, shows the different results between ideal and reality, and also reveals the present situation and rules of resource exploitation in heritage sites and national parks in China.