The livelihood-resource nexus in UNESCO biosphere reserves: A case study from Chebaling Biosphere Reserve in China

As one of the largest and most influential protected area networks globally, Biosphere Reserves pioneeringly established the zonation of core, buffer, and transition areas. However, the zonation of Biosphere Reserves artificially causes differences in natural resource utilization and livelihood development among residents in different subareas, resulting in potential unfairness. Thus, this paper establishes the framework of livelihood-resource nexus and uses Chebaling Biosphere Reserve in Guangdong Province of China as a case study to explore the differences in natural resource utilization and livelihood situations among residents in different zones and their interactive relationships. The case results indicate that residents’ natural resource utilization intensity and livelihood situations in various subareas show a spatial decreasing pattern from the core area to the transition area. The coupling degree of the livelihood-resource nexus also indicates a spatial decreasing pattern from the core area to the buffer zone. But for the living-resources and forest, which the case area residents rely on more, there is a positive coupling between livelihood situations and their utilization intensity for core area and buffer zone residents and a negative coupling in transition area. To achieve the concept of “harmonious coexistence between humans and nature,” which was innovatively advocated by Biosphere Reserves, this paper suggests establishing differentiated livelihood development interventions for the core area, buffer zone, and transition area to promote better synergistic development between residents’ livelihoods and natural resource utilization.