Rural cultural landscape evaluation system based on analytic hierarchy process: a case study of Hong Fanchi Spring

Based on a combined approach of Analytic Hierarchy Process and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation, this study constructs a rural landscape evaluation system for the Hong Fanchi Spring area in Jinan, China. The research aims to systematically evaluate the cultural landscape quality, identify key factors affecting landscape value, and propose targeted protection strategies. Through literature review, expert interviews (n=18), and the Delphi method, a four-level hierarchical evaluation framework was established with 4 criterion-layer and 14 sub-criterion-layer indicators. Data collected from 389 valid questionnaires across six towns were analyzed using SPSS 27.0. Results revealed an overall cultural landscape evaluation score of 2.77 (on a 5-point scale), indicating below-average quality and considerable room for improvement. Among the four landscape types evaluated, Village Cultural Landscape ranked highest (2.80), followed by Planting Cultural Landscape (2.79), Religious Cultural Landscape (2.77), and Spring Water Cultural Landscape (2.75). The study identified cultural value (weight: 30.61%) and historical value (28.28%) as the most influential indicators, while public recognition (C9) demonstrated the greatest variation across landscape types. Based on these findings, six targeted recommendations are proposed, including classified protection priorities, enhanced community participation, improved legal frameworks, cultural-economic integration, strengthened environmental management, and promotion of sustainable development practices. This evaluation framework provides a reference model for other rural cultural landscape assessments and management strategies.