Spatiotemporal evolution and influencing factors of traditional villages based on GIS: a case study of China's Yangtze River economic belt

This study examines the spatiotemporal evolution of 4,739 traditional villages in China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB), a strategic region spanning 9 provinces and 2 municipalities. Spatial analysis using ArcGIS 10.8 and GeoDa reveals: (1) Spatially, villages show strong agglomeration with regional disparities, forming a ‘four cores and two clusters’ pattern; (2) Temporally, development follows a ‘stable growth rapid growth rapid reduction’ trajectory; (3) Key drivers include natural factors (elevation, river proximity) and socio-cultural elements (transportation, population density, ethnicity). As vital embodiments of traditional farming heritage, these villages require integrated cross-regional governance. To advance sustainable development, we propose an area-based holistic conservation strategy under the ‘Renewal-Governance-Revitalization’ (RGR) framework. This approach synergizes ecological renewal, institutional governance, and socioeconomic revitalization to balance cultural preservation with resource utilization. Findings provide policymakers actionable insights for enhancing the resilience of these irreplaceable cultural landscapes across the YREB.