Exploring the mechanism of overseas Chinese landscape identity and conservation willingness based on the XGBoost-SHAP model: a case study of the Qingtian rice–fish Co-culture system

This study examines the Qingtian Rice – Fish Co-culture System in Zhejiang – a globally important agricultural heritage system (GIAHS) – to explore how strengthened land-scape identity among the overseas diaspora can contribute to the conservation of living agricultural heritage in the context of rapid urbanization and population outmigration. By focusing on the emotional, cognitive, and social connections between the diaspora and their traditional landscapes, the research seeks to reveal the mechanisms shaping their conservation intentions and to propose identity-oriented conservation strategies. Using a mixed-methods approach that combined field interviews and questionnaire surveys, 255 valid responses were collected and analyzed through the XGBoost machine learning algorithm and the SHAP interpretability model. The results indicate that nostalgia, aesthetic value, ecological cognition, and identity are key factors influ-encing the diaspora’s conservation intentions, which manifest in behaviors such as personal involvement, family participation, and willingness to promote and invest. This study not only extends the application of landscape identity theory in cross-border contexts but also provides empirical evidence and strategic recommendations for the sustainable preservation and community engagement of agricultural heritage in diaspora hometowns. It highlights the importance of emotional mobilization, enhanced cognitive recognition, and differentiated participation mechanisms to facilitate dynamic heritage transmission.