A Three-Dimensional Landscape Framework for Stakeholder Identification in Coal Mining Heritage Conservation

With the transformation of resource-based cities and the restructuring of industrial sectors, the sustainable conservation of coal mining heritage has become a global focus. In China, coal mining heritage faces challenges such as degradation and inadequate management, highlighting the urgent need for more context-sensitive and systematic conservation approaches. This study develops an integrated, landscape-oriented analytical framework for stakeholder identification to address these challenges and to better understand stakeholder differentiation in coal mining heritage conservation. The research objectives are as follows: (1) to bring together a three-dimensional framework based on material-technical, socio-cultural, and experiential dimensions; (2) to analyse the roles and interactions of stakeholders; and (3) to explore how technical knowledge, socio-cultural memory, and daily experiences influence the protection and reuse of coal mining heritage sites. The study integrates the theoretical frameworks of landscape character assessment, historic urban landscape, and experiential landscape, using data from field observations and interviews analysed via ATLAS.ti. The findings show that the proposed framework offers a more systematic understanding of the dynamic relationships between stakeholders and heritage landscapes, thereby providing practical guidance for local governments and relevant institutions in developing inclusive and context-sensitive conservation strategies.