An assessment of conservation effects in Shilin Karst of South China Karst

摘要

World Heritage is of outstanding universal value and has irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration to humanity. It is important to evaluate the effectiveness of World Heritage site management. As a part of the South China Karst World Natural Heritage, Yunnan Shilin Karst was included in the World Heritage list on 27 June 2007. To quantify the effects of the Yunnan Shilin Karst site conservation, the changes in ecosystem service value of the Yunnan Shilin Karst area and the nearby buffer zone were analyzed by utilizing remote-sensing images, geographic information system and an ecosystem service value model. The results indicate that significant conservation effects of the Yunnan Shilin Karst have been made since 1992, and of the buffer zone since 2004.