With the aim of promoting tourism and rural development through biodiversity studies, the Boao International Student Rural Revitalization Planning and Design Competition was held recently in Boao, Hainan province.

The competition not only helped deepen young people's understanding of biodiversity and foster a sense of responsibility for conservation, it was also an innovative attempt to integrate biodiversity study tours into rural planning, said Wang Kai, president of the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design, emphasizing the importance of integrating biodiversity, low-carbon ecology and green development into planning education to address evolving industry trends.

Responding to the global consensus reached at COP15, during which China clarified its strategy and action plan for biodiversity conservation, the event was organized by the Hainan branch of the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design (Beijing) Co. and supported by the Hainan Green Building Society. A total of 15 domestic and international universities were invited to participate, and four Chinese university teams made it to last month's finals.

The competition focused on planning for three villages — Longtan, Peilan and Beichaofangling — near Boao, China's first demonstration zone for near-zero carbon operations. After a five-day field survey in the villages, more than 20 students and university professors collected detailed data and gained firsthand insights into local conditions.

The competing teams were required to propose creative solutions, including knowledge-learning routes combining traditional rural culture with biodiversity conservation, intelligent eco-tourism experiences leveraging modern technology, and public education initiatives to raise ecological awareness among rural residents.

"Students' professional knowledge in biodiversity is enhanced in the process of designing and planning, and their interaction with local residents also influences the villagers' awareness and behavior, including sustainable practices," said Yu Li, a professor from Cardiff University, who conceptualized the competition.

Some participants pointed out that biodiversity resources will become unique rural assets, gaining value due to their rarity. In rural development, biodiversity is the foundation for a healthy ecosystem as well as for sustaining agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

Hainan is known as a biodiversity paradise. "Any tropical plant or crop can easily thrive there. Local farmers consider it a blessing, but they have never thought about weaving their biodiversity resources into profitable tourism," said Yu.

The routes designed by participants highlight local folk traditions, medicinal plants and sustainable farming practices while intelligent tourism incorporates augmented reality guides and biodiversity databases. The proposals offer valuable insights for promoting biodiversity-focused rural tourism and provide a foundation for future implementation, said Yu.

Participants carried out comprehensive analysis of various sites in the three villages, proposing the concept of "boundless coexistence".In their designs, they integrated elements such as forest, water, grassland, sea, farmland and village to achieve an organic fusion of human activities and ecological nature.

For instance, these villages, located at the estuary of Wanquan River, serve as crucial habitats for a large number of migratory fish. Some designs conceptualized special walking paths involving observation of the estuary, as well as endangered bird species, insect species and plants.

The participating students, some majoring in architecture, made the most of available space in their designs. Local traditional houses were designed as hotels, exhibition halls or lecture rooms for study tours, while maintaining their originality. Injecting a new perspective in biodiversity studies, they fully considered the organic combination of traditional architecture and the variety of animals and plants.

During the competition, students conducted an online public survey, which revealed that 72 percent of respondents strongly supported biodiversity study tourism in rural areas.

If the designs are adopted, they will improve income of local villagers through biodiversity-focused tourism while enhancing visitors' awareness of biodiversity and ecological preservation, said Yu.

Li Pinjie, a student from the team of Dalian University of Technology City Institute said, "Being aware of the importance of biodiversity, we considered the site's original ecology and made efforts to preserve natural vegetation and water systems to create habitats for wildlife."

Li's teammate Lu Xiaoyue said rural vitalization should be rooted in local characteristics. Rural planning must focus on the protection of biodiversity and sustainably use the bio resources to balance development and ecological preservation.

Yu believes this competition serves as a global reference, offering innovative strategies to address biodiversity and sustainability challenges worldwide. "The integration of biodiversity education and rural vitalization showcased in this competition represents a novel approach both domestically and internationally," he said.

No country has yet fully combined these objectives within planning and study frameworks. This competition highlights the commitment of the Chinese government, academic communities and planning professionals toward biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, he added.

Xiao Xiangyi contributed to this story.