依据旅游经济与旅游管理学、农村参与式发展理论、以社区为基础的自然资源管理、环境与生态经济学、农户生计分析框架、公共治理与公共政策分析等多学科理论和研究方法，本课题以陕南秦巴生物多样性生态功能区为例，从理论研究、实证研究、案例研究三个方面，深入系统地研究西部重点生态功能区农村社区参与旅游发展的方式、旅游减贫机制，分析农户和社区参与旅游发展的产权途径、组织形式、利益分享机制、促进或阻碍因素等，研究农户参与旅游活动在生态保护、农户增收、提升福祉与可行能力等农村综合发展方面的作用；探索重点生态功能区发展旅游经济如何促进城乡一体化、经济效益扩散及一二三产业的融合等，并总结重点生态功能区发展旅游特色产业在促进生态保护和农村减贫、促进经济-环境-社会可持续发展的有效途径和模式，从而为西部重点生态功能区探索科学发展的新模式、新途径提供借鉴和参考。

While making Ecological Function Zone of Biodiversity Conservation in Southern Shaanxi as a study and demonstration site, this project makes scientific research on the methods and poverty reduction mechanism through the rural community participation in the tourism development by theoretical research, empirical analysis and case study. We use multi-disciplinary theories and methods of tourism economics, tourism management, theory of rural participatory development, community-based natural resource management, environmental and ecological economics, sustainable livelihood approach, public governance and public policy analysis, etc. Firstly, we analyzes the participation of rural households and communities in the tourism development such as their property rights, community organization, benefit sharing mechanism, promoting factors and barriers. Secondly, we make research on the impact of rural household participation on the conservation and development benefits in rural area, e.g. Local ecological conservation, rural household revenue increase, wellbeing and capability improvement, etc. Thirdly, we explore the ways to promote the rural-urban integration, the economic benefits diffusion and the inter-industry linkage through the tourism development in Key Ecological Function Zones. Finally, we conclude the effective ways and models how the tourism development in Key Ecological Function Zones can promote ecological conservation and rural poverty reduction simultaneously, and how the tourism can help to achieve the sustainability on the local economic, environmental and societal development. Thus, our project can provide references for exploring scientific models and pathways for the sustainable development in Key Ecological Function Zones of Western China.