Public perception of urban agricultural heritage systems: based on VR eye-tracking

Urbanization severely threatens the dynamic conservation of Agricultural Heritage Systems (AHS). Focusing on the Haizhu High Bed-Low Ditch Agroecosystem (HHBLDA) in Guangzhou, China—a rare urban AHS facing rapid encroachment—this study integrates the Semantic Differential (SD) method with VR eye-tracking to quantify the public’s subjective evaluations and objective visual preferences. The findings reveal a critical perceptual discrepancy: despite expressing subjective interest in the AHS, participants’ objective visual attention heavily gravitates toward designed garden landscapes, exposing an intrinsic inadequacy in the agricultural site’s aesthetic appeal. Analysis identifies “uniqueness” and “sense of order” as core perceptual drivers, especially among younger demographics exhibiting high visual exploration. Consequently, this study proposes a perception-driven, hierarchical zoning conservation strategy. By prioritizing these core drivers and enriching the site’s cultural-artistic ambiance, this strategy provides a scientific framework to transform urban AHS from traditional productive systems into engaging experiential spaces, ensuring their sustainable conservation.