摘要
Purpose: This study aims to explore the following questions: What are resources for humans and what are not? How does nature "become" a resource? Does the result of cultural resources' re-identification and utilization benefit cultural conservation? Design/methodology/approach: The main methods used were participant observation (from 2005 to 2007) and in-depth interviews. In-depth interviews included local elites, wetland farmers, and local tourism business owners. Findings: The process of culture becoming resources includes three stages: resource identification, meaning-giving, and social reduction. The achievement of each stage is a result of the interactions of local powers. When the aims of the identification and utilization of cultural resources excessively combine with some interests of capitalism, there is often a conflict between preservation and development. Practical implications: The results of the analysis suggest that, if this program could acquire local consensus and local participation, it could really benefit cultural resource conservation. Originality/value: This study proposes the "indigenous concept of resource" as a critical viewpoint on the current concept of resource. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.