Unleashing the nexus between farmers’ participation in rural tourism and their ecological footprint: Emerging environmental subjectivities in rural China

Tourism-oriented livelihoods represent a significant avenue for transforming traditional agricultural practices. Analyzing their environmental impacts offers a novel perspective for exploring the complex interplay among human production, consumption, and the ecological environment at a micro level. In this study, Shaanxi Province farmers were selected as field survey participants. Based on a quantitative assessment of farmers’ ecological footprints within the study area, how their participation in rural tourism affected ecological footprints was analyzed using the propensity score matching model, and the heterogeneity of the impact and underlying mechanisms were further explored. Results indicate that the ecological footprint of farmers varies significantly across land-use types and consumption categories. Moreover, the spatial distribution of the ecological footprints exhibits a distinct “high at both ends and low in the middle” pattern. Participation in rural tourism significantly reduces the ecological footprint, particularly among farmers with higher levels of social trust or lower economic status. Further analysis shows that habitat quality and vegetation coverage are key ecological indicators that exert a significant positive moderating effect on the negative impact of rural tourism participation on farmers’ ecological footprints. These findings highlight the importance of integrating ecological conservation with economic development. Accordingly, tailored policies, improved ecological service systems, and enhanced regional ecological quality are recommended to increase resource-use efficiency and promote a virtuous cycle between environmental sustainability and rural economic growth.