World natural heritage conservation integrates the sustainable development goals from the public perspective in Guilin, China

World Natural Heritage sites are globally significant natural and cultural landscapes, serve as crucial benchmarks of human efforts in conservation and contribute to broader sustainable development agendas. This study aims to investigate the multifaceted relationship between World Natural Heritage conservation and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) regarding public perception. We focus on the Guilin Karst region and explore the viewpoints of 520 local residents living around the Guilin World Natural Heritage site. The findings demonstrate that most residents deeply understand and care about preserving heritage, express their satisfaction with it, and are willing to increase taxes to support heritage conservation. Additionally, they perceive the multifaceted influence of natural heritage site conservation on the SDGs. Living closer to the Guilin Karst region has a stronger impact on long-term residents’ conservation and sustainability perception. Incorporating the viewpoints of the local community into World Natural Heritage conservation and sustainable development, the study fosters a more inclusive and participatory approach towards managing and safeguarding our shared natural heritage.