Spatial–Environmental Coupling and Sustainable Planning of Traditional Tibetan Villages: A Case Study of Four Villages in Suopo Township

Mountain settlements represent culturally rich but environmentally fragile landscapes, shaped by enduring processes of ecological adaptation and human resilience. In western Sichuan, Jiarong Tibetan villages, with their distinctive integration of defensive stone towers and settlements, embody this coupling of culture and the environment. We hypothesize that settlement cores in these villages were shaped by natural environmental factors, with subsequent expansion reinforced by the cultural significance of towers. To test this, we applied a micro-scale spatial–environmental framework to four sample villages in Suopo Township, Danba County. High-resolution World Imagery (Esri, 0.5–1 m, 2022–2023) was classified via a Random Forest algorithm to generate detailed land-use maps, and a 100 × 100 m fishnet grid extracted topographic metrics (elevation, slope, aspect) and accessibility measures (distances to streams, roads, towers). Geographically weighted regression (GWR) was then used to examine how slope, elevation, aspect, proximity to water and roads, and tower distribution affect settlement patterns. The results show built-up density peaks on southeast-facing slopes of 15–30°, at altitudes of 2600–2800 m, and within 50–500 m of streams, co-locating with historic watchtower sites. Based on these findings, we propose four zoning strategies—a Core Protected Zone, a Construction And Development Zone, an Ecological Conservation Zone, and an Industry Development Zone—to balance preservation with growth. The resulting policy recommendations offer actionable guidance for sustaining traditional settlements in complex mountain environments.