The regional government has taken over direct control of planning for the "new" Bama. A construction plan will be implemented soon and the county government is urging villagers not to construct large buildings for the bird people.

"It's hard to stop people from making easy money," said Wei, who added that she's confident that the problems are temporary and "everything will be fine".

Zhou Yong, who runs Bama Longevity Geological Park, said: "Developing Bama is good for my company, but not necessarily good for the place. The more developed it becomes, the less natural it is." He suggested the government should maintain a good balance between immediate profit and future benefits when planning the new village.

"Passing on the environmental and natural resources to Bama's children is the best protection for the village", he said.

Huang Liyuan, a researcher of tourism development from Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, has been conducting research in the village for two years.

"I focus on the effects of foreign cultures in Bama. Once, the local people made everything they needed for their daily lives, but now they buy everything. When their lifestyle and mindsets change irrevocably, Bama will die. They will no longer be the owners, but the slaves of the bird people," she warned.

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