Objectives This study aims to systematically dissect the core elements and practical experience of the U.S. “scenic easement” system. In consideration of China’s national park protection requirements, the study will explore feasible institutional, spatial, and technological localization pathways to offer novel references and insights for China’s easement regime and scenic resource conservation.

Methods First, a comprehensive literature review and comparative analysis were conducted to thoroughly elucidate the concept, typology, and relationship of “scenic easements” vis-à-vis general conservation easements. The evolution of these concepts between the 20th century and the present day was then compared. Next, a multi-level institutional framework analysis model was constructed across five dimensions: legal authorization, tax incentives, zoning control, planning management, and monitoring & maintenance—to systematically map the roles of federal, state/provincial, local governments, and profit/non-profit organizations in the establishment and implementation of easements. We then applied a typical-case synthesis approach, selecting successful practices from various U.S. regions to distill key synergies between legal tools and social cooperation mechanisms. Finally, synthesizing findings at the institutional, spatial, and technological levels, critical paths for localization were extracted.

Results The study found that the effective operation of U.S. scenic easements relied on coordinated legal, spatial, and technological dimensions: (1) Rigid legal “red lines” + flexible incentives: Federal and state mandates establish the binding framework, while local governments and social organizations offered tax exemptions or direct subsidies. (2) Zoning control and differentiated design: Multi-tiered zoning management was implemented according to land use and landscape value, with tailored easement agreements. (3) “Law + technology” dual-track monitoring: Utilizing visual-checklist techniques (e.g., remote sensing inventories) enabled dynamic tracking of easement boundaries and scenic resource status.

Conclusions Scenic protection must be guided by holistic ecological conservation to ensure the integrity of both park landscapes and ecosystems. Institutionally, the National Park Law should explicitly recognize the legal status of scenic resources, incorporate scenic easements into the usufructuary rights system, and establish a dual “ownership–easement” property structure to overcome fragmented land rights. Spatially, a graded control framework—core protection zone, general control zone, and peripheral zone—should inform differentiated easement agreements. Technologically, a triadic system of “multi-scale assessment – aerial-ground monitoring – standardized protocols” must be developed to provide scientific support for precision conservation.