本研究參考現有之文獻資料，並藉由對居民、業者、公部門成員、地方文史工作者與專業人士進行深度訪談，瞭解在北埔聚落內擁有不同生命經驗的個人，對於北埔聚落的發展各自有什麼樣的看法和感受。依據受訪對象的想像，整理及描述北埔現階段發展情況，並從永續發展觀點分別對北埔聚落的自然環境、經濟效益、社會發展和文化承傳等4個部分的面貌進行研究分析。 經研究分析整理後可以發現，現階段北埔聚落的發展以獲取高經濟效益為導向，重點發展項目為觀光產業，至於自然環境、社會發展及文化承傳部分則較少關心，處於一種偏離永續發展平衡的狀態。In this research is going to consult the relevant existing written documents which can be found. And trough depth interview the inhabitants, shopkeepers, government functionaries, local literature and history researchers and experts those who living, making living, working, or studying in Beipu settlement have different personal experiences to understand each of them that what kind of opinion and reception do they feel about there. Then, according to the imaginations of interviewees’ responses to coordination and describe the developing Beipu settlement in present days. Furthermore depends on the concept of sustainable development to analyze the four dimensions; the natural environment, the economic effect, the social development and the culture inheritance; of Beipu settlement. After reorganizes the research analysis may discover that the present stage of Beipu settlement's development takes gains the high economic efficiency as the guidance, the prioritized developing project is the sightseeing industry. As for the natural environment, the social development and the culture inheritance on these part are taking little care of, is at one kind of deviating to the balanced condition of sustainable development.
