Coptis chinensis is a medicinal herb used in traditional Chinese medicine. This research features a case study in Shizhu County, China. Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) is used as the main tool for data collection. The study demonstrates that the current method of Coptis planting leads to forest destruction. Even with reforestation measures, it leads to the loss of biodiversity in the forest. It also shows that farmers cannot get satisfactory economic returns from Coptis planting, as the return is unstable and unpredictable. One alternative to the current Coptis planting mode is to incorporate it into the agroforestry system. Water shield planting also serves as a good alternative to Coptis planting itself. Improved methods of management, post-harvest processing, and marketing of Coptis are also proposed and analyzed. The intended contribution of this paper to the theoretical debate of sustainability shall be the provision of an example showing how agricultural production affects forest conservation. It also presents redressable measures to the negative consequences. Besides, one alternative livelihood pathway for the rural community in this case study is suggested.