Keahna Margeson

Remediation to Restoration to Revitalization (R2R2R) is a framework to identify social and ecological relationships between coastal and estuarine revitalization and aquatic sediment remediation or habitat restoration projects. Undertaking ecological restoration projects along coasts and estuaries provides an opportunity to support and enhance human communities’ well-being by improving and protecting aquatic and riparian habitat and reconnecting communities with the water. To consider both human and biophysical dimensions simultaneously, a community-based decision support process that considers community values with potential ecological outcomes is required. We employed the R2R2R framework to relate ecological restoration to ecosystem services (ES) and associated human benefits such as safe fishing, boating, swimming opportunities, and subsistence food gathering. This case study involved a comparative analysis of contamination remediation and habitat restoration design alternatives for Mud Lake, an embayment of the St. Louis River near Duluth, Minnesota. We also conducted a community values analysis to compare the potential community wellbeing impacts resulting from changes in ecosystem services associated with restoration alternatives. We found the mix of ES provided at Mud Lake varied among decision alternatives, resulting in trade-offs among alternatives and likely differences in well-being outcomes. Our study shows that when there are multiple ecological and social tradeoffs associated with a restoration project, considering ES with community values contributes to more equitable decision-making and can mitigate negative impacts to well-being. We argue the R2R2R framework is useful for establishing a community of practice for integrating ES and community values into decision-support for remediating coasts and estuaries along the Great Lakes.

Understanding environmental governance empowers researchers and practitioners alike to work towards solutions that improve both environmental and human well-being outcomes. Collaborative, iterative approaches to governance use bridging approaches such as translational ecology, boundary work, and ecosystem services. The US Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development worked with a variety of collaborators to implement six multi-year coordinated case study research projects. The research projects were designed to support agency collaborators spanning different geographies, ecosystems, and environmental management decision contexts, and to demonstrate that different tools, approaches, and ecosystem service foci can enhance coastal and other water resource sustainability. To better understand the iterative and collaborative nature of the cases and collaborations, researchers conducted an analysis of the comparative case studies based on Williams’ (2018) and Ostrom’s (1994, 2009) frameworks. The team identified (1) who participated in the processes; (2) what the programs and goals were; (3) where programs worked and their resources; and (4) the resulting outcomes. We demonstrate that stakeholder participation and outcomes look different within different projects, and we conclude that relationships, focus on place, and common goals produce the most impactful results.

Marine and coastal environments are diverse and dynamic, supporting competing human interests and demands. As society seeks to balance contested uses of space, more holistic planning processes have emerged, which consider social, economic, and ecological factors. One approach that considers social factors, and more specifically social acceptance, is “social license to operate” (SLO). Originating in the terrestrial mining industry, SLO has been adopted by various marine industries. Except for some emerging work in the conservation field, SLO is typically applied to industrial marine and coastal contexts. To understand SLO’s uses in other marine and coastal planning contexts, namely conservation, adaptation, and restoration, we conducted a scoping review using the term SLO and similar concepts, including public or social acceptance, support, and buy-in. Results indicate the concept of SLO is still emerging in non-industrial marine and coastal planning, with an emphasis on gaining public acceptance rather than maintaining it. The concept of SLO was applied broadly, including as a measurement for public support and a product of effective engagement. Most publications focused on barriers and drivers of SLO. Influential factors are identified and organized by theme, then discussed based on their relationships within a social-ecological system framework. Considering the common factors and their associated systems helps to link elements necessary to obtain SLO, highlighting their interconnectedness with each other, society, and the natural environment. The findings of this review illustrate SLO’s utility for academics and practitioners alike, through its application in methods, tools, values, and concepts that characterize public inclusion for marine and coastal planning.