Evaluating the psychological and social benefits of community-engaged ecosystem restoration in Puget Sound

This project will explore how community participation in ecosystem restoration can enhance personal wellbeing and social functioning, supporting communities that are better able to flourish under change. This research has five primary objectives: 1) create an advisory group that includes representatives from restoration organizations involved in the project, to inform project design, data collection, and research and engagement products; 2) synthesize knowledge of current engagement strategies and perspectives through interviews with restoration practitioners and engagement specialists; 3) analyze data gathered through participant observation and pilot surveys of community members engaged in restoration to develop an online survey of restoration engagement; 4) distribute an online survey to restoration volunteers to examine the relationships between restoration engagement, place attachment, and aspects of well-being; 5) co-develop a toolkit for community organizations to inform the design and evaluation of community-based restoration projects in consultation with the working group.

Project background

Ecosystem restoration is a key tool used to combat habitat degradation, support cultural practices, and generally enhance ecosystem services. The State of Washington has used ecosystem restoration as a primary method of addressing environmental issues since the early 2000s, investing millions into marine ecosystem and watershed restoration every year. In addition to the ecological benefits of ecosystem restoration, there is significant potential for individuals and communities to benefit psychologically. Human-nature interactions promote health and wellbeing, increase the likelihood of pro-environmental attitudes, and foster psychological and social resilience. However, psychological and social effects of restoration are rarely measured and often overshadowed by biophysical metrics defined by management agencies. Research is needed to understand the link between participating in restoration actions and measures of well-being and community resilience.

Results and findings

This project will use a combination of surveys, interviews, and participant observations to gather qualitative and quantitative data with the goal of understanding both the barriers to community engagement and the effects of restoration engagement on volunteers. In Year 1, a representative advisory group will fully develop all aspects of this project design, then conduct semi-structured interviews as well as participate in restoration engagement events and gather data through participant observation. All data collected in the first year will be compiled to design a survey of volunteers and community members engaged in restoration to be distributed in Year 2. Finally, interviews and surveys will be integrated into a toolkit for broader dissemination.

Contact information

Carter Smith
Assistant Professor
School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington
csmith16@uw.edu