The science and practice of ecological restoration: a mental models analysis of restoration practitioners

Ecological restoration seeks to modify current conditions to more closely approximate conditions deemed to be more desirable within a given landscape. While substantial resources have been dedicated to advance ecological restoration efforts, limited research has investigated how ecological restoration is conceptualized by restoration practitioners. These conceptualizations are important because they likely inform goal-setting and selected management approaches, while different conceptualizations may contribute to conflicts that inhibit restoration efforts. This paper reports results from a mental model analysis completed at three USDA Forest Service Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) sites. We found that decision-makers across several disciplinary groups and organizations expressed a depth of knowledge of ecological principles related to restoration consistent with the body of ecological literature we reviewed. However, despite broad recognition of social and economic constraints, participant responses suggested limited consideration of how restoration may incorporate and achieve social and economic goals. There was also less emphasis placed on longer-term and more difficult to quantify management topics, such as monitoring and adaptive management. Literature and history both suggest that these components are critical for the long-term success of ecological restoration efforts, and so their lack of salience to participants point to these as potential areas of improvement. Our management and policy recommendations include taking steps to more effectively integrate social scientific input in restoration planning, which may be supported by incorporating decision-aiding tools such as Structured Decision Making to guide restoration-planning efforts.