Effects of Social-Ecological Scale Mismatches on Estuary Restoration at the Project and Landscape Level in Puget Sound, USA

Abstract

Landscape restoration is a global priority as evidenced by the United Nations’ 2020 goal to restore 150 million hectares of land worldwide. Landscape restoration is often undermined by misalignments between governance and environmental systems, often called social-ecological scale mismatches. Despite growing recognition of this problem, few empirical studies focus on scale mismatches in environmental restoration work. In response, this paper analyzes scale mismatches in estuary restoration in a sub-basin of Puget Sound, Washington, U.S.A. I address both the effects of scale mismatch on individual restoration projects and landscape level restoration planning and implementation. I qualitatively analyze 95 semi-structured interviews with participants from 80 governing organizations. My analysis reveals how scale mismatch is a complex social-ecological landscape pattern that affects the flow of financial, human, and natural capital across the landscape. Furthermore, many organizations have limited capacity, which often hampers cross border collaborations that might overcome scale mismatches and further affects how resource are allocated in the region. My findings illustrate why human-environment processes should be included in landscape restoration planning. Social factors are not considered as constraints to restoration, but rather, part of the very landscape fabric to be restored. This represents a new way of thinking about scale mismatch for landscape restoration. Understanding these patterns and processes is essential for a social-ecological approach to landscape restoration that can help create sustainable landscapes and communities.