Citation:

Williams, K., J. Hoffman, AND N. French. From remediation to restoration and revitalization: The St. Louis River story. Chapter 10, Great Lakes Revival -how restoring polluted dwaters leads to rebirth of Great Lakes communities. International Association for Great Lakes Research, Ann Arbor, MI, , 61-66, (2019).

Impact/Purpose:

The impact of this publication is a demonstration of learning techniques to identify and discuss public benefits from AOC projects from different perspectives, both in terms of water quality targets and as a valued resource from which people benefit.

Description:

Ongoing contaminated sediment remediation and habitat restoration in Great Lakes Areas of Concerns (AOCs) is guided by goals that are defined by the status of Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI), which conceptually are analogous to ecosystem services (i.e., benefits from nature). The ability to recognize and articulate the value of ecosystem services is, at least in part, a function of the connection between the AOC (aquatic environment) and the adjacent community (society). To better realize the benefits of sediment remediation and habitat restoration, we need to determine which ecosystem services are affected and characterize the steps between improving environmental quality, changing ecosystem services (e.g., increasing recreational or cultural value), and revitalizing urban waterfront neighborhoods. However, the nature of the aquatic-based AOC program sometimes discourages the consideration of the community benefits of AOC remediation and restoration work because they are outside the scope of agency missions. Recognizing this challenge, we initiated a structured conversation based on experiential learning principles at the USEPA’s Annual AOC meeting in 2016 with community members and advisers who are committed to the AOC program. Experiential approaches to education require learners to reflect on their own experiences to create a new understanding. In this session, participants discussed the AOC program in relation to both water quality and community resource use. Participants were asked a series of questions about a variety of ecosystem services, including recreational use (e.g., kayaking and trails). Because of the session, AOC professionals and volunteers learned from each other about potentially important social indicators of the quality and value of these resources. Further, we heard from participants that local leadership and planning is the most significant factor affecting changes on land. We conclude that to enhance public benefits from AOC projects, it is important to develop ways to discuss these waterways from different perspectives, both in terms of water quality targets and as a valued resource from which people benefit.

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