The Essential Role of Wetland Restoration Practitioners in the Science-Policy-Practice Process

We conducted a “living laboratory” study using holistic transdisciplinary approach to demonstrate how new scientific tools and policy instruments could be mobilized achieve wetland restoration goals. Our living laboratory was situated on the prairie pothole landscape in province of Alberta, Canada, where policies require replacement lost habitat. created map ditch-drained wetlands measure their functions terms hydrological health, water quality improvement, ecological health optimize targeting sites. also tested incentivize private landowners restore wetlands. However, we arguably failed implementation program due barriers that severely limited landowner participation, resulting only small number being restored. Despite strength science profound understanding policy, on-the-ground work stalled interactive effects environmental, social, economic, political barriers. discovered despite our focus overcoming science-policy gap, it is practice realm requires more attention from both scientists makers engaged activities. Generally, developed were irrelevant because complex interactions between actors within governance, site-specific contexts use application tools. highlights risks engaging use-inspired research without having clear interacting influence behavior, motivations, risk tolerance. Informed by experiences, offer key considerations for better engagement practitioners design programs.