Including equity in urban stream restoration: From historical wrongs to new paradigms

Abstract

As the practice of stream restoration continues expanding globally, the importance of including social factors and communities within the restoration or revitalization process also increases. Engineers and environmental scientists have acknowledged the crucial role of actively involving such communities, but community involvement poses challenges because there is little guidance on managing social processes and balancing different interests. Although many restoration efforts appear to be addressing the needs of crucial ecological habitats, there have been concerning disparities identified associated to race, ethnicity, and income. Through examining 2 case studies, we attempt to identify historical trends and to describe inequities, environmental burdens, and urgent needs of oppressed communities. This validation process also led us to explore systemic constraints that can perpetuate injustices. We suggest that an equity and environmental justice perspective can provide both context and an opportunity to recognize and address basic needs of communities. The ultimate goal of stream restoration should be to achieve solutions that provide true justice; therefore, considering power relations and finding causes rather than symptoms of inequities are both important to achieving more sustainable and equitable stream restoration outcomes.