TY - JOUR

T1 - Proposing a social-ecological framework for successful grassland restoration in Germany—an overview and insights from the Grassworks project

AU - Temperton, Vicky M.

AU - Pătru-Dușe, Ioana A.

AU - Twerski, Alina

AU - Laeseke, Philipp

AU - Neudert, Regina

AU - Cebrián-Piqueras, Miguel A.

AU - Romero, Manuel Pacheco

AU - Bauer, Markus

AU - Beckmann, Volker

AU - Fischer, Jörn

AU - Gray, Konrad

AU - Härdtle, Werner

AU - Kollmann, Johannes

AU - Kuhn, Lukas

AU - Laschke, Christin Juno

AU - Loos, Jacqueline

AU - Lutz, Lotte

AU - May, Felix

AU - Meyer, Michaela

AU - Martin-Lopez, Berta

AU - Riechers, Maraja

AU - Ptacek, Moritz

AU - Seifert, Desirée

AU - Schmidt, Annika

AU - Sturm, Line

AU - Thiele, Jan

AU - Tischew, Sabine

AU - Unseld, Liselotte

AU - Venus, Terese

AU - Wiesmeier, Miriam

AU - Kirmer, Anita

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Restoration Ecology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Ecological Restoration.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Introduction: Bending the biodiversity curve and meeting international commitments like the Kunming-Montreal Agreement and the EU Nature Restoration Law require scaling up ecological restoration across spatial, temporal, and societal dimensions. Achieving this depends on a strong scientific evidence base and synthesis of effective practices from both ecological and social perspectives. Objectives: The Grassworks project investigates factors influencing grassland restoration success in Germany by integrating ecological, socioeconomic, and social-ecological perspectives. Methods: We assessed previously restored grasslands across three regions along a north–south gradient in Germany, comparing them to reference sites. A stratified design evaluated restoration outcomes based on methods, past land use, management, governance, finance, and time since intervention. We analyzed vegetation, pollinators, soil, and economic performance while considering landscape configuration. Social-ecological aspects, including stakeholder values, knowledge exchange, and decision-making networks, were also examined. A Real-World Laboratory approach integrated ex ante and ex post evaluations, demonstration sites, and co-created restoration activities. Results: We propose a replicable, adaptable framework for social-ecological restoration, synthesizing key ecological, economic, and social dimensions to support continuous learning and adaptive management, facilitating more effective and scalable restoration practices. Conclusions: Drawing from the Grassworks project, this research provides insights to inform and guide future large-scale restoration efforts, promoting a holistic and evidence-based approach to social-ecological restoration worldwide.

AB - Introduction: Bending the biodiversity curve and meeting international commitments like the Kunming-Montreal Agreement and the EU Nature Restoration Law require scaling up ecological restoration across spatial, temporal, and societal dimensions. Achieving this depends on a strong scientific evidence base and synthesis of effective practices from both ecological and social perspectives. Objectives: The Grassworks project investigates factors influencing grassland restoration success in Germany by integrating ecological, socioeconomic, and social-ecological perspectives. Methods: We assessed previously restored grasslands across three regions along a north–south gradient in Germany, comparing them to reference sites. A stratified design evaluated restoration outcomes based on methods, past land use, management, governance, finance, and time since intervention. We analyzed vegetation, pollinators, soil, and economic performance while considering landscape configuration. Social-ecological aspects, including stakeholder values, knowledge exchange, and decision-making networks, were also examined. A Real-World Laboratory approach integrated ex ante and ex post evaluations, demonstration sites, and co-created restoration activities. Results: We propose a replicable, adaptable framework for social-ecological restoration, synthesizing key ecological, economic, and social dimensions to support continuous learning and adaptive management, facilitating more effective and scalable restoration practices. Conclusions: Drawing from the Grassworks project, this research provides insights to inform and guide future large-scale restoration efforts, promoting a holistic and evidence-based approach to social-ecological restoration worldwide.

KW - ecological assessments

KW - governance

KW - real-world laboratory

KW - restoration outcomes

KW - social-ecological interactions

KW - stakeholder collaboration

KW - Biology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105009978070&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/rec.70109

DO - 10.1111/rec.70109

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:105009978070

JO - Restoration Ecology

JF - Restoration Ecology

SN - 1061-2971

M1 - e70109

ER -