On the need for biocultural approaches to restoration

Ecological restoration is gaining global momentum for climate mitigation, yet its prevailing approach, often rooted in Western technical science, frequently appears neutral while inadvertently reinforcing power imbalances and sidelining local knowledge.

We argue for biocultural restoration approaches that go beyond community participation by explicitly integrating cultural meanings, knowledge systems, and power relations into restoration planning and governance. We frame restoration as an inherently socio‐political act, rather than a neutral fix to a broken nature.

The approach integrates three core principles and tools: political ecology, which acknowledges and addresses unequal power dynamics influencing restoration; landscape biographies, offering a comprehensive historical understanding of human–nature interactions to inform restoration goals and prevent the perpetuation of injustices; and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), which provides invaluable local insights on ecosystem functioning and contributes to decolonising restoration practices while empowering local communities. Restoration researchers and practitioners must ensure that restoration efforts truly serve the diverse values and needs of local populations.