A framework for establishing restoration goals for contaminated ecosystems.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Ecological Restoration
• Environmental Toxicology

Background:

• Limited natural resources increase the importance of restoring contaminated terrestrial and aquatic sites.
• Traditional approaches prioritize remediation goals (contaminant removal) over ecological restoration goals (end use).
• A gap exists in concurrently establishing effective remediation and restoration objectives for contaminated ecosystems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a framework for developing integrated goals for ecological restoration and contaminant remediation.
• To provide a decision tree tool to guide the establishment of achievable restoration goals for contaminated sites.
• To emphasize the inclusion of ecological and socio-cultural-economic values in restoration planning.

Main Methods:

• A framework developed through a Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and Society of Ecological Restoration (SER) workshop.
• Expert consensus from multiple countries, with a focus on international applicability.
• Development of a decision tree to support goal-setting processes.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive framework for setting achievable ecological restoration goals alongside remediation goals.
• Integration of ecological, socio-cultural, and economic values into contaminated site restoration.
• A decision support tool to guide practitioners in goal establishment.

Conclusions:

• Integrated goal-setting is crucial for effective contaminated site restoration.
• The framework and decision tool offer a structured approach for international application.
• Achieving successful restoration requires considering diverse values and site-specific contexts.