A bottom-up approach for stream ecological rehabilitation in cooperation with local workers of a social cooperative (Buenos Aires, Argentina): socio-ecological framework and rehabilitation effectiveness.

SÁNCHEZ, MARÍA LAURA; DE GROOT, GRECIA; IZAGUIRRE, IRINA; GRAZIANO, MARTÍN

Oaxaca

Congreso; II Open Conference of the Programme of Ecosystem Change and Society (PECS II) ?Placed-based transdisciplinary research for Global Sustainability?; 2017

Programme of Ecosystem Change and Society

Participative ecosystem restoration approaches at the urban space usually collide with traditional topdownapproaches where the design and execution of the work are done by the governance withoutlocal community participation. Here we present an experience (2015-2016) held in cooperation withworkers of a social cooperative associated to a National Program from Argentina related to theecological rehabilitation of an urban stream through the management of the riparian vegetation andthe re-introduction of native macrophytes. The aims of the work were 1) to evaluate the socioecologicalframework in which the work is supported, and 2) to assess the effectiveness of theintervention through the use of different biological indicators. The methodology involved a set ofparticipatory action-research tools, semi-structured interviews and a BACI design associated withwater and macrophyte sampling at the intervention reach and two controls reaches. The socioecologicalapproach evidenced the importance of sanitary and community values of the interventionfor the cooperative workers and unfolded the territorial network that could possibly affect the work,particularly the overlapping with another cooperative, and the relationship with local and regionalgovernments. After 3 months, we obtained 30% of survival in transplanted macrophytes, a significantincrease in peryphitic algal biomass and a turnover of periphytic functional groups, indicative ofbiological changes at the stream reach; however, we did not detect an effect on nutrient retention.We discuss these results in terms of socio-ecological thresholds, and analyze the strengths andlimitations of the co-participative work to overcome socio-ecological traps arising from the socioterritorialcontext.