The role of project components for the acceptance of an inner city river restoration project in Bad Bergzabern, Germany

The poor conditions of rivers worldwide make restoration an issue of great importance and urgency. The acceptance of restoration by society is crucial; however, the factors determining such acceptance are still poorly understood. In particular, an understanding of the complex interplay between the acceptance or rejection of specific project components and the acceptance of the overall project requires further exploration. To address this research gap, we analyze a restoration project in Bad Bergzabern, Germany to (1) investigate the acceptance of the overall project and its components and (2) explore why people accept or reject specific components. A total of 321 in-person interviews were conducted and the factors of acceptance were analyzed using logistic regression. Our findings show that while the acceptance of the overall project is generally high, many respondents reject one or more project components. Complementary social project components, like a playground, find less support than purely ecological components. Overall, our research shows that differences in the acceptance of components depend on individual concerns, the quality of communication, attachment to the site, and age. Our results contribute to a better understanding of preferences for river restoration projects and help water managers design restoration projects having a high acceptance in society.