What shapes public support for mangrove restoration? The role of perceptions of ecosystem services and disservices

Mangroves offer a wide range of ecosystem services, yet have historically attracted negative perceptions, often tied to real or perceived disservices. While global interest in mangrove restoration is increasing, success remains uneven, partially due to persistent social barriers, including limited stakeholder engagement. Understanding how public perceptions of mangroves influence restoration support could inform more effective strategies. However, the extent to which multiple disservices shape support across different social groups remains unclear. In this study, we examine the case of Australia's Great Barrier Reef catchments, surveying 869 residents across 21 Local Government Areas. Using a 5-point Likert scale, we assessed perceptions of mangrove ecosystem services and disservices. Binomial logistic regression was used to model restoration support as a function of these perceptions and sociodemographic variables. Overall, 87.6% of residents supported mangrove restoration. Support remained high across the catchments, and perceptions of ecosystem services and disservices were associated with variation in support. Biodiversity showed the strongest positive association, with each one-point increase in perceived importance corresponding to 2.37 times higher odds of supporting restoration (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.37, 95% CI = 1.61–3.54). In contrast, each one-point increase in perceived loss of land productivity was associated with 38% lower odds of support (OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.46–0.83). Sociodemographic factors, including population density, gender and age, were also associated with support. Our findings underscore the importance of incorporating both positive and negative perceptions to inform context-specific project design, ultimately fostering public support to overcome barriers to large-scale restoration.