Abstract
Although people are intrinsically linked to water, processes related to contaminated waterways often consider social and ecological dimensions independently. This research uses questionnaire and interview data to describe relationships between place attachment and participation in the remediation and restoration processes in the Onondaga Lake Watershed, a contaminated watershed in Central New York These data were also analyzed using an integrative framework, revealing complexities between ecological and economic dimensions. Questionnaire respondents indicated significant relationships between some indicators of place attachment and levels of and experiences of participation. Place attachment indicators significant to participation included mapping familiarity and meaning (e.g. active participants rated importance of educational opportunities and ecological protection higher than informed-only participants). Actionable insights from these data contribute to a greater understanding of the diverse perspectives surrounding Onondaga Lake and have implications for the facilitation of participatory processes used to navigate among them.