The Optimism Ignited by Nature‐Based Solutions: Mobilizing Public Support and Policy Champions in a “First‐Ever” Oyster Reef Restoration Project

ABSTRACT In recent years, a major push to restore oyster reefs has helped to revive the marine environments that were depleted in South Australia. Categorized as “Nature‐based Solutions” (NbS) that foster the return of biodiversity, these efforts have led to pockets of environmental optimism while countering an otherwise gloomy marine health forecast. By focusing on the personnel behind the push for oyster reef restoration, this discussion attends to the underappreciated “policy champion” roles that people undertook to attract the support of decision‐makers and the public in the pursuit of ecological repair. In telling this story while drawing upon work in emotional political ecology, we argue that it is essential to recognize the human emotions that promote and propel NbS as a viable approach. This work highlights the central role of human decision‐making in the facilitation of Nature‐based Solutions, thereby underscoring our capacity to support multispecies flourishing amidst biodiversity decline.