Evaluation of the Social Effects of Wetland Ecological Restoration in China: From the Perspective of the Satisfaction and Perception of Residents Around Poyang Lake in Jiangxi Province

Abstract

This paper focuses on the social effect assessment of the ecological governance of Poyang Lake wetland in Jiangxi Province. By distributing 1098 valid questionnaires to the surrounding residents and collecting them, this paper deeply explores the feedback on residents’ satisfaction and recognition regarding the effectiveness of wetland governance measures. Through the comprehensive use of the Order Logit model and descriptive statistical methods such as the mean and standard deviation, this paper deeply discusses the impact of the ecological management measures of Poyang Lake wetland on residents’ life quality, environmental protection awareness, and community well-being. The study found that the wetland ecological management project was widely praised, and the overall satisfaction of residents was as high as 87.5%, reflecting a significant social effect. Further analysis revealed that satisfaction was affected by multiple factors, including age, education, quality of life (including increased leisure and recreational space and enhanced regional identity), and improvement in environmental quality (including increased bird species diversity, improved water and air quality, and improved infrastructure). Residents’ cognition of wetland function is multi-dimensional and profound, but they still need to strengthen standard science education in deep-level ecological functions such as species protection. Based on the research conclusion, three policy suggestions are proposed: first, the government should strengthen ecological education and enhance the public awareness of environmental protection; second, the government should pay attention to the win–win of ecology and people’s livelihoods and promote the harmonious coexistence of wetland protection and community development; and third, the government should improve the relevant infrastructure, strengthen environmental protection facilities, scientific research monitoring and legal construction, and lay a solid foundation for the sustainable protection and utilization of wetland resources.

1. Introduction

As a unique ecosystem on earth, wetlands not only have rich biodiversity, but also undertake important ecological service functions such as climate regulation, water storage and flood control, and water quality purification. However, with the continuous expansion of human activities, such as reclamation, pollution, over-exploitation, etc., the wetland ecosystem is facing unprecedented challenges, which has brought about a profound impact on the natural environment and social economy [1,2,3]. Faced with the severe situation of the increasing degradation and destruction of wetland resources, countries all over the world have taken effective measures for ecological management [4]. On the one hand, governments are strengthening the construction of laws and regulations on wetland protection, clarifying the social responsibility of wetland protection through legislation, and standardizing wetland utilization behavior to ensure the effective protection of wetland resources. On the other hand, research institutions are promoting scientific research and monitoring and a timely grasp of the changes in wetland resources [5,6], and providing a scientific basis for governments to formulate scientific and reasonable protection strategies.

In addition, countries are also strengthening ecological restoration and sustainable utilization and protecting the healthy environment of wetland ecosystems by restoring degraded wetlands and establishing nature reserves. At the same time, they are adhering to the principle of sustainable utilization and rationally developing wetland resources to achieve the unity of economic benefits and ecological benefits [7]. However, how to effectively evaluate the effects of wetland ecological management has gradually become the focus of national governments and scientific research institutions [8,9,10]. For discussing the comprehensive effect of wetland ecological management, scholars focus on in-depth research from the perspective of the economic effects, ecological effects, and social effects of wetlands, to provide a scientific basis for wetland protection and sustainable development.

Research on the economic effects of wetland ecological restoration has made remarkable progress around the world. This field is not only related to the protection and restoration of the natural environment, but also has a profound impact on the social and economic development of regions and even countries [11]. Through multi-angle and multi-level research, scholars continuously reveal the internal connection between wetland ecological restoration and economic benefits, which is providing strong support for policy formulation and scientific management [12]. Around the world, research on the economic effects of wetland ecological management has been highly valued. Since the signing of the Wetland Convention in 1971, the global importance of wetland protection has been increasing continuously, and research on the economic effects of wetland ecological restoration has also achieved fruitful results.

Costanza et al. (1997) [13] published the article “The value of the world’s ecosystem services and natural capital” in the international journal Nature, the first systematic evaluation of global ecosystem services, in which the value of wetland ecosystem services plays an important role. This study provides an important reference framework for assessing the economic effects of wetland ecological restoration worldwide [14,15,16,17]. In China, the study of the economic effects of wetland ecological management started at the end of the last century, and gradually became an important branch of ecological economics. Cui et al. (2012) [18] and other scholars carried out an in-depth analysis of the demand, supply, benefits, and costs brought by the protection from the perspective of economics, and emphasized the status of lakes and wetlands as important ecological capital for regional sustainable development. Fang et al. (2024) [19] found that although ecological service functions such as carbon fixation, oxygen release, and the water purification of lake-type wetlands have non-exclusive and non-competitive characteristics, their economic value in promoting regional ecological balance, improving the living quality of residents, and attracting ecological tourism cannot be ignored. Through scientific wetland management and protection, the utilization efficiency of wetland resources can be effectively improved, and the win–win situation between economy, society, and environment can be realized [20].

In addition, scholars are also concerned with the positive role of wetland ecological management in promoting the development of the agriculture, fishery, and tourism industries. For example, Hagger et al. (2022) [21] found that the protection and restoration of coastal wetlands and mangrove wetlands can not only help to resist marine disasters and protect biodiversity, but also provide rich natural bait resources for local fisheries and promote the transformation of the economic value of fishery resources. At the same time, through the development of wetland ecotourism, wetland resources have been transformed into economic advantages, which has become an important way to achieve green development in many regions [22]. In recent years, with the wide application of modern technologies such as remote sensing technology, geographic information systems (GISs), and big data analysis, research on the economic effects of wetland ecological restoration has become more accurate and efficient [23]. By constructing the value evaluation model of wetlands’ ecological service value, scholars carried out a quantitative analysis on the economic contributions of wetland resources [24], which provided a scientific basis for policy makers. For example, by evaluating the contribution of wetlands to water purification, flood control and disaster reduction, climate regulation and other aspects, the economic value of wetland ecological restoration can be more intuitively displayed, so as to enhance the attention paid and support from all sectors of society for wetland protection.

The ecological benefit assessment of wetland ecosystems, as the core index to measure their health status and sustainability, is not only related to the balance of natural ecology, but also has a profound impact on the well-being and development of human society. In this field, Goorani et al. (2021) [25] revealed that wetlands provide irreplaceable support for the earth’s ecosystem through their unique ecological service functions, such as the precise regulation of water resource allocation, effective mitigation of flood disasters, natural water purification, and maintenance of biodiversity as a habitat for many species. These functions not only guarantee the stability and harmony of the natural environment, but also bring significant positive effects to the economic development of human society, the improvement of life quality, and disaster prevention [26,27]. With the deepening of the understanding of the importance of wetlands, the research on wetland ecological benefit assessment has made remarkable progress since 2000, and a relatively perfect theoretical system and method system has been gradually constructed. For example, through remote sensing technology, geographic information systems (GISs), ecological models, and other modern scientific and technological means, scientists can more accurately monitor the ecological indicators of wetland ecosystems, such as the vegetation coverage, water quality parameters, species diversity, etc., and then scientifically evaluate the comprehensive contributions of wetlands to the ecological environment and human society [28,29,30]. These research results not only enrich the connotations of wetland science, but also provide a solid scientific basis for the formulation of scientific and reasonable wetland protection and management policies. Research on wetlands’ ecological benefits in Chinese academic circles started late, but significant progress has been made in recent years. Through field monitoring and data analysis, scholars have studied the ecological benefits of the wetland ecosystem in depth [31,32]. For example, the ecological benefits of different types of wetlands, such as mangrove wetlands, swamp wetlands, and lake wetlands, were evaluated to clarify the specific contributions of wetlands to the ecological environment. These studies provide an important reference for wetland ecological management and ecological environment protection in China.

The effect assessment of wetland ecological management involves many aspects, including economic benefits, ecological benefits, social effects, and so on. Among them, economic benefits and ecological benefits are important aspects for evaluating the effect of wetland ecological restoration, while the social effects reflect the impact of wetland ecological restoration on human society [33]. At present, theoretical and method research on social effect assessment is becoming a hot topic of academic research. Research on the theoretical framework, evaluation object, and index system of social effect evaluation is constantly being deepened [34,35], which provides a scientific basis for the social effect evaluation of wetland ecological restoration. At the same time, with the continuous development of artificial intelligence and big data technology, social effect assessment has also begun to apply these advanced technologies to improve the accuracy and scientificity of the assessment [36]. The methods of social effect assessment mainly include qualitative assessment and quantitative assessment. Through in-depth analysis of the collected data, the qualitative evaluation of the significance and relevance is used to obtain a comprehensive and descriptive evaluation of social effects [37]; relatively speaking, the quantitative evaluation depends on the accuracy of data statistics, the rigor of the analysis methods, and the social effects as quantitative indicators, to provide intuitive and specific evaluation results [38]. The two are comprehensively applied to constitute a comprehensive and profound evaluation system of social effects. In practical applications, it is necessary to choose appropriate evaluation methods according to different purposes and scenarios. Therefore, the social effect evaluation of wetland ecological restoration is an important basis for evaluating the effectiveness of governance and guiding follow-up work [39]. Through a comprehensive and scientific evaluation of the social effects of wetland ecological restoration, the actual effect of governance measures can be clarified [40], the impact of ecological governance on the regional ecological environment, social economy, residents’ lives, and other aspects can be understood, and it can provide strong support for the further optimization of governance strategies and improving governance efficiency.

At present, although some progress has been made in the study of the economic and ecological effects of wetland ecological restoration, there are still some deficiencies in the study of social effects, which are mainly reflected in the lack of social perception and feedback mechanisms of specific regional governance results, and the lack of in-depth analysis of local residents as a key interest group. This study aims to supplement the existing research by extensively collecting social perception dimension data, refining various indicators, and conducting an in-depth analysis of the impact of social perception on overall satisfaction. China’s important wetland ecosystems are research subjects, as a typical case study area, and we aim to comprehensively and deeply evaluate the actual social effects of wetland ecological restoration from the perspective of surrounding residents’ satisfaction and the perception of ecological governance projects. The study of this paper has two important objectives, which are as follows:

On the one hand, this study not only focuses on the effectiveness of ecological governance measures in the improvement of the physical environment, but also focuses on how these measures affect and are integrated into local communities, including residents’ quality of life, livelihood style, and improvements in the awareness of environmental protection. Through questionnaire surveys, in-depth interviews, and participatory observation, residents’ perceptions of and satisfaction with changes before and after the implementation of wetland protection policies and governance projects are assessed, so as to build a comprehensive evaluation system for the social effects of wetland ecological restoration.

On the other hand, this study hopes to provide a vivid and community-based Chinese wetland ecological restoration case study for the international community through the case analysis of Poyang Lake. It not only reveals the multi-dimensional social impact of ecological governance, but also provides useful reference and inspiration for the sustainable management and protection of wetland resources worldwide.

2. Study Area

The study area of this paper is the Poyang Lake Basin (Figure 1), which focuses on Jiujiang City, Nanchang City, Shangrao City, and Yingtan City of Jiangxi Province. Poyang Lake is the largest freshwater lake in China, and is known as the “kidney of the Yangtze River”. Its wetland ecosystem has irreplaceable ecological significance for the entire Poyang Lake Basin and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. With the intensification of human activities, the wetland ecosystem of Poyang Lake has suffered serious damage [41]. The construction of lake land, overfishing, and industrial pollution have led to a series of ecological and environmental problems [42], such as the shrinkage in the wetland area, the deterioration in water quality, and a decline in biodiversity. These problems not only affect the ecological service function of the wetland itself, but also pose a threat to the ecological security and sustainable development of the whole region. Therefore, it has become an urgent task for Chinese governments at all levels to carry out the ecological management of the Poyang Lake wetland and restore its ecological function. In the past 10 years, the Jiangxi Provincial government has taken a series of effective measures to comprehensively promote the ecological restoration and protection of the Poyang Lake Basin, and has achieved remarkable results. For example, the water quality has improved significantly, biodiversity has been effectively protected, and ecological quality has been significantly improved.

Although the ecological management of the wetlands in the Poyang Lake Basin has achieved remarkable results, it still faces many challenges. With the development of the economy and society, the pollution load into the lake is increasing, and the water’s environmental situation is still grim. In addition, the hydrological situation is changing significantly and the dry season is earlier and prolonged, which brings adverse effects on the wetland ecosystem and its biodiversity. Therefore, in the future, it will still be necessary to continue to strengthen the ecological management of Poyang Lake, strengthen scientific research and technological innovation, and promote the sustainable restoration and development of the wetland ecosystem.

3. Research Methods and Data Sources

3.1. Research Methods

3.1.1. Analysis of the Surrounding Residents’ Perception of Wetland Protection

In the methodological framework of exploring residents’ perception of wetland protection, we used a variety of data analyses to comprehensively and deeply understand this complex phenomenon. One is descriptive statistical analysis. In this study, SPSS 27.0 software was used to process the collected data, calculate the distribution of basic information such as age, gender, and occupation, and understand the sample structure. At the same time, descriptive statistics were generated on the mean and standard deviation of the wetland and other indicators of wetland perception, satisfaction, and life impact to show the overall cognition and attitude of residents. The second is frequency and percentage analysis. For multiple choices, the frequency and percentage of selected options are used to analyze the cognitive tendencies and preferences of residents in different aspects. Three is cross-over analysis. Further cross-analysis is used to explore the differences in the social effect perceptions of wetlands among different characteristic groups (such as different ages, genders, occupations, etc.) and reveal the potential perception differences and influencing factors.

3.1.2. Satisfaction Analysis of Residents Regarding the Wetland Ecological Restoration Effect

In this paper, a regression model using resident satisfaction as the dependent variable and perception, age, gender, occupation, and income level as independent variables was used. The Order Logit model is a regression model used to treat the ordered dependent variables. It applies to situations where the dependent variable is categorical and there is natural order between categories. The dependent variable in this paper is satisfaction, including five categories from “very dissatisfied” to “very satisfied”, and there is a natural order between each category, which is suitable for using the Order Logit model [43,44,45].

$${{\mathit{Satis}}_i}^{\ast }=Indichara{c_i}^{‘}{\beta }_1+{{\mathit{Life}}_i}^{‘}{\beta }_2+{{\mathit{Environment}}_i}^{‘}{\beta }_3+e_i$$

(1)

In Equation (1), ${{\mathit{Satis}}_i}^{\ast }$ is the latent variable. As an explanatory variable, $Indichara{c}_i$ represents the individual characteristic factors that may affect the overall satisfaction regarding wetland restoration, including age, gender and education level; $Lif{e}_i$ represents the impact of wetland restoration on residents’ life, including changing the agricultural production mode, promoting physical and mental health, and increasing leisure space and improving local reputation, etc.; $Environmen{t}_i$ represents the impact of wetland construction on the environment, that is, increasing the species and quantity of birds, improving the quality of water and air quality, and improving the level of infrastructure construction. $\beta$ is the parameter to be estimated, and the positive and negative values represent the direction of influence of the independent variable; $e_i$ is a random error term and follows the logical distribution.

$$Sati{s}_i=\left\{\begin{array}{l}1, if {{\mathit{Satis}}_i}^{\ast }\le c_1\\ 2, if c_1<{{\mathit{Satis}}_i}^{\ast }\le c_2\\ 3, if c_2<{{\mathit{Satis}}_i}^{\ast }\le c_3\\ 4, if c_3<{{\mathit{Satis}}_i}^{\ast }\le c_4\\ 5, if {{\mathit{Satis}}_i}^{\ast }>c_4\end{array}\right.$$

(2)

In Equation (2), $Sati{s}_j$ indicates the overall satisfaction of residents with wetland restoration. Taking 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, the satisfaction degree is very unsatisfactory, relatively unsatisfactory, general, relatively satisfactory, and very satisfactory.

$$\begin{gathered} {x_i}^{‘}\beta ={{\mathit{Indicharac}}_i}^{‘}{\beta }_1+{{\mathit{Life}}_i}^{‘}{\beta }_2+{{\mathit{Environment}}_i}^{‘}{\beta }_3 \\ P\left(Sati{s}_i=1|x\right)=P\left(Sati{c}^{\ast }\le c_1|x\right)=F\left(c_1-{x_i}^{‘}\beta \right) \\ P\left(Sati{s}_i=2|x\right)=P\left(c_1<Sati{c}^{\ast }\le c_2|x\right)=F\left(c_2-{x_i}^{‘}\beta \right)-F\left(c_1-{x_i}^{‘}\beta \right) \\ ⋮ \\ P\left(Sati{s}_i=5|x\right)=P\left(c_4<Sati{c}^{\ast }|x\right)=1-F\left(c_4-{x_i}^{‘}\beta \right) \end{gathered}$$

(3)

3.2. Data Sources

To ensure the broad representativeness and accuracy of the data on the perception of wetland ecological restoration and its social effects of the residents around Poyang Lake, this study mainly relied on electronic questionnaires as the main data source. Questionnaire links and QR codes, which covered the individual characteristics of the respondents, the actual impact of wetland restoration on the residents ‘living and living environment as well as the residents’ perception of the wetland, were sent to the designated area (the four cities around the Poyang Lake Basin) through the Internet. The questionnaire was accessible from 25 July to 24 August 2024, and a total of 1532 questionnaires were collected. After strict data screening, the invalid questionnaires whose IP address did not meet the requirements, age did not meet the standards, and some incomplete questionnaires were removed. Finally, 1098 valid questionnaires were retained, with an effective rate of 71.7%. This high proportion of effective questionnaires not only reflects the enthusiasm of residents to participate, but also ensures the reliability and depth of the research data, which provided strong support for the subsequent data analysis and conclusion derivation.

4. Results

4.1. Descriptive Statistical Analysis

4.1.1. Overall Satisfaction Statistics

After a thorough analysis of the survey results of residents’ satisfaction with wetland ecological restoration, it was not difficult to find that the vast majority of residents had a highly positive evaluation of this project aiming to protect and restore the natural environment. Specifically, for “satisfied” and “very satisfied”, the total frequency of these two options was 961 people, accounting for 87.5% of the total number of respondents (

Table 1. Overall satisfaction of residents with wetland ecological restoration.

Overall Satisfaction	Frequency	Percentage
Very satisfied	412	37.5%
Satisfied	549	50%
General	127	11.6%
Dissatisfied	5	0.5%
Very dissatisfied	5	0.5%

). This proportion not only highlights the residents’ wide recognition of the effectiveness of wetland restoration, but also reflects the active participation and support of the local community in wetland environmental protection. In contrast, the number of residents with a “dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied” attitude was very low, accounting for only 1% of the total number, which indicated that wetland construction has achieved remarkable results in balancing ecological protection and community interests. The proportion of residents with “average” accounted for 11.6%. Although this proportion is not high, it also suggests that we should continue to optimize the details of the project in future work, so as to win a higher proportion of residents giving a completely satisfactory evaluation. In general, the success of the ecological restoration of Poyang Lake wetland is not only reflected in the improvement in the ecological environment, but it also won the hearts of the people, which provided valuable experience for the promotion of similar projects.

4.1.2. Variable Statistics

Based on the descriptive statistical analysis of the wetland ecological restoration satisfaction variables in

Table 2. Resident satisfaction variables for wetland ecological restoration.

Variables	Mean	Units	Definition
	Std. Dev.
Individual characteristics of residents
Age	42.788	Years	Age of residents
	(8.928)
Education	3.836	Likert: 1–7	1 = primary school, 2 = junior high school, 3 = high school, 4 = vocational school, 5 = college diploma, 6 = undergraduate degree, 7 = graduate student
	(1.665)
Gender	1.495	Binary	1 = male, 2 = female
	(0.500)
Registered residence	1.590	Binary	1 = urban accounts, 2 = rural accounts
	(0.492)
Distance	13.674	Km	The distance from your home to the nearest wetlands, lakes, rivers, swamps, reservoirs, etc.
	(28.127)
Changes in residents’ lives
Increase irrigation water sources	1.078	Binary	1 = yes, 2 = no
	(0.269)
Promote green agricultural product planting	1.056	Binary	1 = yes, 2 = no
	(0.229)
Reduce agricultural non-point source pollution	1.074	Binary	1 = yes, 2 = no
	(0.262)
Increase your leisure and entertainment space	1.109	Binary	1 = yes, 2 = no
	(0.312)
Make you physically and mentally healthier	1.071	Binary	1 = yes, 2 = no
	(0.257)
Improve your sense of happiness	1.061	Binary	1 = yes, 2 = no
	(0.239)
Enhance your sense of belonging	1.071	Binary	1 = yes, 2 = no
	(0.257)
Changes in the environment of the inhabitants
Bird species	1.755	Likert: 1–5	1 = significant improvement, 2 = improvement, 3 = no impact, 4 = decrease, 5 = significant decrease
	(0.679)
Number of birds	1.752	Likert: 1–5	1 = significant improvement, 2 = improvement, 3 = no impact, 4 = decrease, 5 = significant decrease
	(0.666)
Water quality	1.709	Likert: 1–5	1 = significant improvement, 2 = improvement, 3 = no impact, 4 = decrease, 5 = significant decrease
	(0.619)
Infrastructure construction status	1.745	Likert: 1–5	1 = significant improvement, 2 = improvement, 3 = no impact, 4 = decrease, 5 = significant decrease
	(0.684)
Air quality	1.696	Likert: 1–5	1 = significant improvement, 2 = improvement, 3 = no impact, 4 = decrease, 5 = significant decrease

, we can draw the following conclusions:

First, from the individual characteristics of residents, the average age was 42.788 years, and the standard deviation was 8.928 years, which indicates that the age distribution of residents was relatively wide, but mainly concentrated in the middle age segment. In terms of education level, the average value was 3.836 (using the Likert scale of 1–7), which means that the education level of most residents was close to or slightly higher than that of undergraduate level (six points for undergraduate degree), and the standard deviation was 1.665, indicating that there are certain differences in education level among residents. In terms of sex distribution, the mean value was 1.495 (using binary coding, 1 = male, 2 = female), indicating that there were slightly more men than women, but the sex ratio was relatively balanced, with a standard deviation of 0.500, reflecting the stability of the sex distribution. In terms of household registration type, the average value was 1.590 (1 = urban resident, 2 = rural resident), indicating that the proportion of urban residents and rural residents is similar, and the standard deviation was 0.492, showing the uniformity of the distribution of household registration types. In addition, the average distance between residents’ homes and the nearest wetland, lake, or river was 13.674 km, with the standard deviation as high as 28.127 km, indicating that the distance between residents’ residence and natural resources such as wetlands varies greatly.

Secondly, from the perspective of changes in residents’ lives, the average value of all indicators was close to 1.1 (1 = yes, 2 = no), indicating that most residents believe that wetland ecological restoration has a positive impact on their lives. Specifically, more than 10% of residents said that irrigation water sources have increased, the cultivation of green agricultural products has been promoted, agricultural non-point source pollution has been reduced, leisure and entertainment space has increased, physical and mental health has improved, and happiness and sense of belonging have also improved. The standard deviation of these changes was between 0.229 and 0.312, indicating some differences in residents’ perception of these changes, but generally showing a positive trend.

Finally, from the perspective of the changes in the residents’ environment, the average value of all indicators was between 1.696 and 1.755 (using the Likert scale of 1–5), indicating that residents generally believe that wetland ecological restoration has a positive impact on the local environment. Specifically, residents noted that bird species and numbers have increased, water quality and air quality have improved, and infrastructure construction has also improved. The standard deviation of these changes was between 0.619 and 0.684, indicating that there are some differences in residents’ perception of environmental changes, but that overall, they hold a positive attitude towards the effects of wetland ecological restoration.

In conclusion, based on the results of the descriptive statistical analysis in Table 2, we can conclude that the overall satisfaction of residents with wetland ecological restoration is high, and that wetland ecological recovery has a positive impact on their lives and environment. However, there are some differences between different residents in the perception of individual characteristics, life changes, and environmental changes.

4.2. Analysis of Residents’ Perceptions of Wetland Ecological Protection

4.2.1. Residents’ Perceptions of the Wetland Ecosystem Function

In the deep discussion of residents’ perception of the important functions of wetlands, it is not difficult to find that the data in

Table 3. Residents’ perceptions of the wetland ecosystem function.

Question Options	Options	Frequency	Percentage
Regulating and storing water sources	Disagree	352	32.1%
	Agree	746	67.9%
Regulating climate	Disagree	419	38.2%
	Agree	679	61.8%
Purifying water quality	Disagree	457	41.6%
	Agree	641	58.4%
Preserving species	Disagree	766	69.8%
	Agree	332	30.2%
Providing habitats for wildlife	Disagree	679	61.8%
	Agree	419	38.2%
Providing production materials	Disagree	1041	94.8%
	Agree	57	5.2%
Education and research bases	Disagree	1058	96.4%
	Agree	40	3.6%
Tourism and entertainment	Disagree	943	85.9%
	Agree	155	14.1%

not only reveal residents’ level of understanding of the versatility of wetlands, but also deeply reflect the general improvement in the public awareness of ecological environmental protection in contemporary society. As a natural ecosystem known as the “kidney of the earth”, wetlands’ functional diversity and importance have been widely recognized and valued by the surveyed residents.

First of all, it can be clearly seen from the data that residents pay much more attention to the ecological functions of wetlands than their other functions. As one of the most intuitive ecological functions of wetlands, the regulation and storage of water sources were highly recognized by 67.9% of the surveyed residents. This proportion not only reflects the residents’ understanding of the importance of water resource management, but also reflects the key role of wetlands in water circulation regulation, flood control, and drought relief. Then, the functions of climate regulation and water purification were, respectively, followed by recognition rates of 61.8% and 58.4%, which further proves that residents have a deep understanding of the important role wetlands play in maintaining regional climate stability and ensuring water quality safety.

In addition, as a treasure house of biodiversity, the function of wetlands in protecting species diversity and providing wildlife habitats also attracted the attention of many residents. Although the recognition rate of these two functions (30.2% and 38.2%) is slightly lower than the previous three, it still shows that a considerable number of residents recognize the indispensable role of wetlands in maintaining ecological balance and protecting biodiversity. The improvement in this perception has undoubtedly laid a solid mass foundation for the in-depth development of wetland protection work. In contrast, other non-ecological functions of wetlands, such as producing raw materials, education, scientific research, and leisure and entertainment, were relatively less perceived by the surveyed residents. The function of the production of raw materials is only recognized by 5.2%, which reflects the change in the utilization of natural resources and the general acceptance of the principle of wetland ecological protection. The low recognition rate of educational, scientific, and recreational functions may indicate that in the eyes of the public, wetlands are more regarded as a natural ecosystem than a place that directly serves human activities. Of course, this does not mean that these functions are not important, but reflects the different focus of residents’ perceptions of wetland value.

4.2.2. Residents’ Perceptions of the Economic Benefits of Wetlands

As a unique natural ecosystem on earth, the construction and protection of wetlands are not only related to the maintenance of ecological balance, but also show that their potential cannot be ignored in promoting regional economic development (

Table 4. Residents’ perceptions of the economic benefits of wetlands.

Question	Options	Frequency	Percentage
Increasing tourism revenue	Disagree	292	26.6%
	Agree	806	73.4%
Increasing fishery and aquatic income	Disagree	378	34.4%
	Agree	720	65.6%
Increasing agricultural income	Disagree	506	46.1%
	Agree	592	53.9%
Increasing the value of surrounding properties	Disagree	678	61.7%
	Agree	420	38.3%
Promoting industrial and commercial development	Disagree	806	73.4%
	Agree	292	26.6%
Attracting investment	Disagree	815	74.2%
	Agree	283	25.8%

).

First of all, from the perspective of tourism and entertainment income, Poyang Lake Wetland has become a perfect place for attracting tourists, with its unique natural landscape, rich biodiversity, and unique cultural heritage. The survey shows that up to 73.4% of residents agree that wetland construction can significantly increase tourism and entertainment income, which directly reflects the great potential of wetland resources in promoting the development of local tourism. With improvements in people’s living standards and the growth of the leisure tourism demand, more and more tourists are willing to go to the wetland reserve to experience the beauty of nature, which not only promotes the development of local accommodation, catering, transportation, and other related industries, but also provides residents with more employment opportunities and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Secondly, the effective resource management of wetlands also promotes the sustainable utilization of natural resources, especially the development of fisheries and agriculture. As an important fishery resource area, the improvement in its water environment and the scientific management of fishery resources are directly related to the livelihood and income of fishermen. In the survey, 65.6% of the residents believe that the ecological restoration of the wetland has increased the fishery income, which benefits from the restoration and maintenance of the wetland ecosystem and provides a more suitable environment for the reproduction and growth of fish. At the same time, the water and soil conservation and irrigation functions of wetlands also provide important water resource support for the surrounding agriculture, and 53.9% of residents agree that the ecological restoration of the wetland has increased agricultural income. This shows that wetland construction is playing a positive role in promoting agricultural modernization and improving crop yield and quality.

In addition, wetland ecological restoration has a positive impact on the value of the surrounding properties. Although the popularity of this perception among residents is relatively low (38.3%), the actual survey data show that a good wetland environment and the effective treatment of the surrounding water bodies can significantly enhance property value. With the enhancement of people’s awareness of environmental protection and improvements in the requirements for living quality, more and more home buyers began to take the surrounding natural environment as one of the most important factors in the purchase decision. Therefore, the promotion of wetland construction is not only conducive to improvements in the ecological environment, but can also inject new vitality into the surrounding real estate market.

However, it is worth noting that while wetland construction has shown significant economic benefits in promoting tourism, fishery, agriculture, and property value enhancement, it faces certain challenges in promoting industrial development and attracting investment. Only 26.6% and 25.8% of the residents agree that wetland construction can promote industrial development and attract investment, respectively, which may be related to the possible impact of industrial development on the ecological environment. Many residents worry that excessive industrial development will damage the ecological environment and biodiversity of the wetlands, which in turn will affect the overall function and value of the wetlands. Therefore, in the process of promoting economic development around wetlands, it is necessary to pay more attention to the concept of ecological protection and sustainable development to ensure the harmonious unity of economic benefits and ecological benefits.

4.2.3. Residents’ Perceptions of the Social Benefits of Wetlands

Wetland construction, as a comprehensive ecological project, has a far-reaching impact beyond the simple economic level, and goes deep into every corner of society, bringing inestimable social benefits to the local area (

Table 5. Residents’ perceptions of the social benefits of wetlands.

Question	Options	Frequency	Percentage (%)
Providing scientific research and education	Disagree	616	56.1
	Agree	482	43.9
Providing tourist attractions	Disagree	304	27.7
	Agree	794	72.3
Increasing employment opportunities	Disagree	752	68.5
	Agree	346	31.5
Improving the level of services	Disagree	761	69.3
	Agree	337	30.7
Promoting the construction of infrastructure	Disagree	454	41.3
	Agree	644	58.7
Enhancing local visibility	Disagree	794	72.3
	Agree	304	27.7
Enhancing residents’ environmental awareness	Disagree	579	52.7
	Agree	519	47.3
Promoting residents’ environmental behavior	Disagree	713	64.9
	Agree	385	35.1
Promoting social equity and justice	Disagree	1050	95.6
	Agree	48	4.4

).

Regarding the dual promotion of scientific research and education and leisure tourism, 43.9% of residents agree that wetland construction provides a valuable base for scientific research and education. Although this proportion is not more than half, it has fully demonstrated the great potential of wetlands as a natural laboratory and outdoor teaching place. The complexity and diversity of the wetland ecosystem make it an ideal place for multidisciplinary research in biology, ecology, geography, and other fields, and for promoting the in-depth development of scientific research. At the same time, the beautiful natural scenery and rich biodiversity of the wetland also provide an ideal leisure tourism destination for local residents and tourists. A total of 72.3% of the residents agree with this, which highlights the important role of the wetland in enriching people’s spiritual and cultural life.

Wetland construction is not as regarded as the major contributing factor to employment promotion (31.5% approval rate), but it is still a positive act. With the development of wetland ecological tourism, a series of related industries have come into being, providing diversified employment opportunities for local residents. In addition, 58.7% of the residents believe that wetland construction has significantly improved the level of infrastructure construction, which includes not only improvements in water conservancy facilities and road networks, but also upgrades to environmental protection infrastructure such as sewage pipes, laying a solid foundation for the sustainable development of the local area.

Although the direct contribution of wetland construction is limited in improving the level of education, culture, and social security (30.7% perception rate), it indirectly enhances residents’ social identity by enhancing local characteristics and promoting cultural diversity. In particular, wetlands, as the “green lung” of the city, play an irreplaceable role in improving the urban ecological environment and the quality of life of residents. In addition, 27.7% of residents believe that wetland construction has improved local visibility, which is of great significance for promoting regional economic development and enhancing the outside world’s understanding and recognition of the local culture.

Wetland construction has made some achievements in improving citizens’ awareness of environmental protection. A total of 47.3% of residents said that wetland construction can help to improve their awareness of environmental protection. However, this figure falls to 35.1% when it comes to actual environmental protection behavior, indicating that the shift from awareness to behavior still requires further efforts. This reminds us that while promoting the construction of wetlands, we also need to strengthen environmental protection education, encourage residents to transform the concept of environmental protection into practical actions, and form a good atmosphere in which the whole of society can participate in environmental protection. It is worth noting that only 4.4% of the residents believe that wetland construction is directly related to social fairness and justice, which reflects that the role of wetland construction in this aspect has not been fully recognized or reflected.

4.2.4. Residents’ Perceptions of the Protection and Inheritance of Wetland Culture

The data presented in

Table 6. Residents’ perceptions of the protection and inheritance of wetland culture.

Question	Options	Frequency	Percentage (%)
Protecting historical relics	Disagree	625	56.9
	Agree	473	43.1
Harmony between humans and nature	Disagree	157	14.3
	Agree	941	85.7
Inheriting agricultural customs	Disagree	500	45.5
	Agree	598	54.5
Promoting cultural exchange	Disagree	641	58.4
	Agree	457	41.6
Enhancing cultural identity	Disagree	553	50.4
	Agree	545	49.6
Inheriting boat culture	Disagree	857	78.1
	Agree	241	21.9
Preserving dietary habits	Disagree	889	81.0
	Agree	209	19.0

reveal the important role that wetland construction plays in protecting and inheriting unique local cultural traditions. These findings not only confirm the close connection between wetlands and culture, but also provide a new perspective for us to understand the harmonious coexistence of human beings and nature.

Residents appreciate the function of wetland projects in safeguarding historic sites, emphasizing wetlands as cultural heritage bearers. A total of 43.1% of the residents agree that the construction of wetlands contributes to the protection of local historical sites, showing the recognition of wetlands as a cultural carrier. Wetlands carry rich historical and cultural information, and are the witnesses of history and cultural roots. The construction of wetlands brings these relics into protection, retaining the material cultural heritage so that future generations can feel the historical significance and cultural charm. In addition, 85.7% of the residents agree that wetland construction inherits the tradition of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, reflecting the Poyang Lake residents’ reverence for nature and ecological wisdom. Wetland construction inherits and develops this tradition, promotes the health and stability of the ecosystem, and provides a more livable environment for residents.

As an important part of agricultural cultural heritage in Poyang Lake area, rice farming culture has also been actively protected by wetland construction. A total of 54.5% of the residents agree that the construction and protection of wetlands are conducive to the preservation of this long cultural tradition. Improvements in the wetland environment have provided more suitable natural conditions for rice planting and promoted the stable development of agricultural production.

In terms of promoting cultural exchanges, 41.6% of residents agreed that the construction of wetlands has promoted cultural communication and exchanges between the Poyang Lake area and other areas. As an important natural landscape and tourism resource, wetlands attract tourists and scholars from all over the world. They exchange ideas and share experiences there and jointly promote the prosperity and development of culture. This cross-regional cultural exchange not only enriches the cultural life of local residents, but also enhances their cultural literacy and openness. It sets a model of civilization for the Poyang Lake area.

However, it is worth noting that only 19% of the residents believe that wetland construction helps to retain local characteristic eating habits, which is relatively low. This may be related to the implementation of wildlife protection policies in wetland construction, where many traditional ingredients such as game are restricted or prohibited, thus conflicting with the local food culture. Nevertheless, it also reminds us that we should pay more attention to balancing the relationship between ecological protection and cultural inheritance in the process of wetland construction, and find more scientific and reasonable solutions.

4.3. Analysis of Residents’ Satisfaction with Wetland Ecological Restoration

When discussing the regression results of residents’ overall satisfaction with wetland ecological restoration, we should not only pay attention to the surface phenomenon of statistical significance, but also dig deep into the social, economic, ecological, and cultural factors behind these results.

Table 7. Regression results of surrounding residents’ satisfaction.

Variables	Overall Satisfaction
Individual characteristics of residents
Age	0.0166 **	(0.00841)
Education	0.0755 *	(0.0440)
Gender	0.0848	(0.141)
Registered residence	0.154	(0.154)
Distance	−0.00151	(0.00254)
Changes in residents’ lives
Increase irrigation water sources	0.124	(0.306)
Promote green agricultural product planting	0.349	(0.353)
Reduce agricultural non-point source pollution	0.226	(0.289)
Increase your leisure and entertainment space	0.514 **	(0.237)
Make you physically and mentally healthier	0.00834	(0.324)
Improve your sense of happiness	0.202	(0.369)
Enhance your sense of belonging	0.726 **	(0.320)
Changes in the environment of the inhabitants
Bird species	0.703 ***	(0.155)
Number of birds	0.142	(0.156)
Water quality	0.607 ***	(0.166)
Infrastructure construction status	1.116 ***	(0.146)
Air quality	0.775 ***	(0.146)
/cut1	8.432 ***	(0.806)
/cut2	12.32 ***	(0.861)
/cut3	16.36 ***	(1.036)
/cut4	17.27 ***	(1.113)
Observations	1098

Standard errors in parentheses *** p < 0.01, ** p < 0.05, and * p < 0.1.

is a detailed interpretation of the regression results, combined with data support and the theoretical background, in order to fully understand the complex mechanism of the formation of residents’ satisfaction.

4.3.1. Effect of Individual and Family Trait Variables

Age and education level: The regression results showed that older residents are more inclined to give a satisfactory evaluation of wetland construction (p < 0.05), and this finding may be due to multiple reasons. First of all, with an increase in age, individuals may be more inclined to have a stable living environment and positive community changes. As an environmental improvement project, wetland construction can often significantly improve the quality of life of such residents. Secondly, the older generation of residents may cherish natural resources more and have deeper feelings for and identity more with improvements in the ecological environment. As for the education level, its significant impact may reflect the role of education in raising environmental awareness and understanding ecological values (p < 0.1). People with higher education usually have a stronger awareness of environmental protection and can more fully realize the importance of wetland construction to the ecological environment and even human well-being, so they are more likely to give positive evaluations. However, it is important to note that although education has a significant impact on satisfaction, its significance level is slightly lower than the age factor, which may mean that the age factor plays a more direct and significant role in shaping residents’ environmental satisfaction in the current social context.

Gender, household registration, and distance: Gender, household registration, and the distance from home to the wetland did not significantly affect the residents’ overall satisfaction with wetland construction in the regression model (p > 0.1), which is a thought-provoking result. There is no significant difference in gender, which may indicate that both men and women have relatively consistent standards and expectations when evaluating the effects of wetland construction. The non-significant household registration factors may reflect that in the current process of urban–rural integration, the evaluation criteria of residents for environmental improvement projects tend to be unified, and they are no longer restricted by household registration status. As for the distance factor, its non-significance may mean that the environmental improvement brought about by wetland construction has a wide radiation effect, not only limited to the direct beneficiaries around the wetland, but also benefiting a wider range of community groups.

4.3.2. Impact of Life Changes on Residents’ Satisfaction

Leisure and entertainment space and regional sense of belonging: Among the variables of residents’ life changes, the two factors of “increasing leisure and entertainment space” and “enhancing regional sense of belonging” have significantly and positively affected the overall satisfaction (p < 0.05). This result fully demonstrates the importance residents attach to improvements in quality of life and community identity. Wetland construction not only provides more opportunities to get close to nature, but also promotes communication and interaction within the community, and enhances the sense of belonging and happiness of the residents. In contrast, other variables, such as increased irrigation water sources and the promotion of green agricultural products, had a positive effect on satisfaction but were not significant (p > 0.1), perhaps because these factors are less directly associated with residents’ daily life, or their effects are masked by other more intuitive changes.

4.3.3. Impact of Environmental Changes on Residents’ Satisfaction

Differences in bird species and number: The significant positive effect of bird species richness on resident satisfaction (p < 0.01), but no significant effect of bird numbers, reveals an interesting phenomenon of residents when evaluating the wetland ecological environment. Residents seem to focus more attention on the quality than on the quantity of ecological diversity. The diversity of bird species is one of the important indicators of the health of the wetland ecosystem, which reflects the complexity and stability of the wetland ecosystem. When residents observe more species of birds, they may think that the wetland’s ecological environment has been effectively protected and restored, thus increasing their satisfaction with wetland management. In contrast, the changes in bird numbers may be affected by many factors (such as seasonal changes, migration habits, etc.), and its volatility is large, which is not enough to be used as a stable index to evaluate the effect of wetland treatment.

Water quality, air quality, and infrastructure construction: The significant improvements in water quality and air quality have a strong positive impact on residents’ satisfaction (p < 0.01), which further proves the core position of the ecological environmental quality in the evaluation of residents’ satisfaction. High-quality water and air are not only the basis for the healthy operation of the wetland ecosystem, but also an important guarantee for the quality of life of residents. By improving water quality and air quality, wetland construction directly improves the living environment and health level of residents, which was a win in the perception of a wide range of residents. In addition, improvements in infrastructure construction are also one of the key factors in improving residents’ satisfaction (p < 0.01).

Perfect infrastructure can effectively prevent wetland pollution and ensure the sustainable and healthy development of the wetland ecosystem, but also provide residents with more convenient and comfortable leisure places, and further enhance residents’ satisfaction with wetland construction.

5. Discussion

This paper deeply analyzes the satisfaction of the surrounding residents of Poyang Lake in China with the effect of wetland ecological restoration, as well as their profound perceptions of wetland protection. By constructing a multi-dimensional research framework, it tries to reveal the real attitude and depth of understanding of the residents of wetland protection in an all-round and multi-level way.

Multi-dimensional perspective of satisfaction evaluation: This study found that the overall satisfaction of residents with wetland ecological restoration is a complex and multi-dimensional construct, which is closely related to the restoration of wetland ecological functions, the perfection of leisure and entertainment functions, the completeness of infrastructure construction, and the positive impact of wetlands on local reputation.

This conclusion not only confirms the importance of wetland protection for improving the quality of life of residents, but also highlights the role of wetlands as a bridge between the harmonious coexistence of the natural ecosystem and human society [46]. It is worth noting that, compared with previous studies [47], this paper discusses the influencing factors on satisfaction, although this influence was not directly found for families’ distance to the nearest wetland and its significant relationship with satisfaction, but this does not rule out influence in specific situations (such as Poyang Lake’s surrounding drainage or wetland accessibility with high special geographical environment) where factors may produce subtle influence. This discovery tells us that regional characteristics and individual differences should be fully considered when evaluating the effectiveness of wetland construction.

In-depth analysis of wetland function perception: In terms of wetland function perception, this paper reveals that residents attach great importance to wetland ecological function, such as regulating and storing water sources, purifying water quality, and regulating climate, etc. This finding coincides with many research conclusions at home and abroad [48], which further emphasizes the irreplaceable nature of wetlands as the “kidney of the earth”. However, the unique feature of this paper is that it is not only limited to a discussion of ecological functions, but also provides a thorough analysis of the positive economic, social, and cultural impacts brought about by wetland ecological restoration. Through rich research data, this paper shows how wetlands become an important carrier for promoting local economic development, improve living quality of life, and inheriting regional culture. Different from other studies [49], the residents in this study generally believe that the tourism benefits brought by wetlands far exceed the agricultural and fishery benefits. This discovery provides a new perspective and way of thinking for wetland conservation and sustainable utilization.

Subtle effects of geographical and gender differences: This paper also touches on the impact of regional heterogeneity and gender differences on wetland perception. Residents in different areas have significant differences in their perception of wetlands due to different geographical environments and socioeconomic conditions [16,50]. For example, the residents near the swamp and mangrove coexist with the wetland, having a more profound and comprehensive understanding of the wetland. At the same time, gender differences also affect residents’ perception of wetland functions to some extent. Although this difference may not be significant in the same region, it reminds us that the gender perspective should be considered when formulating wetland protection policies to ensure the fairness and inclusiveness of the policies. However, when exploring these differences, this paper mainly focuses on the analysis at the overall level, and fails to deeply analyze the specific differences in different groups and regions, which leaves a broad space for future research.

Reflection on research methods and prospects for future research: While affirming the research value of this paper, we should also face up to its shortcomings. Although the collection method of electronic questionnaires is convenient and efficient, it may limit the age range of the respondents to some extent and underrepresent the views of older age groups. In addition, although taking satisfaction as the main index to evaluate the social effects of wetland construction reflects the subjective feelings of residents, it lacks certain objectivity. In order to make up for this deficiency, future research could use the method of multi-index construction and comprehensively consider the actual results of wetland construction in ecological, economic, social, and other aspects, so as to build a more stable and comprehensive evaluation system.

6. Conclusions and Policy Implications

Based on the perspective of the satisfaction and perception of residents around Poyang Lake in Jiangxi Province, this study deeply explores the social effects of wetland ecological governance. The main conclusions are as follows: First, they are highly recognized and widely supported. The vast majority (87.5%) of the surveyed residents are satisfied or very satisfied with the ecological restoration of Poyang Lake wetland, indicating that the project has achieved remarkable results in protecting and restoring the natural environment, and has won high recognition and active participation from local residents. This result not only reflects the ecological benefits of wetland governance, but also highlights its positive role in promoting community harmony and improving the quality of life of residents. Second, a comprehensive understanding of complex mechanisms: Through the model regression analysis, we found that age, education, quality of life (such as increases in recreational space and regional sense of belonging), and improvements in environmental quality (such as the diversity of bird species, water and air quality) are the main factors affecting residents’ satisfaction. These findings reveal the complex mechanisms of the formation of residents’ satisfaction, involving multiple social, economic, ecological, and cultural levels. Finally, the multi-dimensional nature of residents’ perceptions: Residents’ perceptions of the wetland ecosystem cover service functions, economic benefits, ecological benefits, and cultural inheritance. Farmers have a high perception of wetland ecological protection; especially in the aspects of wetland water source regulation and climate and water purification, more than 60% of farmers agree. However, the perceptions of ecological functions, such as protecting species and providing wildlife habitats, is relatively low, indicating that residents’ understanding of these deep-seated functions needs to be strengthened. In terms of economic income, residents generally recognize that wetlands can increase tourism and fishery incomes, but their perception of the increase in agricultural income and the promotion of industrial and commercial development is relatively limited. In terms of social benefits, residents relatively recognize the value of wetlands as tourism resources and scientific research and education bases, but their perception of improving employment opportunities, service levels, and infrastructure construction is still insufficient.

Based on the above research conclusions, the following three policy implications are proposed:

First, we will strengthen ecological education and raise public awareness of environmental protection. In view of the significant positive impact of education levels on residents’ satisfaction, it is suggested to strengthen ecological education and environmental protection publicity and improve public awareness of environmental protection, especially for teenagers, so that they can better understand and support the wetland protection work. Through school education, community activities, media publicity, and other channels, the value and functions of the wetland ecosystem should be popularized, and the consensus on and sense of responsibility for wetland protection of the whole society should be enhanced.

Second, we will pay attention to the win–win situation of ecology and people’s livelihoods. In the process of wetland management, the living needs and interests of residents should be fully considered to ensure the coordination between ecological protection and community development. For example, by increasing the amount of recreational space and enhancing the sense of regional belonging, we can improve residents’ quality of life and enhance their support for and satisfaction with wetland governance. At the same time, new models of wetland protection and economic development should be explored, such as the development of ecological tourism and green agriculture, so as to achieve a win–win situation between ecology and residents’ livelihood.

Third, infrastructure construction is required to be improved to ensure the sustainable development of wetlands. Infrastructure construction is an important support for wetland protection. We should increase investment in the infrastructure around the wetland, improve environmental protection facilities such as sewage treatment, garbage collection, and transportation, and prevent wetland pollution. At the same time, we should strengthen wetland monitoring and scientific research capacity construction and have a timely grasp of the wetland’s ecological conditions to provide a basis for scientific decision-making. In addition, we should establish and improve the wetland protection laws and regulations system, strengthen law enforcement, and ensure the sustainable and healthy development of the wetland ecosystem.