Social Surveys: Methods for Taking into Account Actors’ Practices and Perceptions in River Restoration

International audienceRivers are socioecological systems, and using social surveys in river restoration contribute to their recognition. This methodological chapter focuses on two methods, questionnaires and interviews, which allow us to gather information about river actors’ practices and perceptions. Based on case studies from international scientific literature, the authors focus primarily on the different roles played by social surveys to highlight the social dimensions of rivers in order to make more integrative projects. The two methods can be implemented on different spatial or temporal scales of river restoration. Questionnaires and interviews can also be used to give voice to different groups of actors to understand reactions, to highlight opinions and expectations about projects, and finally to monitor restoration. Social surveys are flexible methods; in the second methodological part, the authors characterize the complementarities and specificities of each of the two methods. The aim is to guide the choice between a more quantitative (questionnaires) or a more qualitative (interviews) survey approach. Strategic material, for example photography, is also highlighted in the chapter