Ecological restoration is a social practice filled with the meaning making and the messiness of real life. This chapter describes the ways that certain people have understood, challenged, and participated in ecological restoration. It reviews the history of ecological restoration to reiterate the importance of the social and political aspects of our practice in a changing world. Through three case studies, drawn from diverse contexts, it demonstrates the integral role that social and cultural aspects play at all stages in the planning, initiation, and long-term management of restoration projects. It is the contention of this work that the field of ecological restoration has the strength, opportunity, and responsibility to enhance the ethical and political dimensions of its activities so as to contribute to positive and inclusive societal change. It asserts that both the success of ecological restoration projects and the cultivation of more equitable and thriving communities can be nurtured through careful practice that appropriately responds to local historical, cultural, and ecological contexts.