Narrow was a transdisciplinary project that, during 2022–2025, sought to understand how local communities perceive areas that they themselves have been involved in restoring. Can personal experience of the restoration process constitute an informal form of protection against future exploitation? Which biological, social, and cultural values—and which species—form the basis for decisions to carry out a restoration, and ultimately for determining whether a restoration has been successful or not? The project examined two areas in Sweden (Trunsta marsh and Gredelby meadows in Knivsta, and the Voxnadalen Biosphere Reserve in Ovanåker) and three in Finland (the Koitajoki River in eastern Finland, Lake Kuivasjärvi in western Finland, and the Näätämö River in Finnish Lapland). Our results point to the importance of including local communities in restoration projects, as this creates legitimacy and understanding for both the measures taken and the area itself. At the same time, it fosters greater long-term sustainability in the conservation of values. In general, European states are poor at recognizing the value of local communities in efforts to conserve biodiversity. We have also examined the application of the international concept OECM (Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures), which is recommended in the EU Nature Restoration Regulation, as well as how representatives of local communities view the concept itself and the guidelines for designating such areas.