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Abstract Social participation enriches decision-making and is considered a civil right in many democratic countries, despite remaining a challenge. This paper presents evidence and discusses the evolution of social participation in the Araçá Bay (Southeastern Brazil), as a result of participatory action-research. Over three years, a process of social mobilization and participatory environmental assessment and planning engaged local stakeholders and resulted in a sustainable development plan. Enhanced social participation was evidenced by: (1) building trust among participants; (2) increasing knowledge of social-ecological features of Araçá Bay; (3) acknowledging different perspectives and interests about the bay; and (4) improving the understanding of management dynamics and institutions. The process led to the emergence of a local stewarded group that has the potential to foster the implementation of the sustainable development plan.