For rewilding in Europe to meet the ambitious goal of tackling the biodiversity and climate crisis it must do more than simply demonstrate positive interventions. Rewilding science needs to understanding the policy contexts around rewilding, how rewilding can contribute to nature restoration are vital outcomes of developing rewilding science. Similarly, understanding public perceptions of rewilding and the economic values around rewilding are vital elements in developing the science of rewilding.
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Rewilding in Europe
What is rewilding?
Rewilding: the process of rebuilding, following major human disturbance, a natural ecosystem by restoring natural processes and the complete or near complete food-web at all trophic levels as a self-sustaining and resilient ecosystem using biota that would have been present had the disturbance not occurred. This will involve a paradigm shift in the relationship between humans and nature. The ultimate goal of rewilding is the restoration of functioning native ecosystems complete with fully occupied trophic levels that are nature-led across a range of landscape scales. Rewilded ecosystems should - where possible - be self-sustaining requiring no or minimum-intervention management (i.e. natura naturans or “nature doing what nature does”), recognising that ecosystems are dynamic and not static.
(IUCN)
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