Over the past few decades, it has become evidently clear that the world is running out of wild spaces. Development is occurring on an ever-increasing scale at unprecedented rates. The result of development; the loss, fragmentation and opening up of more and more of our wild untouched habitats, leaving the world with a significant number of nature depleted countries/regions.

Fortunately, we are learning from our mistakes (although a little too slowly in my opinion…) and applying some exciting practices that could help reverse our impacts and halt the decline in biodiversity. One of the most exciting tools in the toolkit, rewilding.

Rewilding is fast becoming a popular term used by conservationists and ecologists and is being implemented worldwide, but what really is rewilding? When you Google ‘rewilding’, the definition returned is - restore (an area of land) to its natural uncultivated state (used especially with reference to the reintroduction of species of wild animal that have been driven out or exterminated).

Rewilding in line with this definition is not going to be achievable everywhere. Firstly, what do you define as natural uncultivated state? To achieve this in some instances, you may need to restore back thousands of years or in some cases somewhere close to habitats present immediately post-ice age! Whilst I love this idea, I’m not sure anyone could ever be completely certain on what a natural uncultivated state would be, let alone achieve this level of restoration.  

In contrast to this definition, I have seen the hanging of one or two bird boxes within an urban garden classed as rewilding. In isolation, I’m not sure this is quite enough, and if this were the case, rewilding would be a doddle. So quite clearly, definitions are important.

I much prefer the definition used by Rewilding Britain, ‘large-scale restoration of ecosystems to the point where nature is allowed to take care of itself, seeking to reinstate natural processes and, where appropriate, missing species.’

This, I think, is the more classic definition and one most would be happy with using. Bringing back natural processes more than anything. Letting scrub develop, grazers graze, dead animals rot away, water flow (or not if you’ve reintroduced beavers) and the big divisive one, let predators hunt. No (or very limited) human intervention, no targets, no fences. Let nature do its thing and we’ll sit back and enjoy it. Well enjoy it and importantly monitor it, let’s learn something along the way.

The big issues holding back widescale uptake of rewilding however still seems to be fear of the unknown and space. Many people are nervous of “losing control”, letting brambles grow, allowing land to flood and letting predators roam free. We would need to set aside hundreds of hectares to allow natural processes to take place, whilst letting our hair down and accepting the chaos of a wild landscape. 

In terms of space, we actually have plenty of it. The UK actually has a lot of defunct farmland, over grazed field systems and poorly managed grouse moors that could be perfect for rewilding, and that's before counting the vast Scottish highlands, mountain ranges, national parks and coastlines. So space isn't really holding us back.

"Losing control", that's the real issue. The only way to get over this one is to get out there, practice rewilding and enjoy the rewards. Fortunately there are people out there brave enough to give it a go. Large scale areas in which rewilding is taking place though is showing us that not only is it possible, but that you can even make economic achievements along the way through tourism, resources and ecosystem services.

Whilst rewilding can’t be achieved everywhere, there are certainly additional restoration techniques that we should be employing, and this can be achieved on just about any scale (more on this in another EcoLog).

Not only should we be using rewilding as a tool, but concurrently we should be looking at the creation of diverse and extensive mosaics on a landscape scale. This doesn’t have to mean rewilded landscapes devoid of people, economic activity and development, but landscapes in which farming, forestry, fishing and tourism embrace biodiversity, not work against it.

Rewilding is a great concept and I’m very supportive, but whilst we’re waiting on farmers, estate owners and the government to warm up, let’s make sure we’re restoring habitats and changing land use practices elsewhere.

Three great books on rewilding that I’d recommend:

• Wilding: The Return of Nature to a British Farm by Isabella Tree

• Rebirding: Rewilding Britain and Its Birds by Benedict Macdonald

• Rewilding: Bringing Wildlife Back Where It Belongs by David Steen

• Also take a look at Think Big. Act Wild. | Rewilding Britain