Rewilding is moving to the mainstream in Britain. We’re pushing to restore ecosystems so nature can take care of itself again. Rewilding Britain describes rewilding as an “ecologically-led culture change.” Ecosystem restoration on a large scale. This program is part of a broader plan to restore nature on 30 percent of Britain’s land and seas by 2030. Enacting this ambitious plan is essential to reintroducing native species. UK law tightly controls this practice, mandating consultation, environmental assessment and licensing.
Derek Gow, an eccentric Brit and a world-leading advocate for rewilding. He’s been integral to reintroducing a number of species back into England, including the Eurasian beaver, water vole, and white stork. His 300-acre, mixed crop and livestock farm in Devon provides a habitat and home base for his local and global efforts. Over the past five years, Gow has successfully established “three or four” beaver families on his property, demonstrating a commitment to restoring native wildlife.
Gow’s rewilding approach may be quite bold and controversial at times. While he makes the case for staying within the letter of the law, he unabashedly makes the case for doing something.
“To be clear, we always work within what laws there are,” – Derek Gow
While many support the reintroduction of native species as a means to combat biodiversity loss, experts like Thomas Cameron, a professor of applied ecology at Essex University, caution against overestimating its effectiveness in addressing climate change. Cameron sees the benefits of moving new species to promote diversification. Here’s the catch, he cautions — this approach will not provide immediate solutions to the climate crisis.
“If there is no law or there’s no licence required to do something then we don’t go around asking whether we can find one. We just jolly well do it.” – Derek Gow
Cameron is clear that even though rewilding and species reintroduction are related processes, they are not the same. He acknowledges the multivariate challenge of engineering and ecology. Yet ecological imbalances created by past federal predator eradication efforts are far more complicated to fix than just reintroducing predators such as lynx or wolves.
“It is an utter delusion to claim that the reintroduction of lynx, wolves or any other animals could have any significant impact on solving the climate crisis in any timescale that would be helpful,” – Thomas Cameron
Rewilding projects often target areas where certain species have become locally extinct, even if they are still common in other regions. This is a powerful approach to restoring ecological balance. It wins over public support because it brings in these “charismatic megafauna” that capture the public’s imagination.
“When we consider the diet and kill rates of lynx or wolves, models show we’d need unacceptably large numbers to help us naturally manage the deer populations that degrade the environment we want to restore,” – Thomas Cameron
Dr. Patrick Finnerty is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Sydney’s Global Ecology Lab. He strongly believes in a partnership between guerrilla rewilders and scientists. As far back as 2007, Walton said he wants to see these two worlds coexist. He discusses the ecological benefits of reintroduction—giving animals back to their historical ranges.
Finnerty explains that motivations for rewilding often stem from a moral obligation to rectify past human actions that led to species extinction.
“Reintroducing these species back into these ecosystems is ecologically important,” – Dr. Patrick Finnerty
Along the way, he underscores the pragmatic case for restoring species we know can provide positive returns on investment to distressed landscapes and ecosystems. Finnerty stresses the importance of including Indigenous peoples in species reintroduction processes—especially, as seen here, from an Australian lens.
“Often their main motivation is a moral belief that because there is evidence that the animal lived there in the past, and was removed by man, it should now be put back,” – Dr. Patrick Finnerty
The dialogue around rewilding is ever-changing, as more and more landowners and conservationists express interest in this radical movement. To Gow, the increasing conversations about rewilding give him hope. It might not be a full-blown movement – not yet at least – but the enthusiasm is certainly booming as of late.
“Getting Indigenous peoples involved in species reintroduction efforts, especially from an Australian standpoint, is key,” – Dr. Patrick Finnerty
He encounters people who have private property, some with large estates. Whether environmentalists, business people, or philanthropists, they care deeply about protecting our environment and desire to make a measurable difference on our planet.
“It’s not quite a mass movement yet, but a lot of people are talking about rewilding. It was never talked about a quarter of a century ago. So that’s a good thing,” – Derek Gow
Gow knows that there is a moral imperative beyond the short-term, often hyperlocal benefits of conservation for society to invest in these efforts.
“I meet people who own 50 acres, 20 acres, or just two acres, and they are so worried about what is happening to the planet that they just want to do good,” – Derek Gow
As these rewilding initiatives grow and evolve throughout Britain, they present a fascinating intersection of restoration ecology and community activism. The movement has both its advocates and critics as it continues to learn how to achieve ecological integrity while maintaining public support.
“I think we have a moral imperative on this,” – Derek Gow
As rewilding initiatives continue to develop across Britain, they highlight a complex interplay between ecological restoration and community engagement. The movement faces both enthusiasm and skepticism as it strives to balance ecological integrity with public support.
