The Role of Rewilding in Landscape Design for Conservation

Abstract

Rewilding means returning a non-wild area back to the wild. It implies a reduction or cessation of human control in favour of allowing nature to take care of itself. The concept originated in North America, where it was initially focused on reconnecting existing wilderness areas and re-establishing populations of large carnivores and other large vertebrates. The modern literature is dominated by European studies, however, in which rewilding is seen as a management option for the increasing areas of abandoned agricultural land. Although modern rewilding looks forward to a future wildness that is not necessarily the same as the past, evidence from past ecosystems gives inspiration and support for a hands-off approach. Late Pleistocene ecosystems provide a major challenge since they show the irreplaceable roles of the now largely extinct megafauna. Large-scale rewilding will benefit some charismatic large vertebrates, but probably at the expense of many disturbance-dependent species, with the overall impact likely to differ in different regions. Other potential problems include the loss of valued biocultural landscapes and an increase in human-wildlife conflicts. Benefits may include increased recreational opportunities, enhanced ecosystem services, and greater resilience, as well as less quantifiable social benefits and spiritual values. Rewilding science needs to catch up with rewilding practice, and there is an urgent need for replicated, large-scale, long-term experiments.