World Rewilding Day

What is Rewilding?

Rewilding is the process of helping nature heal itself. It involves allowing natural processes to restore damaged ecosystems, regenerate degraded landscapes, and create more biodiverse habitats. Rewilding aims to preserve the remaining untouched natural areas on Earth and restore life in adjacent areas. It requires a long-term perspective and natural solutions to environmental, social, and economic challenges. Rewilding benefits not only natural places but also the people who live in them.

Why Rewild?

1. Restoring wilderness to stabilize the climate: Restoring forests, wetlands, peatlands, and oceans increases the ability to store carbon in plants and soil, mitigating catastrophic natural disasters. Healthy wildlife populations can enhance the Earth's carbon storage capacity by up to 125 times, removing more than one-third of excess carbon from our atmosphere.

2. Rewilding to prevent species extinction: There have been five well-known mass extinction events in Earth's history, and scientists believe we are now entering the sixth, which is a hundred times faster due to human activities. Reports show that at least 1 million plant and animal species are facing extinction within decades. Restoring biodiversity is crucial for maintaining life on Earth and can be achieved through rewilding.

3. Rewilding as an investment in business: Sustainable and ethical businesses rely on nature to provide healthy products that benefit consumers, communities, and the planet itself. The growing level of consumer awareness demonstrates that rewilding is not only better for the planet but also for business. It provides the stability and wealth needed for a healthy market.

4. Survival for people: People depend on nature and species for their food, water, medicine, and economic opportunities. Rewilding helps ensure food and water for every table worldwide. Nature restoration also improves economic stability in rural communities and brings new life to areas and people.

5. Rewilding gives back: The most important relationship in society is with nature. Many countries use various species as their national symbols, but unfortunately, many of these species are endangered. Nature has supported, nurtured, and inspired people throughout our history. It is time to return the favor.

Rewilding Europe:

Within this movement, many great and inspiring initiatives have developed over the past few decades, and new projects continue to emerge across the continent. The pioneering European Rewilding Network (ERN) aims to bring these initiatives together and provide each network member with information and tools to be more successful in their efforts. It creates a living network of countless rewilding initiatives, supports them, and facilitates the adoption of best rewilding practices and methods.