Rewilding

What is Rewilding?

Rewilding, or re-wilding, activities are conservation efforts aimed at restoring and protecting natural processes and wilderness areas. This may include providing connectivity between such areas and protecting or reintroducing apex predators and keystone species.

Read more below on conservation work done by Elephanatics’ Dr. Rene Beyers, Director, African Elephant Specialist:

Abstract from Guiding Principles for Rewilding:

Rewilding as an approach to large landscape restoration has been gaining substantial traction. We describe it as the process of restoring native ecosystems, following major human disturbance, to create a complete food web at all trophic levels as a sustainable and resilient ecosystem using biota that would have been present had the disturbance not occurred. Rewilding can be seen on a continuum of ecological restoration towards increased ecosystem integrity and autonomy and reduced human impact and intervention. It is complementary to other conservation approaches, such as protection and community conservation, which so far have failed to stop the continuous decline of species and degradation of nature. Rewilding has an important social dimension, engaging communities in the restoration of “wild” nature and providing hope for healthier ecosystems. The IUCN CEM Task Force on Rewilding consults with a broad community of experts and practitioners and aims to provide IUCN with a clear understanding of rewilding and a link to CEM priority areas. So far, the task force conducted a systematic review of the literature, developed initial guiding principles and performed a survey of rewilding pioneers. Two workshops in the US and Europe were held with academics, advocates, and rewilding practitioners. The workshops highlighted similarities and differences between the two continents in the ecological and human aspects of rewilding. A set of principles emerged as part of an ongoing development.

Continue reading more in link – Guiding Principles for Rewilding

Exploring Restoration, Rewilding, and Human Health

View full screen – Presentation Slides

Angela Andrade*, IUCN CEM Chair – Rene Beyers, Research Associate, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia (Canada) – Stephen Carver, Senior Lecturer, School of Geography, University of Leeds; Co-chair, IUCN CEM Rewilding Thematic Group (UK) – Ian Convery, Professor of Environment and Society, University of Cumbria; Co-chair, IUCN CEM Rewilding Thematic Group (UK) – Adam Eagle, Chief Executive Officer, The LifescapeProject (UK) – Angie Luis, Professor of Disease Ecology, University of Montana (USA)

Ecosystem Restoration leaders launch important publication | IUCN

The IUCN CEM Ecosystem Restoration Thematic Group monthly webinar series, “Ecosystem Restoration: Global Initiatives in Science and Practice” provides a forum for IUCN and CEM members to learn about ecological restoration.

*A BIG Congratulations* to Dr. Rene Beyers and Professor Anthony Sinclair on their recent publication of “A Place Like No Other” by Princeton University Press.

“A Place Like No Other” is Anthony Sinclair’s firsthand account of how he and other scientists discovered the biological principles that regulate life in the Serengeti and how they rule all of the natural world. Co-authored with Dr. Rene Beyers. A fascinating journey into the lives of so many scientists who have dedicated numerous years to decipher natures extraordinarily complicated Serengeti. A must read for everyone!

Buy your copy here.

“Migration in the Serengeti is a dominant structuring force of ecosystems called a #keystoneEffect. Migration results in higher populations of animals with the Wildebeest being a #keystoneSpecies regulating every aspect of the Serengeti ecosystem.” #APlaceLikeNoOther

“The speed at which species are disappearing is at least 100 times higher than the natural rate of #extinction. At the current rate it will take millions of years for diversity to be restored to preindustrial levels.” #APlaceLikeNoOther

Another stellar publication by Dr. Rene Beyers – The Routledge Handbook of Rewilding

The Handbook is edited by founding members (including Rene Beyers of Elephanatics) of the #IUCN Rewilding Thematic Group and written by more than 60 distinguished experts offering a large diversity of experiences and perspectives.

The book is an invaluable resource for conservation students, academics, rewilding practitioners, policy makers and anyone interested in the restoration of degraded ecosystems. Conservation practitioners who want to integrate rewilding principles into their conservation programs will also highly benefit from this book.

#Rewilding is a fascinating and rapidly emerging field with the goal of helping degraded ecosystems recover and become healthy, resilient, persistent and self-sustaining systems with no or minimal human interference. Rewilding also offers a transformational paradigm shift in the way we think about our relationship with nature. The four sections in the book give a comprehensive overview of key areas of rewilding including: the history of rewilding, ecological theory and practice, rewilding ethics and philosophy. The book gives a global perspective, drawing on case studies from across the world.