No abstract

Rewilding is gaining importance across Europe, as agricultural abandonment trajectories provide opportunities for large‐scale ecosystem restoration. However, its effective implementation is hitherto limited, in part due to a lack of monitoring of rewilding interventions and their interactions. Here, we provide a first assessment of rewilding progress across seven European sites. Using an iterative and participatory Delphi technique to standardize and analyze expert‐based knowledge of these sites, we 1) map rewilding interventions onto the three central components of the rewilding framework (i.e. stochastic disturbances, trophic complexity and dispersal), 2) assess rewilding progress by quantifying 19 indicators spanning human forcing and ecological integrity and 3) compile key success and threat factors for rewilding progress. We find that the most common interventions were keystone species reintroductions, whereas the least common targeted stochastic disturbances. We find that rewilding scores have improved in five sites, but declined in two, partly due to competing socio‐economic trends. Major threats for rewilding progress are related to land‐use intensification policies and persecution of keystone species. Major determinants of rewilding success are its societal appeal and socio‐economic benefits to local people. We provide an assessment of rewilding that is crucial in improving its restoration outcomes and informed implementation at scale across Europe in this decade of ecosystem restoration.

Fencing is a ubiquitous part of the landscape across the Great Plains of North America. This can fragment habitats and reduce the ability of wildlife to move between patches. A relatively novel conservation tool aimed at mitigating these impacts is the use of wildlife‐friendly fencing. However, there is still an incomplete understanding as to how this tool affects ungulate movement and whether it increases habitat connectivity across barriers. Using camera trap data from three properties across the American Prairie Reserve, Montana, we investigated the effects of fencing on four ungulate species. Averaged across species and demographics, this wildlife‐friendly fencing design increased the probability that ungulates successfully crossed a fence by 33% and reduced the time taken to cross by 54%, but has limited effects on species' crossing behavior. Responses to the wildlife‐friendly fencing differed between species, sex, and age class. The greatest improvement in permeability was detected for mule deer, females, and juvenile groups. Yet, permeability remained lowest for elk, juveniles, and males overall at both fence types. Understanding these differences between groups is important when improving or selecting fence designs, and we highlight vulnerable groups that may require further study when implementing this conservation tool.