What next? Rewilding as a radical future for the British countryside

Sandom, Christopher J.; Macdonald, David W.

doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198745488.003.0016

Cited by 10 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…Much of the rewilding literature focuses more on restoring ecological functions than on the species themselves [20]. There is increasing evidence that the loss of the largest herbivores and carnivores-the megafauna-since the Late Pleistocene has impacted ecosystems in multiple ways, from species composition and trophic structure to biogeochemical cycling [7].…”

Section: Trophic Rewildingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Rewilding in Landscape Design for Conservation

Corlett

2016

Curr Landscape Ecol Rep

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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.

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Section: Trophic Rewildingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Rewilding in Landscape Design for Conservation

Corlett

2016

Curr Landscape Ecol Rep

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“…Commentators have argued that rewilding ought not to be equated with wilderness in the European context given the strong cultural attachment to anthropogenic agricultural landscapes and the long-term absence of apex predators from many parts of the continent (Ceaușu et al, 2015;Jepson, 2016;Lorimer et al, 2015). Following Rewilding Europe's definition of rewilding as 'moving up a scale of wildness within the constraints of what is possible ' (Allen et al, 2017), some authors see scope for rewilding pilot sites to be interwoven into densely populated areas, stressing that such an approach is needed to win the support of the general public who reside, work, and engage in recreation in these areas (Jepson, 2016;Moorhouse & Sandom, 2015;Sandom & Macdonald, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As one of the UK's most biodiverse regions, Dorset is rich in nationally and internationally important wildlife species, and has been identified as one of the UK's biodiversity hotspots (Prendergast et al, 1993). However, changes in post-war agricultural policy and associated intensification of production systems have led to a heavy decline in overall biodiversity (Dorset LNP, 2014), providing a strong argument for rewilding as a potential means to restoring ecosystem services and biodiversity in the region (Sandom & Macdonald, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition to species introductions as a general approach, four species were proposed for introduction: Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber), European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris), wild boar (Sus scrofa), and pine marten (Martes martes). All scenarios and species were chosen after a thorough review of peer-reviewed literature and other published material detailing case studies of rewilding across the UK and other parts of Europe (see Allen et al, 2017;Greenaway, 2011;Hughes et al, 2011;Lorimer et al, 2015;Moorhouse & Sandom, 2015;Sandom & Macdonald, 2015). The reintroduction of large carnivores was not included as this was not deemed feasible in light of Dorset's ecological and socio-political landscape.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Rewilding as a restoration strategy for lowland agricultural landscapes: Stakeholder-assisted multi-criteria analysis in Dorset, UK

Loth

Newton

2018

Journal for Nature Conservation

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The ongoing loss of global biodiversity suggests that established conservation practices have not been fully successful at halting species decline. Rewilding, a restoration strategy focused on restoring ecological processes, has become increasingly prominent as a potential means of addressing this problem. Rewilding has been described as a versatile approach that is applicable even in areas with dense human populations and productive agricultural landscapes such as the lowlands of Western Europe. Yet little is known about the options that might exist for rewilding such landscapes, or about their relative suitability. The present study addresses this knowledge gap by assessing the relative popularity and suitability of different rewilding scenarios in the county of Dorset, southwest England, involving the consultation of local stakeholders. Survey results showed strong support for rewilding among stakeholders, with the reintroduction of beavers (Castor fiber) and pine martens (Martes martes) being especially popular. Yet stakeholder perceptions also differed regarding how rewilding should be defined, and what it comprises. The suitability of the proposed rewilding approaches was measured through a spatial multi-criteria analysis using the following variables: popularity among stakeholders, suitability within relevant land cover types, and suitability at the landscape-scale. Naturalistic grazing and farmland abandonment emerged as the most suitable rewilding options overall, although these were not the most popular choices. Overall, these results suggest that land managers in lowland agricultural landscapes could consider rewilding as one of the land management options available to them, provided that the options being considered are ecologically appropriate and local stakeholders have been consulted. In the UK, such rewilding options might be supported by new national agricultural land use policies currently under development. In areas of continental Europe where agricultural land abandonment is more widespread, policymakers seeking to address the issue could look towards the EU's wilderness guidelines for potential solutions that promote rewilding while offsetting the costs incurred by local stakeholders. In either context, integrated exploration of stakeholder values and ecological data as presented here can potentially be used to evaluate the relative suitability and popularity of different rewilding approaches, and thereby establish priorities.

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“…The theory behind this, trophic cascades, as is discussed in more detail below, proposes that, in addition to farming and forestry, a key factor in the destruction of the natural landscape has been the eradication of the predatory species who once kept grazing animal populations in check, while simultaneously keeping them on the move through fear of predation. Restoring a balance here, it is argued, would allow trees, plants and, thus, habitat for other animals to prosper, revitalising rural landscapes (Monbiot 2013;Sandom and MacDonald 2015;Drenthen 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rediscovering the ‘Noble Savage’: The Rewilding Movement and the Re-Enchantment of the Scottish Highlands

Bone¹

2018

Scottish Affairs

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This paper focuses on an exploration of an emerging and controversial trend in animal/environmental activism, the rewilding movement, and in particular issues arising from the identification of the Scottish Highlands as a suitable site for rewilding. The rewilding movement contrasts with traditional conservationism in asserting that environmental revitalisation is best achieved through returning designated rural areas to a state broadly approximating that which existed prior to large scale human intervention, as opposed to merely conserving existing plants and fauna. Moreover, a key aspect of this process involves the reintroduction of ‘missing species’, in the form of apex predators such as Lynx, Boar and Wolf, where the latter are suggested to play a critical role in restoring ‘natural’ environments, largely through predation to control the activities and numbers of ungulate species whose grazing inhibits the growth of woodland and, hence, the restoration of ecosystems. The paper addresses various political and socio-economic issues raised by proposals for rewilding in the Scottish Highlands, in terms of tensions with traditional conservationism and, not least, the challenges presented to policymakers and publics with respect to predatory species reintroduction, including perceptions of risk to livestock and, indeed, humans. With respect to the latter, more fundamental theoretical questions are also addressed, including the way in which discourses around rewilding have been constructed by both advocates and critics of this phenomenon.

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What next? Rewilding as a radical future for the British countryside

Cited by 10 publications

References 71 publications

The Role of Rewilding in Landscape Design for Conservation

The Role of Rewilding in Landscape Design for Conservation

Rewilding as a restoration strategy for lowland agricultural landscapes: Stakeholder-assisted multi-criteria analysis in Dorset, UK

Rediscovering the ‘Noble Savage’: The Rewilding Movement and the Re-Enchantment of the Scottish Highlands

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