Look out world, there’s a new conservation movement in town and it goes by the name of rewilding! What is rewilding, you ask? Rewilding is the idea that we should work to restore ecosystems to their natural state. This includes reintroducing species that have been lost, connecting fragmented habitats, and managing land for wildlife. Proponents of rewilding believe that this approach is essential for conserving biodiversity and creating sustainable ecosystems.
So far, rewilding has been successfully implemented in a number of places around the world, including Rewilding Ukraine, Rewilding Europe, Rewilding North America, and Rewilding Australia.
Are you curious to learn more about this exciting new movement? Then read on!
What is Rewilding – A Complete Overview
Rewilding is the large-scale conservation and restoration of ecosystems. It aims to bring back self-sustaining populations of native species and reestablish natural processes.
The ultimate goal of rewilding is to create a more wild planet—one that is teeming with life, and where humans live in harmony with nature.
Rewilding is a relatively new concept, and there is still much debate about what it entails. Some people argue that rewilding can only be achieved by returning ecosystems to their pristine, pre-human state. Others believe that rewilding must include the active involvement of humans in restoring and managing ecosystems.
Rewilding is not a fixed point in time, rather it involves moving up a scale of wilderness in accordance with the constraints of what is feasible and there is no end point to it.
Regardless of how it is defined, rewilding is a bold and ambitious undertaking that holds great promise for the future of our planet.
Rewilding in Ukraine
A new movement of rewilding Ukraine is underway, to restore the country’s natural environment and wild animal populations. This ambitious undertaking is being led by a group of Ukrainian environmentalists, who are working to create a network of protected areas across the country.
So far, they have succeeded in establishing several large nature reserves, including the Black Sea Reserve, the Crimean Reserve, and the Dnipro Reserve.
The rewilding movement in Ukraine is still in its early stages, but it has already made significant progress. With the continued support of the Ukrainian government and the international community, there is no doubt that it will continue to grow and thrive in the years to come.
While overcoming many operational challenges, the Rewilding Ukraine team is greatly energized by the arrival of some exciting new members. The first wild kulan to be born in Ukraine in over 200 years, a foal, was born in early spring after a herd of kulan (Asiatic wild ass) was released onto the Tarutino Steppe in late 2021.
Rewilding Earth Welcome – Home of the Rewilding Institute
Rewilding in Europe
Rewilding Europe’s project to rewild the Danube Delta across borders, partially located in the southwest of Ukraine, lies far from zones of conflict. By focusing on natural processes such as flooding and natural grazing, Rewilding Europe is restoring wetlands and steppe habitats covering an area of 40,000 hectares.
In addition, they have reintroduced several endangered species to their natural habitats, including the European bison, the Caucasian deer, and Przewalski’s horse. The ultimate goal of the rewilding Europe project is to create a self-sustaining ecosystem that can support a diversity of wildlife. This would not only be beneficial for the country’s ecology but also its economy, as it would attract tourists from all over the world.
Final Thoughts
Today, the notion of rewilding is gaining popularity around the world. The Rewilding Europe initiative is one of the most well-known examples of rewilding in action, but other projects are also underway in countries like Rewilding Ukraine.
While there are many different ways to approach rewilding, the general goal is to restore natural ecosystems and allow them to function more as they did in the past. This often involves bringing back keystone species, such as large predators, that play an important role in maintaining balance within an ecosystem.