Real-world rewilding
The science of rewilding only means something when it meets the ground. These collections examine real projects in depth: the funding, the species, the setbacks, and what actually worked.
What these are
Each case study collection examines real rewilding projects through a specific lens: funding model, ecosystem type, scale, or approach. We aim for accuracy over optimism. Where projects received public money, we say so; where outcomes are mixed, we report both sides.
Suggest a project
Know a project that deserves closer examination? Email us with a brief description and any sources — we research every suggestion before publishing.
Government grants are the dominant funding model for large-scale rewilding, but they're not the only one. These projects were initiated and are primarily sustained through private ownership, community fundraising, carbon markets, or ecotourism income.
From pocket wetlands in London parks to river daylighting in Seoul: urban rewilding projects that have measurably improved biodiversity in densely populated areas.
Beavers have been reintroduced to over 25 countries since the 1920s. This collection tracks the projects: what triggered flooding concerns, how communities responded, and which approaches worked.
Seagrass, oyster reefs, kelp forests, and coral: the projects making the greatest measurable impact on marine biodiversity recovery, and the methods behind them.
Botanist Matt Olson, Ph.D. of Texas Tech University explains why the genetics inside a native planting matter as much as the species you choose, and what to get right from the start.
Chris Thibodaux has spent 35 years exploring and monitoring the cave systems of Central Texas. He talks about what lives underground, what threatens it, and what rewilding means in karst country.
See the full topic overview: Wildlife Corridors →
A community-supported riparian restoration project in Marfa, Texas has transformed a bare stretch of ground above Mimm's Creek into a recovering Chihuahuan Desert arroyo, led by the Judd Foundation and Agave Festival Marfa.
In the Trans-Pecos region near Big Bend, agave restoration is helping rebuild a nectar corridor for an endangered migratory bat, one of only two known U.S. roosts left for the species.
We publish new collections as research is completed. Subscribe to hear when they land.