What is rewilding?

Rewilding is the large-scale restoration of ecosystems to the point where nature can take care of itself. At its core, it is a shift from conservation that tries to maintain a fixed, managed state to restoration that restores dynamic, self-sustaining ecological processes.

The scientific framework for rewilding was most clearly articulated by Perino et al. (2019) in Science, who defined three core components: trophic complexity (restoring who eats whom from producers to consumers to decomposers), stochastic disturbance (allowing natural events like flooding and fire), and dispersal (enabling species to move freely across landscapes). Together, these three elements allow ecosystems to function, adapt, and recover without constant human management.

As the Annual Review of Environment and Resources summarized in 2024: rewilding represents a shift in conservation from compositional goals (protecting specific species or habitats) to functional restoration, with the aim of fostering coexistence between humans and nature.

"Rewilding is not about returning to a pristine past. It is about restoring the ecological processes that allow nature to create its own future."

The IUCN's 2025 guidance on rewilding frames it similarly: "Rewilding is giving nature the space and the time to determine its own ecological trajectory" while crucially setting ecosystems on a path towards recovery and resilience.

How does rewilding differ from traditional conservation?

Traditional conservation typically aims to protect what remains: preserving existing species, habitats, and landscapes from further degradation. It is largely defensive and management-intensive, requiring ongoing human intervention to maintain a desired state.

Rewilding is different in three important ways:

  • It is restorative, not just protective. It actively seeks to bring back what has been lost, including species, habitats, and ecological processes.
  • It is process-oriented, not species-oriented. Rather than managing for a specific target species or habitat type, it restores the natural processes that allow biodiversity to flourish on its own terms.
  • It aims for self-sustainability. The ultimate goal is an ecosystem that no longer requires intensive human management to persist.

This does not mean humans play no role. Rewilding often requires significant upfront intervention: removing invasive species, reintroducing keystone species, restoring hydrology, or reducing human pressures. But the endpoint is a system that functions on its own.

What are the main approaches to rewilding?

Rewilding is not a single approach. It encompasses a spectrum of interventions, from large-scale wilderness restoration to rewilding your back garden.

Trophic rewilding

The reintroduction of apex predators and large herbivores to restore food web complexity. The classic example is wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone, which triggered a cascade of ecological recovery. Trophic rewilding recognizes that predators shape entire ecosystems through both direct predation and the fear effect.

Passive rewilding

Removing the pressures that prevent natural recovery and stepping back to let nature take its course. This might mean ending intensive farming, stopping mowing, or removing drainage infrastructure. Passive rewilding is lower-cost and often highly effective where seed banks and dispersal routes are intact.

Translocation and reintroduction

The deliberate return of species that have been locally or regionally lost including wolves, beavers, lynx, bison, white-tailed eagles, and many others. Species reintroductions are among the most studied interventions in rewilding, with growing evidence for their effectiveness when well-planned and community supported.

Habitat restoration rewilding

Active restoration of degraded habitats: peatlands, wetlands, seagrass meadows, kelp forests, and native woodlands, as a foundation for biodiversity recovery. Habitat restoration is often a prerequisite for successful species reintroduction.

Garden and urban rewilding

Small-scale rewilding actions in gardens, parks, road verges, and urban spaces. Planting native wildflowers, installing wildlife ponds, creating log piles, and reducing pesticide use can collectively create significant habitat for pollinators, birds, and small mammals across fragmented urban landscapes.

What does the evidence say about rewilding?

More than 450 peer-reviewed papers on rewilding have been published since the term first appeared in print in the early 1990s. The evidence base is growing rapidly and supports several consistent findings:

  • Apex predator reintroduction drives trophic cascades that increase plant diversity, soil carbon, and the abundance of prey species at multiple levels of the food web.
  • Beaver reintroduction creates wetlands that reduce downstream flooding by up to 60%, increase aquatic invertebrate abundance, and raise water tables in surrounding land.
  • Trophic rewilding expands natural climate solutions. Restoring large herbivore and predator assemblages can significantly enhance carbon sequestration through changes in vegetation and soil.
  • Passive rewilding of degraded agricultural land shows measurable biodiversity gains within years, with carbon sequestration benefits that accumulate over decades.
  • Marine rewilding through seagrass restoration, oyster reef rebuilding, and the recovery of whale populations is among the most cost-effective natural climate solutions available.

For a full searchable database of peer-reviewed rewilding research, visit our Research Database. For real-world examples of these approaches in action, browse our case studies.

Frequently asked questions

No. Rewilding often requires significant human intervention upfront including removing invasive species, reintroducing lost species, restoring hydrology, or reducing agricultural pressure. The goal is an ecosystem that becomes self-sustaining over time, but getting there usually requires deliberate action. Rewilding is not abandonment; it is active restoration with a different endpoint.
Yes. Some of the most exciting work is happening at their intersection. Agroforestry, regenerative agriculture, and rewilding field margins integrate wildlife habitat into working farms. Research shows that rewilded land can support high biodiversity while also producing food, and that the ecosystem services provided by rewilded areas (flood control, pollination, pest regulation) often have direct economic value for farmers.
Yes, significantly. Rewilded ecosystems sequester carbon in vegetation, soils, and ocean sediments. Restoring peatlands, seagrass meadows, native forests, and large animal communities all contribute to natural climate solutions. Research published in Nature Climate Change found that trophic rewilding could expand natural carbon sinks meaningfully. Rewilding is increasingly recognized as a critical component of any credible climate strategy.
Rewilding is now a global movement. In North America, wolf and bison reintroduction programs are ongoing across multiple states. In Europe, Rewilding Europe operates across more than 10 sites, beavers have been reintroduced across the UK and much of continental Europe, and lynx reintroduction is being actively debated in Scotland. In the ocean, seagrass restoration, oyster reef rebuilding, and marine protected areas are creating measurable recovery. Projects are underway on every inhabited continent.
Start where you are. Rewild your garden by planting native species, reducing mowing, and installing a wildlife pond. Support organizations working on large-scale rewilding with donations or volunteering. Advocate for stronger nature protection policies. Read and share credible rewilding journalism. And keep learning: the science of rewilding is advancing rapidly, and public understanding and support is one of the most important drivers of political will to act. For practical starting points, see our Rewilding Actions guides.
Many people assume rewilding means "letting everything go wild," but modern rewilding is planned ecological restoration. It often requires active intervention: removing invasives, restoring hydrology, reintroducing keystone species, and monitoring outcomes. Another common misconception is that rewilding is anti-people. In reality, most successful projects are community-led and designed to benefit both nature and local economies.
No. Traditional conservation focuses on protecting what remains. Rewilding focuses on rebuilding what was lost, from ecological processes to species interactions. Conservation preserves; rewilding restores. They complement each other but have different goals and tools.
Not always. Predator reintroduction is one form of trophic rewilding, but many projects succeed without large carnivores. Restoring beavers, bison, prairie dogs, or even native plants can restart ecological processes. Rewilding is about restoring ecological function, not enforcing a specific species list.
Yes, when done responsibly. Modern rewilding includes risk assessments, community consultation, and adaptive management. Projects involving large animals use fencing, buffer zones, and monitoring. Most rewilding projects actually reduce risks by improving flood control, stabilizing soils, and increasing ecosystem resilience.
Rewilding often boosts rural economies through ecotourism, habitat restoration jobs, carbon markets, and regenerative agriculture. Studies show that rewilded landscapes can generate more long-term economic value than degraded land used for low-productivity grazing or extraction.
Success is measured by ecological function, not "wildness." Key signs include native species returning, natural processes re-establishing, reduced need for human intervention, and improved biodiversity and ecosystem services. A rewilded system is one that becomes self-sustaining over time.

Explore ecological restoration

Biodiversity Wildlife Corridors Invasive Species Urban Rewilding Economic Benefits

References & Further Reading

1.Perino A., Pereira H.M., et al. (2019). Rewilding complex ecosystems. Science, 364, eaav5570. doi.org/10.1126/science.aav5570
2.Carver S., Hawkins S., Convery I., et al. (2024). Rewilding: Ten Years of Evolution and Development. Annual Review of Environment and Resources. doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-111523-102359
3.Schmitz O.J., Sylven M., Atwood T.B., et al. (2023). Trophic rewilding can expand natural climate solutions. Nature Climate Change. doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01631-6
4.Faure E., Levrel H., Quetier F. (2024). Economics of rewilding. Ambio. doi.org/10.1007/s13280-024-02019-2
5.Moyano-Fernandez C., Garcia Dominguez M. (2026). How high techs change conservation strategies? Biological Conservation. doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2026.111725
6.LSE Grantham Research Institute. (2024). What is rewilding and how is it relevant to climate change? London School of Economics. lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute
7.IUCN. (2025). IUCN Rewilding Principles. International Union for Conservation of Nature. portals.iucn.org
8.Rewilding Europe. What is rewilding? rewildingeurope.com
9.Society for Ecological Restoration (SER). ser.org
10.IPBES. (2019). Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. ipbes.net