Close to a quarter of the European continent is ‘primed with rewilding opportunities’, a new study has found, presenting an opportunity to restore landscapes damaged by farming and other activities.
According to the study, undertaken by the National Museum of Natural Sciences, CSIC, Spain, and the University of Évora, Portugal, and published in the Current Biology journal, some 117 million hectares could be rewilded, providing a roadmap for countries to meet the goals of the 2030 European Biodiversity Strategy.
The European Biodiversity Strategy seeks to protect 30% of the continent’s land, with 10% under strict conservation.
As much as 70% of the resiling opportunities in Europe are located in colder climates – specifically Scandinavia, Scotland, and the Baltic states – while highland regions in the Iberian Peninsula also show great potential, according to the study.
Potential rewilding opportunities
“There are many areas in Europe that have a low enough human footprint, as well as the presence of key animal species, to potentially be rewilded,” commented lead author and biogeographer Miguel B. Araújo of the National Museum of Natural Sciences, CSIC, Spain, and the University of Évora, Portugal. “We also highlight the need for different strategies depending on the conditions of each region.”
The study distinguishes between two main strategies for rewilding: passive and active. Passive rewilding allows for the natural recolonisation of species such as deer, ibex, moose, and wolves, which gradually return to abandoned areas on their own.
In contrast, active rewilding involves the manual reintroduction of key species to regions where they are missing, helping to kickstart ecosystem recovery.
Conservation strategies
Countries like the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Scandinavian nations could be well-positioned to meet their conservation goals by adopting the study’s rewilding strategies. However, more densely populated countries such as Ireland, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark may need to explore alternative conservation and sustainable agriculture approaches.
“Conservation strategies involving ecological restoration of densely populated areas could help some countries reach conservation goals,” said Araújo.
“Countries could reclaim land to turn it into conservation areas or establish networks of small, protected habitats. Traditional multi-use landscapes, like the oak parklands in the Iberian Peninsula and various extensive agricultural and forestry systems across Europe, could also help if managed sustainably.”
He added that the rewilding of European landscapes is a “race against time”, noting that the areas that look most promising for rewilding today may not be the same in five decades from now, due to the impacts of climate change. Learn more here.
