What is Rewilding, How to do it?

Rewilding is about allowing nature to re-establish its own balance. This concept can be seen as a “nature conservation” method at the first glance, but in essence it represents a quite different approach. In traditional conservation methods, humans act like a manager overseeing nature. It is always humans who decide how many trees to plant, which species to protect, which space to use. And rewilding reverses with relationship: freeing nature again instead of managing it.

In scientific terms, rewilding is an approach that supports ecosystems to be repaired through their own processes. It aims to make cycles between soil, water, vegetation, and animal species functional again, without human intervention. In other words, it consists of not planting new trees in the forest but allowing the forest to regrow on its own. The most important feature of this approach is that is sees nature not as a passive object of protection, but as an active subject.

The concept first emerged at the end of 1980s in North America. It was notices that nature renewed itself with an unexpected speed when large scale agricultural fields are abandoned. Microorganisms in the soil, lost for years, returned, weeds came out on the banks of the river, bird flocks found their migratory routes again. Scientists called this phenomenon “rewilding.”

Today, rewilding is not only an ecological project; it is also part of a philosophical transformation that inquiries about the relationship between humans and nature. Because this idea suggests that saving nature is not a human-centered task, it is already something that nature is capable of doing when it is left to its own means.

Since 1970s, almost two thirds of wildlife populations in the world were lost. This not only means that animal species are disappearing; soil’s nutrition cycle, water’s natural flow and balance of climate are all being destroyed together with this loss.

Click here to check out our blog post titled ‘What is Biodiversity?’

And the climate crisis is making this situation worse. Extreme weather events, droughts, and forest fires are choking nature. Whereas rewilded areas (i.e., ecosystems left to their own means) are among the most effective defense lines against climate crisis with their carbon sequestration capacity. Regrowing forests, swamps holding water and freely flowing rivers absorb carbon in a natural manner, thus reducing the concentration in the atmosphere.

Rewilding also brings back the health of the soil. The soil, exhausted by chemical inputs and intense agricultural activities, revives when left to its own means. Organic substances accumulate; worms and microorganisms return. And this increase the soil’s capacity to retain water. In short, leaving nature’s own cycle on its own is one of the solutions with lowest costs against climate crisis, in both ecological and economic terms.

Rewilding is a decision to release an area to be free rather than implementing a plan. It does not consist of saving nature; it is to let it return to its natural state. This process is based on three key principles: Reducing intervention, recovering species, and trusting in natural cycles.

1. Releasing the Area to be Free

The first step is to “be able to let go” nature. This is the most difficult one because people have become used to controlling nature for centuries. Agriculture, construction, mining, and even conservation projects create human-centered arrangements most of the time. The purpose of rewilding, on the other hand, consists of leaving soil, water, and forest on its own.
Where agricultural activities stop, first weeds return, followed by bugs and then birds. The soil reestablishes its own ecosystem once it is purged from chemicals.

2. Bringing Back Endemic Species

In certain situations, a little thrust is needed for nature to heal itself. And this is usually done by bringing back the lost species.
For example, bringing back wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1995 was not only the return of a species, it meant a whole ecosystem to be restructured. Wolves have taken the population of deer under control; thus, allowing for the vegetation to regrow; and this created habitat for birds, fish, and soil. Scientists call this impact “trophic cascade”, i.e. an ecological domino effect that extends across the food chain.

3. Trusting in Natural Cycles

The essence of rewilding is to trust in the nature’s own systems. For example, not interfering with the renewal cycles of the forests. Considering forest fires not only as disasters, but also as a way of ecosystems to rejuvenate themselves. Understanding natural processes is more valuable than managing nature. Rewilding puts this approach to the center once again.

I. Alladale Wilderness Reserve, Scotland

In the Highlands region of Scotland, Alladale Wilderness Reserve is a special natural reserve that aims to revive nature. The reserve was established with the aim of restoring forests and reestablishing local wildlife. Reintroducing predatory species such as wolves is also among the plans. The purpose is to control the deer population, preventing damage to young saplings and proliferating biodiversity. Furthermore, the reserve is also supported by tourism; the aim is to establish a connection between local community and ecological economy. Alladale’s most prominent feature is that it is a feasible example of the rewilding approach under private ownership.

II. Celtic Rewilding, the UK

Celtic Rewilding is an organization that aims to reintroduce extinct reptile and amphibian species in the United Kingdom. For example, European turtle has been considered extinct in the United Kingdom for 400 years. Celtic Rewilding plans to reintroduce this species to the nature by bringing back genetically suitable individuals to the region. This example shows the rewilding is not always limited to big species; small by ecologically critical species are also important.

III. Wildlife Improvement Sites, Türkiye

In different regions in Türkiye, there are 85 Wildlife Improvement Areas (YHGS). Although these sites are identified for the purpose of conservation of wildlife, they can also be considered as potential core regions for rewilding in ecological terms. As per the definition of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, these sites are managed through long term conservation plans with the purpose of improving habitats of certain species and supporting biodiversity. Limiting human activity, reducing agricultural pressure, and allowing predators to return to the site all carry the potential to reactivate self-repairing capacity of ecosystems.

Rewilding is not about “saving” nature, it is about allowing nature to find its own way. People have tried to manage nature for centuries. Now it is time to allow nature to reestablish its own order. Our responsibility is solely to refrain from obstructing this healing process.. Because as we see, nature returns when we withdraw.