Nature should not be managed, but allowed to grow wild

Not only do fearsome carnivores like the wolf and bear play a leading role in this story. No less important are slower herbivores: cattle, geese and horses.

This story is about RewildingIt is a radically different approach to nature management, which has been on the rise since the mid-1990s. the book Rewilding, the innovative science of ecological restoration British ecologists Paul Gibson and Ken Blyth explain the scientific basis, ethical dilemmas and political pitfalls well.

The process of “rewilding” deviates sharply from traditional nature management. Humans do their best to protect species and habitats. Despite this intensive management, much is still missing. The approach focuses on what used to be. Gibson and Blyth write that the “natural baseline” – what is considered the normal state – for Europe is “the middle of the nineteenth century.” For North America, this is 1492, the year of Columbus. It immediately shows the arbitrariness of those baselines.

The idea behind Rewilding On the other hand, as long as the basic design is good, biodiversity will automatically increase. It remains to be seen which species will be produced. In this sense, it is Rewilding More optimistic, more exciting and unexpected. In addition, humans play a minor role as administrator. The ecosystem organizes itself as much as possible. This immediately saves a lot of management costs.

Park-like landscape

Cattle, horses, camels, elephants and giant tortoises, the so-called large grazers, play a crucial role in this approach. One scientific insight in recent decades is that large parts of Europe and America were once not only densely forested, but also had park-like landscapes with alternating forests and grasslands. It was precisely the large grazing animals (large herbivores) that created these open areas. As they traveled long distances, they carried seeds and nutrients. Their dung was fertile ground for all kinds of life. This interaction between forests, grasslands and large herbivores has created a range of microhabitats. And therefore also for the rich biodiversity.

Rewilding They are clearly laid out and cover a range of topics. Such as restrictive regulations, opportunities Rewilding To help fight climate change, and revive extinct species such as mammoths. The authors draw lessons from the first four major international lessons RewildingInitiatives, including Oostvaardersplassen. They admit that the latter is “increasingly called a failed experiment,” but prefer to talk about the “Nature Design Studio” where a number of principles were investigated.

The picture book ends beautifully, in keeping with RewildingPhilosophy, with ten hopeful predictions. It becomes “rewilding.” the current It will help cities become greener.

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