The First Ever World Rewilding Day
Rewilding is a well-known term to many, but never before has it gained such momentum as we increasingly realise the importance of nature for our survival. There has never been a more crucial time to take action for our natural word, in whichever form that takes; be it landscape scale restoration, a wild patch in your garden or simply sharing your love of nature.
South Bogland
However, on the first world rewilding day, we cannot ignore the elephant in the room – the world-wide debate around this heavily weighted word. One that brings an array of disagreements and arguments, when in fact rewilding aims for the opposite; unity and benefits for all. So, what do we mean by Rewilding?
There are various connotations, not least being the version where wolves and lynx are reintroduced in place of the people that live on the land. However, we must not forget, as a species we have impacted the landscape for as long as we have inhabited the earth, we are intertwined with every species in the intricate web of life. At Bunloit, people are just as much a part of that picture:
For us, rewilding is a progressive approach to nature conservation that revitalises forest, peatlands and pastures, providing space for wildlife and flora to flourish and communities to thrive. It creates a landscape that boosts biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and job creation for guardians of the expanding wildland, all at the same time.
A common perception of rewilding is about looking back thousands of years to when predators roamed the land alongside the likes of elk and bison. Although an exciting prospect for many, we must steer away from the notion of the past, of wishing away the damage caused by constant depletion of natural resources over the years. We need to look forward and focus on ideas that can benefit the natural environment - wildlife, landscape AND people - whether that be through nature based solutions or eco-friendly housing.
We want to see an interconnected system, a natural circular economy where our actions protect and enhance what is around us, and in return we can reap the many benefits nature can offer, in a sustainable and mutually beneficial way.
Birch Woodland and Loch Ness
Today, on the first ever world rewilding day, why not take a step in the wild direction by acting on these three ideas:
1. Rewild ourselves - Go for a walk and take the time to really look at your surroundings, from the lichen on the trees to the cloud formations in the sky.
2. Watch the Scottish Rewilding Alliance’s call to action for Scotland to be the first Rewilding Nation here.
3. Spread the word by using the hashtags #worldrewildingday and #readytorewild. Start a conversation with your family and friends and talk about what rewilding means to you.
Every little helps on our journey to a wilder world.
Bunloit is proud to be a member of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance, the European Rewilding Network and Rewilding Britain’s Rewilding Network.
Tierney Lloyd