Here we look at the charity called Rewilding Britain; 2021 Rewilding Highlights; and Supporting Rewilding To Help Reverse Climate Change. This is part of our series on Living Sustainably.
If you already know that diverse ecosystems are essential to our future, here are the options to support Rewilding Britain:
If you want some more facts before making any decisions, let’s get into the details:
Think Big. Act Wild. What a great strapline. Rewilding Britain is the first and only country-wide organisation in Britain dedicated to rewilding and the positive benefits that can bring to people and planet.
Rewilding is one way that we can reverse our emissions that are the cause of the climate crises, however, whilst we’re the cause, we can also be the solution. We hold the keys, the knowledge, and the power to reverse climate change: It’s estimated that by restoring wild lands globally we can quickly achieve at least 37% of global carbon capture targets.
2021 Rewilding Britain Highlights
2021 was a big year for Rewilding Britain, including being part of the first ever World Rewilding Day. Let’s look at some of the highlights from 2021:
Launch of the Wild Peak Project
Rewilding Britain helped to fund Wild Peak, an ambitious new vision for the Peak District. Why? Well, the Peak District may look stunning but wildlife has been dying out, which means nature, and our future, is under threat.
Wild Peak will be a partnership of landowners, communities, and organisations. The goal is to restore the Peak District to a region that’s abundant with wild animals and plants, helping Golden Eagles, Ospreys, Black Grouse, Hen Harriers, Pine Martens, Adders, Red Squirrels, Beavers, wildflower meadows, and healthy blanket bogs to thrive once again, creating a healthy and diverse ecosystem that’s essential for the future of humanity.
World Rewilding Day
As I write this I can’t believe the first ever world rewilding day was only last year, in 2021. It feels like this should already have been a feature for many years. Thanks to the Global Rewilding Alliance—Rewilding Britain being one of 125 members—the first world rewilding day took place across 70 countries and 100 million hectares of land.
As well as being involved in many local projects, Rewilding Britain launched The Rewilding Network to help independent rewilding projects and groups across Britain to collaborate and exchange.
Read More About World Rewilding Day
Largest Ever Community Buyout of Land in Southern Scotland
The Langholm community development trust acquired 2,100ha of grouse moor and woodland. The goal is to transform the land into a nature reserve to restore and protect peatlands and ancient woods, and create a nature-based economy to generate jobs and income for the local community.
As of February 2022, the initiative has helped to create 6 new jobs since March 2021.
Read More About the Langholm Initiative
Rewilding Britain Partnership with Government Task Force
It’s essential to bring back native species of beavers, butterflies, and everything in between to restore and protect diverse and healthy ecosystems. Rewilding Britain is working in partnership with Natural England as part of the reintroductions task force to reintroduce declining species such as pine marten, dormice, corncrake, short-haired bumblebee, and large blue butterfly.
It’s great to see that species reintroductions are part of the work that’s being done to meet new legally binding biodiversity targets to reverse the decline of wildlife.
Read More About Recovery From Reintroductions
Financial Support To Create Woodland
Rewilding Britain’s Natural Regeneration report and high level meetings with the CEO of the Forestry Commission and Lord Goldsmith were a key part of securing government funding for natural regeneration.
Find the Natural Regeneration Report Here
As of February 2022, landowners, land managers, and public bodies could receive over £10,000 per hectare for support to create new woodland.
Read the Latest on the England Woodland Creation Offer
World’s First Rewilding Nation Campaign
In June 2021, the Scottish Rewilding Alliance launched a campaign asking the Scottish government to declare Scotland as the world’s first Rewilding Nation. The aim of the campaign is to rewild 30% of Scotland’s land and sea within 10-years.
Here are three reasons why the Scottish Rewilding Alliance are calling for Scotland to become a Rewilding Nation:
First, Biodiversity
2016 research from the RSPB estimated that only 28 countries out of 218 have lost more biodiversity than the UK, with Scotland faring only slightly better than the UK average. Rewilding enables wildlife to recover. If nature has more space, in a vast, inter-connected network of flourishing habitats, lost wildlife will return.
Second, Climate
The Scottish Government has declared a climate emergency. Rewilding large areas of woodland, peatland, saltmarsh, and sea would make a major contribution to carbon storage and climate mitigation. At the same time as storing carbon and mitigating climate change, revived wetlands protect against the increased flooding associated with climate change.
You can read more about Reducing Carbon and Greenhouse Gases (Called Mitigation), and Removing Carbon From the Atmosphere and Storing It in the Soil and Plants (Called Sequestration or Carbon Drawdown) in our article Buying Healthy Meals Gives Us the Power To Improve Climate Change.
Third, People
People are not separate from nature, we are part of nature. Rewilding creates opportunities to revive rural communities because of diverse and innovative nature-based economies. Outdoor activity also improves our health and happiness.
Read More About the Scottish Rewilding Alliance
Rewilding Boosts Jobs
Rewilding on 33,327 hectares of land across 33 projects in England had increased full-time equivalent roles by a whopping 54% over an average of 10 years!
Read More in the Nature-Based Economies Report
Approval of the UK’s Largest Urban Rewilding Project
Thanks to Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s proposal, supported by Rewilding Britain, Derby City Council unanimously approved the rewilding of over 130 hectares of land at a former golf course.
Almost 450 Rewilding Projects
By the end of 2021 there were almost 450 rewilding projects as part of the Rewilding Network throughout Britain. From large-scale rewilding of over 40 hectares to smallholders, local networks, and marine projects. A total of 118,000 hectares of land and 304 km² of seabed – the equivalent of 1,046 Hyde Parks!
Support Rewilding Britain To Help Reverse Climate Change
You can donate and support Rewilding Britain as another way to play your part in reversing climate change and improving our future and the lives of future generations.
Find Out More at the Rewilding Britain Donation Page
Here Is What You Can Do
- Learn about the importance and benefits of Rewilding Britain
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Sources Used to Create This
- Our 2021 rewilding highlights
- Wild Peak | Rewilding Britain
- People power on World Rewilding Day
- Case Study: Langholm Initiative
- Recovery through reintroductions | Rewilding Britain
- Natural regeneration | Rewilding Britain
- England Woodland Creation Offer – GOV.UK
- State of Nature 2016
- The Global Climate Emergency – Scotland’s Response
- Support Rewilding
- Nature-Based Economies | Rewilding Britain
- Donate | Rewilding Britain
Production Notes
This was produced by me, James Walters, as a personal project to help stop climate change by inspiring others to grow, eat, and live sustainably.
Any advice given is the opinion of those involved and does not constitute medical, financial, or legal advice.
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