Nature and rewilding

The state of nature

The State of Nature report (2023) reiterates what many of us already know: “The UK, like most other countries worldwide, has experienced a significant loss of biodiversity … As a result, the UK is now one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth”.

What has caused this decline in nature? The report puts it down to “significant and ongoing changes in the way we manage our land for agriculture, and the effects of climate change” over the last 50 years.

(Potentially, population growth and development of housing, industry and roads has also played a part, as the number of people living in the UK has increased by 20% in that 50 year period).

Nature recovery

So what is being done about this?

In the UK, there is the Nature Recovery Network
In England, there’s a biodiversity duty, and Local Nature Recovery Strategies, and as part of the planning system, there’s Biodiversity Net Gain
In Wales, there’s the Nature recovery action plan, the Woodlands for Wales and Wales Biodiversity Partnership, plus One Planet Development smallholdings can support nature.
There are various funding streams available, including Countryside Stewardship, and grant schemes for tree planting in England or Wales.
Charities are doing their bit – for example – The Wildlife Trusts, the National Trust, the RPSB, the Woodland Trust, and Rewilding Britain.

What is rewilding?

The buzz word in relation to nature recovery is ‘rewilding’…

“Rewilding offers hope. In a nutshell, it is the large-scale restoration of nature until it can take care of itself – and us – again. It’s about restoring nature’s remarkable web of life, including habitats, natural processes and, where appropriate, missing species”.
Source: Rewilding Britain

The focus on rewilding is designed to take nature recovery to the next level, beyond the traditional focus on nature conservation. Rewilding is not uniformly welcomed though. It is important that where rewilding takes place, it is carefully thought through.

Some things to bear in mind:

The Lawton principles – the need for ‘more, bigger, better, joined’ wildlife habitats
Archaeology and heritage – best to avoid planting trees on sites and areas of archaeological interest or potential
Sustainable food and food security – preferably rewilding would be focused on less productive land, or would be done in conjunction with sustainable food production

For more, see Rewilding Britain’s 12 steps to rewilding.