The Rewilding Movement

6min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

James Martin talks about the phenomenon of rewilding. He says it's a good idea if humans are responsible for ecosystems now, and we have to put way more nature in them. But he also argues that land sparing theory is problematic because people don't want to leave their land. And when you start reintroducing animals such as wolves or domestic dogs into modern Britain, then there's an extinctions problem.

James Rebanks's family has raised sheep in the same small English village for at least four centuries. There are records of people with his same last name going back a few hundred more. Even his sheep are rooted in place: their DNA is from Viking times. It's enough to make anyone feel insignificant--and according to Rebanks, that's a wonderful thing. Listen as the author of The Shepherd's Life speaks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about the deep pleasures and humbling privilege of being a sheep farmer.