Feed: a food systems podcast What is rewilding? (rebroadcast)
Feb 15, 2024
Walter Fraanje, a research and communications officer, dives into rewilding and its ecological implications. He explains how rewilding differs from traditional conservation, highlighting its potential to combat climate change and biodiversity loss. Walter shares fascinating examples, such as the roles of wolves in Yellowstone and innovative projects in Europe and South Africa. He discusses the complex relationship between rewilding and agriculture, addressing farmer concerns, indigenous rights, and the transformative power of rewilding on personal and community levels.
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Keystone Species Drive Rewilding
- Rewilding focuses on restoring ecosystem processes by reintroducing keystone species like wolves or beavers.
- It aims to let ecosystems evolve autonomously toward greater complexity and diversity.
How Wolves 'Change Rivers'
- The Yellowstone wolf reintroduction reduced elk browsing and enabled willow regrowth, which helped beavers return and alter river systems.
- This cascade illustrates how one species' return reshaped hydrology and habitat structure.
Dutch Rewilding Sparked Outrage
- The Oostvaardersplassen in the Netherlands introduced Heck cattle to a reclaimed polder, creating a grazing-based conservation experiment.
- A harsh winter killed many animals and sparked public controversy because the project minimized human intervention.
