Can we still coexist peacefully with the wild? with Jacob Dykes, Conservation Manager at The European Nature Trust

Jan 22, 2025

Jacob Dykes, Conservation Manager at The European Nature Trust, shares insights on wildlife preservation and the human-wolf dynamic. He discusses their film, The Wolf Within, which explores wolves' roles and relations with humans in Europe, especially amidst changing protection statuses. Dykes highlights the ecological importance of wolves and the challenges of coexistence, sharing a personal tale of encountering wolves in Italy. He emphasizes the need for deeper connections with nature and actionable conservation efforts to protect keystone species.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

Connecting People to Nature

02:01 • 7min

Wolves: Myths, Realities, and Coexistence

08:33 • 28min

Taking Action for Conservation: Supporting Keystone Species

36:22 • 4min

A Magical Encounter with Wolves in the Wild

40:34 • 7min

In today’s episode I’m speaking with Jacob Dykes, the Conservation Manager of The European Nature Trust - a foundation that works to lift conservation and nature restoration projects in Europe, supporting a network of organisations working at landscape-scale to protect and restore ecosystems. Through an approach they call ‘Noise for Nature’, they also amplify conservation storytelling by creating impactful documentary films that raise awareness and engagement with the defining issues of our time.

I was really looking forward to speaking with Jacob about his conservation work in general but also more specifically about wolves. The European Nature Trust recently produced a film called The Wolf Within exploring the relationship between wolves and humans in Europe, which was released at the end of last year – just weeks before the European Commission decided to downgrade their protection status. I’ve been fascinated with wolves for as long as I can remember and really enjoyed learning more about the evolution of our relationship with them and their place in our collective imagination. Jacob and I also talked about what this relationship says about our coexistence with the wild; and what we can do to better and more equitably safeguard keystone species around us. Jacob also shared a really lovely story about seeing wolves in the wild in Italy, and an important reminder to keep practicing wonder towards the natural world.

Want to dive deeper?

Watch The Wolf Within: https://www.waterbear.com/campaigns/the-wolf-within
Discover The European Nature Trust: https://theeuropeannaturetrust.com/
The EU recently downgraded wolf protections in Europe: https://eeb.org/nature-under-attack-bern-convention-weakens-wolf-protection/
Joint statement by 300+ civil society organisations calling for strict wolf protection to be maintained: https://eeb.org/library/joint-statement-by-300-civil-society-organisations-calling-for-strict-wolf-protection-to-be-maintained/
ClientEarth’s investigation: https://www.clientearth.org/latest/press-office/press-releases/ombudsman-opens-inquiry-after-eu-trashes-wolf-protections/
The European Nature Trust on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theeuropeannaturetrust
Io Non Ho Paura Del Lupo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iononhopauradellupo

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