Discover Rewilding / What is rewilding?
What is rewilding?
Rewilding is the large-scale restoration of ecosystems to the point where nature can take care of itself — reinstating natural processes and, where appropriate, missing species.
[CHOOSE A REFERENCE DEFINITION — e.g. IUCN or Global Rewilding Alliance — and cite it]
[PHOTO — e.g. beaver dam in a Swiss stream]
The science
Three processes that make ecosystems self-sustaining
Rewilding focuses on restoring how ecosystems function, rather than fixing them in a particular state.
Framework: Perino et al. (2019), Science. [VERIFY & LINK]
01
Trophic complexity
Restoring the full web of who-eats-whom — from large herbivores and predators to scavengers and decomposers — so that species regulate each other.
In Switzerland: the natural return of the wolf and lynx; [ADD EXAMPLE].
02
Natural disturbance
Allowing floods, windthrow and grazing to create dynamic, varied habitats instead of suppressing every change.
In Switzerland: river revitalisation that lets rivers flood and shift their beds; [ADD EXAMPLE].
03
Dispersal and connectivity
Reconnecting landscapes so plants and animals can move, recolonise and adapt — especially as the climate changes.
In Switzerland: wildlife corridors and overpasses across motorways; [ADD EXAMPLE].
Rewilding is often misunderstood
MythRewilding means removing people from the land.RealityRewilding works with communities, farmers and landowners. People are part of healthy landscapes.
MythRewilding is only about wolves and bears.RealityMost rewilding is about water, soils, vegetation and processes — large animals are one part of the picture.
MythRewilding means abandoning land.RealityRewilding is an active, monitored approach with clear goals, often starting with an initial intervention.
Frequently asked questions
How is rewilding different from conservation?
Traditional conservation often protects species or habitats in a fixed state through ongoing management. Rewilding aims to restore the processes that let nature sustain itself, reducing the need for long-term intervention. [REVIEW WORDING]
Is there room for rewilding in a country as busy as Switzerland?
[ANSWER — rewilding works at many scales, from a single stream to an alpine valley; examples from the network.]
Does rewilding conflict with farming?
[ANSWER — coexistence, extensive grazing as a rewilding tool, new income sources.]
Who decides where rewilding happens?
[ANSWER — landowners, communities and authorities; Rewilding Switzerland supports, it does not impose.]