Our history

The beginning of something new

Our history

The beginning of something new

Staffan Widstrand / Rewilding Europe

Establishing

Rewilding Europe was formally established on 28 June 2011 as an independent, not-for-profit foundation (ANBI status) registered in the Netherlands. The four co-founders of Rewilding Europe are Frans Schepers, Staffan Widstrand, Neil Birnie and Wouter Helmer.

As an independent organisation, Rewilding Europe has established itself as a pan-European initiative, operating at the frontline of rewilding at a European scale. We work together with numerous partners, both at a European, national and local level. A Supervisory Board, with now six members from six different countries, was established in September 2012.

Hans Koster

Rewilding progress

Rewilding Europe is now well underway and has made considerable progress, as can be seen in our Annual Reviews and regular reports. The rewilding process in Europe has achieved significant momentum.

By end-2023, Rewilding Europe is working in ten large rewilding landscapes across Europe, with staff- and board members, ambassadors and volunteers from 18 European countries. Our lean-and-mean central team currently represents 8 lead positions with some 35 staff in total. Rewilding Europe has its main office in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, while our partner organisations have offices in the rewilding landscapes across Europe. Read more about Rewilding Europe in the public disclosures.

Our logo

Rewilding Europe’s logo stands as a symbol of innovation and transformative thinking in the realm of nature conservation. Within the logo, an arrow-like formation is formed by the harmonious convergence of plants, animals, and human beings, illustrating their collective movement towards a thriving future.

Additionally, it evokes a sense of abundance, akin to the richness of a thriving ecosystem, and the collective power found within swarms and herds. This design concept echoes the belief that unity is a force greater than the sum of its individual parts, a truth reflected not only in nature but also in corporate identity.

The choice of the colour purple in Rewilding Europe’s logo is a deliberate departure from the traditional colours commonly associated with nature conservation, such as green and blue. Purple, in this context, represents a departure from the norm and signifies the organisation’s determination to bring about change and innovation. It reflects Rewilding Europe’s aspiration to challenge the status quo and bring fresh, innovative approaches to the forefront of the conservation movement.

The visionary logo was designed by Severin Wucher of Plural Berlin together with Theresa Grieben, whose creativity and expertise were instrumental in crafting an emblem that perfectly encapsulates Rewilding Europe’s forward-thinking mission and commitment to reimagining the future of nature conservation.