Legal guidance

Juan Carlos Muñoz Robredo / Rewilding Europe

Legal guidance

When you want to rewild your land, there are many legal topics to consider. Together with our partner LifeScape we have co-developed legal notes to provide practical guidance, takeaway summaries, case studies and accessible explanations of key laws that are relevant when you want to rewild your land.

Whether you’re running a small volunteer-led project or embarking on a large-scale cross-border initiative, the notes provide a resource to support making your rewilding ambitions a reality, in accordance with rewilding principles. In each of the notes, you will find a summary of the relevant law and practical examples of how it might apply to rewilding activities.

REWILDING IN ITALY

Legal notes

REWILDING IN PORTUGAL

Legal notes

REWILDING IN SCOTLAND

Legal notes

REWILDING IN ENGLAND AND WALES

Legal notes

Rewilding in Italy

Together with our rewilding team in the Central Apennines notes have been developed on the following key topics which are relevant for the Italian context. For each note a summary of its content and key takeaways are provided.

View on a local village in Abruzzo, Italy

Obtaining land

How to obtain access to rural land for rewilding and nature restoration?
Full note.

Public access

Legal tools to grant access to privately owned land and ways to limit such access.
Full note.

Rewilding Apennines field officer Fabrizio Cordischi releases a griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) after GPS tagging operations. Velino Nature Reserve, Abruzzo - Central Apennines, Italy. 2021

Wildlife reintroductions

Reintroductions will require permissions and licences from authorities.
Full note.

Wild boar (Sus scropha) portrait in tall grass on autumn morning. Abruzzo, Central Apennines, Italy. September 2010

Hunting

How is hunting regulated in Italy? Obligations of landowners within hunting areas.
Full note.

Feeding stations

Permission and authorisations required to establish feeding stations.
Full note.

Third-party liability

Liabilities in specific situations related to rewilding and practical steps to limit the risk or impact of liability.
Full note.

Liability to neighbouring landowners

You have a duty not to negatively impact your neighbour’s land. It is recommended to have insurance.
Full note.

Liability for animals

Whenever you involve animals in your rewilding activities, you have a duty to keep watch over them.
Full note.

Developing land

Restrictions may apply. It is advisable to consider authorisations and license for rewilding activities.
Full note.

Rewilding in Portugal

Together with our rewilding team in the Greater Côa Valley notes have been developed on the following key topics which are relevant for the Portuguese context. For each note a summary of its content and key takeaways are provided.

Landscape of the Greater Côa Valley

Classified areas

Overview of classified protected areas and how they impact rewilding.
Full note.

Public access

Subject to a few expectations, you’re free to decide who enters your private property.
Full note.

Drone image of agricultural fields in the Greater Côa Valley, Portugal.

Dam removal

To remove a small on your land, you need to contact the competent authorities.
Full note.

Hunting

Restrictions on hunting: no-hunting areas and conditional hunting areas.
Full note coming soon.

Maronesa cow, Natural grazing, Faia Brava

Grazing rights

Mechanisms to secure grazing rights on private and public land.
Full note.

Third-party liability

If individuals are injured because of your actions, you may be liable to compensate them.
Full note.

Agricultural landscape, Ribeira de Vilar Maior Valley, Greater Coa Valley, Western Iberia, Rewilding Portugal, Rewilding Europe, Portugal, Europe

Liability to neighbouring landowners

You have a duty not to negatively impact your neighbour’s land. It is recommended to have insurance.
Full note.

Lifestock guarding dog in the Greater Côa Valley in Portugal

Liability for animals

Whenever you involve animals in your rewilding activities, you may be reliable for the damage they cause.
Full note.

Forest fire, but a controlled one, burning off a clearcut area in order to try to speed up the forest rocuperation process. It is called Conservation Burning... Outside Porjus, Norrbotten, Lapland, Sweden

Wildfires

There is legislation you need to follow to prevent fires and adopt food restoration practices.
Full note.

Developing land

Always check the permitted land uses in the proposed area before taking any action.
Full note.

Maronesa cow, Natural grazing, Faia Brava

Forest and Flora

Know and follow the regulations for planning and rewilding your forest land.
Full note.

Rewilding in Scotland

LifeScape has developed legal notes on the following key topics which are relevant to the Scottish context together with Rewilding Britain. For each note, a summary of its content and key takeaways are provided.

Developing land

Developing land will usually require planning permission. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) are
required for specified activities.
Full note.

Protected areas

Rewilding may be restricted by
the area’s designated aims of protecting specific
species and habitats.
Full note.

Invasive and Protected Plant Species

Responsibilities and liabilities to consider in relation to invasive and protected plants.
Full note.

Abernethy Forest, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland

Public access

Public rights to access land that may affect rewilding initiatives.
Full note.

Liability to Visitors and Neighbours

Responsibilities to visitors and
third parties on your land, and how to mitigate risks.
Full note.

Liability for Animals and Livestock

Important practical steps that should be taken to reduce risks of people getting injured.
Full note.

Wildlife reintroductions

Licences and assessments required prior to the reintroduction of animals
Full note.

Protecting wild land

Responsibilities and legal protection of wild land.
Full note.

Tax

Rewilding may have a positive or negative effect on how property and income are taxed.
Full note.

Subsidies

Subsidies may be available for rewilding.
Full note.

Rewilding in England & Wales

LifeScape has developed legal notes on the following key topics which are relevant to England and Wales together with Rewilding Britain. For each note, a summary of its content and key takeaways are provided.

Wicken Fen - Spring

Developing land

Developing land will usually require planning permission.
Full note.

Managed by Kent Wildlife Trust for the past 18 years, the woods are a Site of Special Scientific Interest, with extensive grazing techniques – involving (in the past) Highland cattle and more recently Konik horses – used to enhance biodiversity across 150 hectares of the site.

Protected areas

Rewilding may be restricted by
the area’s designated aims of protecting specific
species and habitats.
Full note.

Invasive and Protected Plant Species

Responsibilities and liabilities to consider in relation to invasive and protected plants.
Full note.

Public access

Public rights to access land that may affect rewilding initiatives.
Full note.

Herds of fallow bucks roam freely in the Knepp Wildland, a 3,500 acre rewilding project in south-east England. There are herds of longhorn cattle, red deer, Exmoor ponies and Tamworth pigs, too - all driving the forces of habitat creation and providing stunning scenes for wildlife enthusiasts.

Liability to Neighbouring Landholders

Considerations of rewilding impact to neighbouring landowners.
Full note.

Liability for Animals and Livestock

Important practical steps that should be taken to reduce risks of people getting injured.
Full note.

The Millingerwaard and surrounding areas have become a renowned nature destination with annaul visits up to 200,000 people, all enjoying wild nature and contributing to a vibrant local economy.

Liability to Individuals

Civil and criminal liabilities relating to individuals entering land.
Full note.

Animal reintroductions

Licences and assessments required prior to the reintroduction of animals
Full note.

Wicken Fen - Spring

Protecting wild land

Responsibilities and legal protection of wild land.
Full note.

Tax

Rewilding may have a positive or negative effect on how property and income are taxed.
Full note.

“Being aware of legal considerations is crucial for rewilding, regardless of the scale you are working on. Let these legal notes inspire and empower each and every one of us to embrace a future where Europe becomes wilder.”

Raquel Filgueiras
Head of Rewilding

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