As Rewilding Europe celebrates its 15th anniversary, our Annual Review 2025 reflects on a remarkable journey — one that has helped transform rewilding from a bold idea into a growing movement for nature recovery across Europe. Showcasing progress, impact, and lessons learned, this landmark publication also marks the halfway point of our journey towards 2030 and looks ahead to an even wilder future.
Reflecting on 15 years of progress
Fifteen years ago, rewilding was a relatively unfamiliar concept in Europe. Today, it is increasingly recognised as a credible and effective approach to restoring nature at scale. Since its foundation in 2011, Rewilding Europe has worked with partners across the continent to demonstrate how nature can recover when given the space and opportunity to lead.
We are now delighted to present our Annual Review 2025, which celebrates this evolution. Alongside a detailed overview of our work and impact over the past year, the review reflects on 15 years of progress and the growing momentum behind rewilding as a practical and holistic solution to biodiversity loss, climate challenges, declining rural economies, and the restoration of resilient ecosystems.
“Our distinct and progressive approach to nature recovery has helped rewilding move from the margins towards the mainstream of European conservation,” says Rewilding Europe’s Executive Director, Frans Schepers. “At a time when Europe is spending billions responding to floods, droughts, wildfires, and health impacts, we must realise that nature recovery is basic risk management. Restoring ecosystems through rewilding is among the smartest preventive investments we can make.”
Explore our milestone year
This year’s review arrives at an important moment for our organisation. Not only does it mark our 15th anniversary, it also represents the halfway point of Rewilding Europe’s 10-year Strategy (Strategy 2030). With five years remaining until 2030, the review takes stock of progress towards our long-term goals and highlights how our work continues to evolve in response to new opportunities and challenges.
Featuring stunning photography, engaging design, infographics, and in-depth storytelling — including a range of insightful and entertaining feature pieces — it offers a comprehensive overview of the impact delivered by Rewilding Europe and its partners over the past year. Readers can explore the achievements of our rewilding landscapes and their respective teams, as well as our wildlife comeback work, enterprise support, policy engagement, and efforts to amplify the rewilding movement. The review showcases highlights such as the expansion of the European Rewilding Network, the growth of the European Young Rewilders community, and the launch of the Wilder Parks and Rewilding Land Facility initiatives and free Open Online Rewilding Course.
The review also includes a special 15-year retrospective, tracing the growth of Rewilding Europe and the wider rewilding movement — from the first seeds of the idea in 2008, to today’s growing network of landscapes, partners, practitioners, and supporters across Europe.
Thank you for helping make Europe a wilder place
Rewilding Europe would like to thank all partners, donors, investors, advisors, scientists, photographers, filmmakers, supporters, and colleagues who contributed to our work throughout 2025. Their expertise, commitment, and belief in a wilder future continue to make large-scale nature recovery possible. If you aren’t involved in the rewilding movement yet, please consider joining us as we work to make Europe a wilder place.
While 2030 remains a key destination for Rewilding Europe, we are also beginning to look further ahead. Drawing on experience gained over the last decade and a half, we have started shaping a bold longer-term vision for nature recovery in Europe, with 2040 emerging as our next horizon.
As we celebrate 15 years of progress, we remain convinced that the most important chapters of Europe’s rewilding story are still to come. Together, we will continue working to accelerate nature recovery, strengthen the rewilding movement, and help create a continent where people and nature can thrive together at scale.
Read the Annual Review 2025 online or order your hard copy for free (excluding shipping costs). Click on the button below to order yours today. Please allow a few weeks for shipping.
