New forum to foster greater exchange between members of the burgeoning network.
Since it was launched in October 2013, the European Rewilding Network (ERN) has gone from strength to strength, benefitting a growing number of rewilding-focused organisations right across Europe. It currently contains 53 members (including Rewilding Europe’s eight operational areas), who together represent 25 European countries. These members meet regularly – usually via quarterly webinar – to share knowledge, insight and examples of best practice.
From October onwards, ERN members will be able to take advantage of an additional platform for communication – the ERN Forum. The aim of this online forum is to stimulate further exchange between members, who can post questions and information helpful to others, and interact at any time.
Accessible to all ERN members, the ERN forum will also provide access to presentations and additional information from all fifteen previously organised webinars. These focused on various rewilding-related topics, such as human-wildlife coexistence, habitat restoration, natural grazing and nature based-tourism.
“This new forum will hopefully take exchange between ERN members to a new level,” says Yvonne Kemp, Exchange Officer of ERN. “We want to get members discussing topics and problem solving amongst themselves on a more regular basis, enabling them to take advantage of their collective skills and experience.”
The level of interaction between ERN members is already on the increase, with several field visits organised to other members’ operational areas. In 2016 ERN members also attended workshops organised by Rewilding Europe and partner ARK Nature, with another multi-day training workshop scheduled for October in the Southern Carpathians. Participation in the workshop is free for all ERN members.
Rewilding Europe extends a warm welcome to rewilding initiatives that are not yet part of the network. Information on applying for membership can be found online here.