The European Safari Company has just added two exciting nature-based experiences on the German side of the Oder Delta rewilding area to its growing list of offerings. The ongoing development and support of nature-based businesses in the delta will contribute to local rewilding efforts.
An invitation to explore
What if you could support rewilding simply by going on holiday? Nature lovers, rewilding enthusiasts and adventure junkies will be delighted to hear that the European Safari Company (ESC) has just added two exciting experiences on the German side of the Oder Delta rewilding area to its burgeoning portfolio.
Complementing a well-established list of offerings on the Polish side of the delta, these new additions are the latest demonstration of how rewilding and the restoration of wild nature can support local livelihoods by underpinning the development of nature-based tourism. They also give travellers the opportunity to further rewilding in the area, which has already achieved transformative results.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer our discerning clients these unique new experiences,” says the European Safari Company’s Aukje van Gerven. “The Oder Delta is a wild and wonderful place, with some of Europe’s most stunning wildlife and scenery. I invite all those with a passion for the great outdoors to visit this very special area.”
Canoeing the Peene River
Added in May, the two new Oder Delta offerings both involve waterborne travel. The first will see ESC clients canoe along the beautiful Peene River for four days.
Like most major rivers in Europe, the hydrology of the Peene River was artificially altered in the past, with dykes built along the main channel and floodplains drained to create agricultural polders. An extensive conservation project reversed this engineering between 1992 and 2009, with dykes removed, pumping stations switched off and around 9000 hectares reflooded, thereby connecting land and river once again.
Experience rewilding
In 2018 Rewilding Europe received a grant from the German Postcode Lottery to further restore tributairies to the Peene River and the Stettin Lagoon (into which the Peene flows). The new safari experiences give travellers the opportunity to see for themselves how rewilding can revitalise landscapes and support the comeback of iconic wildlife species.
“As part of the wider Oder Delta region, the Peene Valley is an area of unparalleled wilderness,” says lead canoe guide Frank Götz-Schlingmann. “With no locks and very little current on the river, canoeists explore at their own pace. Complemented by our solar boat tours, canoeing is the perfect, low impact way to explore the area, with white-tailed eagles, beavers and otters just some of the wildlife highlights.”
The second, two-day experience will see participants explore the wildlife, scenery and culture of both the Peene and Anklam Stadbruch area (located close to the mouth of the Peene). Warm hospitality and delicious food keep holidaymakers energised while they enjoy canoeing, hiking and excursions on solar-powered boats.
Mutual support
In partnership with Rewilding Europe, the rapidly growing European Safari Company specialises in nature-based experiential travel across Europe. Launched in 2016, today it boasts an increasingly diverse range of high quality, authentic offerings encompassing nature, culture and wildlife.
Both of the new Oder Delta experiences were added following a careful selection process by the ESC, which involved numerous meetings with local partners and subsequent testing. Should they prove popular, more are likely to be added in the future.
ESC clients can take satisfaction from the fact they are directly supporting rewilding activities and local communities. Conservation “levies” from each booking are used to fund rewilding initiatives, while inclusion in the ESC portfolio enables European nature-based businesses to take off and thrive. This, in turn, means entrepreneurs and communities value and benefit from the wild nature around them.
“It’s a win-win proposition,” says Aukje van Gerven. “Rewilding restores wild nature and natural processes, leading to more opportunities for nature-based business. In turn, those businesses contribute financially to rewilding, create jobs and generate more local buy-in for rewilding.”
Want to know / experience more?
- Experience rewilding in Oder Delta with your own eyes
- Learn more about the work of Rewilding Europe in the Oder Delta
- Visit the Rewilding Oder Delta Facebook page