Rewilding conference generates optimism for the future

January 28, 2025

What will tomorrow’s wild look like? Citizen Zoo’s “Rewilding Futures” conference, which took place on January 17 and 18 in the UK, offered strategies, solutions, and a clear message: now is the time to rewild with boldness and determination.

Rewilding Apennines field officer Fabrizio Cordischi releases a griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) after GPS tagging operations. Velino Nature Reserve, Abruzzo - Central Apennines, Italy. 2021
In recent years, the European rewilding movement has grown rapidly, with an ever-increasing number of initiatives taking nature recovery to the next level across the continent.
Bruno D'Amicis

 

Shaping tomorrow’s wild

On January 17 and 18, the 2025 Rewilding Conference took place in the city of Cambridge in the UK, revealing the huge potential of efforts to realise wilder nature across the world. In recent years, the European rewilding movement has grown rapidly, with an ever-increasing number of initiatives taking nature recovery to the next level across the continent. In light of this exciting and hopeful upward trajectory, the Cambridge conference asked what the future holds for rewilding in the coming decades, and how we can scale it up to amplify meaningful impact.

Organised by Citizen Zoo and titled “Rewilding Futures: Shaping Tomorrow’s Wild”, the event brought together a wide range of rewilding professionals, advocates, and thought leaders, with compelling presentations, expert panels, audience Q&As, and more hosted at the University of Cambridge’s world-renowned David Attenborough Building. It was attended by a five-strong team of Rewilding Europe representatives, who gave presentations, participated in panel discussions, and networked with peers from across the world.

 

The team of Rewilding Europe representatives at the conference.
Amy Duthie
A panel discussion with Frans Schepers participating.
Amy Duthie

 

Accelerating large landscape recovery

In a keynote presentation, Rewilding Europe’s Executive Director Frans Schepers, together with David Thomas, Programme Director for the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme, presented what they regard as eight key success factors for large landscape nature recovery in Europe. These factors, based on over 13 year of work in 22 landscapes across 32 European countries and encompassing nearly 10 million hectares of land and water, were echoed throughout the conference.


“Today, we are faced with huge needs and huge opportunities to restore nature at scale.”

Frans Schepers

Frans Schepers
Rewilding Europe’s Executive Director


 

“Today, we are faced with huge needs and huge opportunities to restore nature at scale,” says Frans. “It was truly inspiring to be part of the global community of rewilding initiatives at the conference – all making a difference, inspiring change, and leading the way together. We saw some fantastic examples of practical rewilding taking place across the world, demonstrating not only how rewilding can be done, but also the benefits it can deliver to nature and people. It was very clear that there are unifying principles for rewilding at scale globally, but also that there are no blueprints as each continent, region, and country has its own context.”

As Rewilding Europe continues to grow, our mission is clear: to deliver and demonstrate tangible and meaningful results on the ground, at scale, while encouraging and enabling others to embrace and adopt rewilding.

 

Frans Schepers of Rewilding Europe releases a sturgeon into the Göta River, Sweden.
Frans Schepers releases a sturgeon in Sweden’s Göta River.
Jon Juarez

 

“We are still learning ourselves, but to be in a position where we are seen as a leading authority in rewilding fills me with pride,” says Frans. “We are not only rewilding landscapes, but also reshaping mindsets and creating a shared vision for a wilder future.

“I came home from the conference feeling even more empowered to continue our work. With growing knowledge, capacity and global collaboration, the rewilding movement is accelerating. Now is the time to amplify this momentum, scale up our actions, and inspire even more people to join us in realising a future where nature and people thrive alongside each other.”

 

A rallying cry for rewilding

This sense of urgency and determination was brought to life by Giulia Testa, Rewilding Europe’s Upscaling Manager, who took part in a panel discussion at the conference, where she shared the stage with a range of other rewilding professionals. She energised the audience with her passion, purpose, and rallying cry for rewilding.


For the sake of today’s and tomorrow’s generations – as well as nature and wildlife – we cannot afford any self-doubt.”

Giulia Testa

Giulia Testa
Rewilding Europe’s Upscaling Manager


 

“People engaged in actions that harm nature are not splitting hairs or second-guessing themselves – they are just doing it,” she says. “We need the same determination to rewild on an ambitious scale. We are now faced with an unprecedented urgency to restore nature, and have never had so much knowledge and capacity to carry out that restoration. For the sake of today’s and tomorrow’s generations – as well as nature and wildlife – we cannot afford any self-doubt. It might be a cliché, but we simply need to go hard, or go home.

“As Alister Scott from the Global Rewilding Alliance told the conference, the rewilding wave is in motion and it will get higher and wider. As we learned at the conference, ideas are being incubated, organisations are considering shifting their paradigms, and more and more people are going the extra mile and pushing boundaries. We need to channel that positivity and keep driving the rewilding movement onwards and upwards.”

 

Starting in June, the Rewilding Sweden team have been working to restore a five-kilometre stretch of the Abramsån River.
The Rewilding Sweden team have been working to restore a five-kilometre stretch of the Abramsån River.
Arthur de Bruin

 

Harnessing laws and policies

Restoring nature is now enshrined in many legal tools and obligations across Europe. European policies are increasingly supportive of nature recovery, with the Nature Restoration Law’s binding targets for EU Member States now in force – and attainable with rewilding playing a key role.

Together with Giulia Testa, Rewilding Europe’s Head of Upscaling Amy Duthie co-led a conference session on the opportunities created by international and regional laws and policies to enable rewilding, with a focus on the Nature Restoration Law. Rewilding Europe is currently developing guidance for policymakers, demonstrating how rewilding can help realise the law’s ambitions.


“My experience at the conference showed how interest in training, support, and advice from Rewilding Europe is already huge, which is really gratifying.”

Amy Duthie

Amy Duthie
Rewilding Europe’s Head of Upscaling


 

“My experience at the conference showed how interest in training, support, and advice from Rewilding Europe is already huge, which is really gratifying,” says Amy. “I believe there are opportunities for us to take an even stronger convening role and to ramp up learning and training for those at all stages of their rewilding journey – both on our own and in alignment with others. Stay tuned for further big developments this year”.

 

Sparking new ideas

How can we build a wilder future for Europe with more space for natural processes, such as forest regeneration, free-flowing rivers, herbivory, and predation, to enhance ecosystems? What is the best way of realising a future where people and nature not only co-exist, but thrive alongside each other?

 

Mist lingers above loch beinn a mheadhoin and the Caledonian Forest of Glen Affric, Affric Highlands.
Rewilding Europe currently demonstrates rewilding across 13 European countries, including Scotland (pictured here), while catalysing further action at landscape scale across Europe.
James Shooter

 

At Rewilding Europe, we focus on maximising our impact by demonstrating rewilding across 13 European countries and catalysing further action at landscape scale. By integrating ecological restoration, new nature-based economies, and innovative finance mechanisms, rewilding models offer scalable and replicable solutions that sustain ecological impact while incentivising large-scale adoption.

Carolina Soto-Navarro, Rewilding Europe’s Head of Wilder Nature, co-delivered a presentation on such models, together with Sophie Monsarrat, our Rewilding Landscapes Manager. Using examples from Rewilding Europe’s landscape portfolio, the pair showcased the success of these models in restoring wilder nature and delivering long-term benefits for nature and people.


“Now, more than ever, we must recognise the importance of joining forces and empowering others to make decisions that can realise a wilder tomorrow.”

Carolina Soto-Navarro

Carolina Soto-Navarro
Rewilding Europe’s Head of Wilder Nature


 

“We always talk about scaling up rewilding – and about not just thinking big, but thinking bigger,” says Carolina. “While these are admirable sentiments, they are not always easy to act on. We need to be exposed to what others are doing, and give ourselves time to learn, think, and explore how others are solving or approaching similar challenges. Some ideas won’t work. Some people will say no. But in the long run, it’s better to fail than fail to try.

“The Rewilding Futures conference proved incredibly hopeful in this regard. Many people out there are trying. Now, more than ever, we must recognise the importance of joining forces and empowering others to make decisions that can realise a wilder tomorrow. If you just want to walk fast walk alone, but if you want to walk far, walk together.”

 

Group picture after a successful bison release
The rewilding movement offers a clear path toward a healthier, wilder future, in which nature and people can thrive together.
Vlad Cvasa

 

Time for action

Now is the time to take bold rewilding action. Whether you’re a land owner, policymaker, conservationist, or passionate advocate for nature, the rewilding movement offers a clear path toward a healthier, wilder future. Join us in making Europe a wilder place.

 

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