Rewilding Europe co-founder Wouter Helmer retired at the end of 2021. Over the last decade, his instrumental involvement with the initiative has given him pride, happy memories, and hope for the future.

Both Rewilding Europe and the rewilding movement have come a long way since 2011. With Rewilding Europe’s tenth anniversary celebrations kicking off on June 29, now is the time to reflect on progress and look to the future.

The deployment of EarthRanger software across all of Rewilding Europe’s operational areas will allow rewilding teams to keep better track of wildlife, thereby enhancing rewilding outcomes.

Rewilding Europe has commissioned a science-based overview of changes in the abundance and distribution of selected wildlife species in Europe. The updated Wildlife Comeback report will provide the latest and state-of-the-art insights, opportunities and challenges for wildlife comeback at a European scale.

With its focus on online content creation and field-based exploration, the Lupi EcoClubs programme is taking nature-based education to the next level.

Rewilding Europe’s Rewilding Training Tourism programme is working to professionalise and scale up nature-based tourism across Europe. Having completed stage one, the programme’s first participants are now looking forward to field training in the Central Apennines of Italy.

With over 2000 participants, the enormous interest in last week’s Rewilding Symposium shows that rewilding is being increasingly embraced as a progressive approach to conservation. As the connection between rewilding science and practice develops, the impact of rewilding will continue to scale up and inspire others to become involved.

Rewilding Intros are mini-webinars that allow European Rewilding Network members to introduce themselves. September’s Intro, which was open to the public for the first time, saw participants learn about bison rewilding in the Southern Carpathians of Romania.

From European bison in the Southern Carpathians and red deer in the Rhodope Mountains to Konik horses in the Danube Delta and Tauros in the Velebit Mountains, Rewilding Europe is reintroducing wildlife species in many of its operational areas. These reintroductions are carried out after careful evaluation and always follow established scientific guidelines. Deli Saavedra, Rewilding Europe’s Rewilding Area Coordinator, has been involved with many reintroduction programmes. He explains more.

Rewilding means more than recovering wildlife populations and restoring landscapes. People are an equally important and integral component of the rewilding dynamic too. From bison rangers in the Southern Carpathians and nature guides in the Oder Delta to volunteers in the Central Apennines and entrepreneurs in the Velebit Mountains, Rewilding Europe’s work continues to touch and transform people’s lives across the continent. Four interviews showcase the diversity of this impact.