Three female bison have just arrived in the Rhodope Mountains rewilding landscape in Bulgaria. They will soon join the area’s free-roaming bison herd, boosting its health and viability and positively impacting local wild nature.
Low intensity grazing by wild and semi-wild herbivores delivers a wide range of benefits to people and nature. The fourth in our ongoing series of impact stories takes a look at how rewilding has enhanced such grazing within European landscapes over the last decade.
Our recent GrazeLIFE symposium was attended by 335 participants from 38 countries. The event was the culmination of a three-year study which set out to identify best practices of grazing that benefit both nature and people, with outcomes inextricably linked to climate and biodiversity. The final report was handed over to the European Commission’s Director for Natural Capital at the Directorate-General for Environment, Humberto Delgado Rosa.
65 fallow deer were released on the southern shore of the Kardzhali reservoir in November and December, and are now being monitored by the Rewilding Rhodopes team. The release is part of ongoing efforts in the area to restore deer numbers to a viable level, providing a sustainable natural prey and carrion source while reinstating key links in the food web.
As a critical natural process, grazing by large herbivores delivers many benefits to both wild nature and people. Yet, its impact depends greatly on the type of herbivores and grazing intensity. Join us for an online symposium on December 9th where we will present the findings of the three-year GrazeLIFE programme.
Today, wildfire poses a major risk to people, property and nature around the world. A new study, carried out as part of the GrazeLIFE project, has found that grazing with large herbivores can significantly reduce this risk.
The Wilder Blean initiative is working to create a wilder woodland landscape by boosting natural grazing, including the introduction of the UK’s first European bison herd. European Rewilding Network membership will help the initiative realise its rewilding vision.
A mosaic of forest, scrub, grassland and heath is being restored in the Netherlands to boost biodiversity. The reserve’s firm focus on natural grazing and natural processes is a valuable addition to the ongoing knowledge exchange between members of the European Rewilding Network.
This April a herd of seven European bison from the Netherlands arrived at the Lille Vildmose protected area in Denmark, which is a member of the European Rewilding Network. Their presence will help to boost biodiversity and support the health and further growth of the entire European bison population.
Natural grazing is a critical process in many European ecosystems. The European Rewilding Network is playing a key role amplifying its use and impact.