Programme’s proposed measures would have a catastrophic impact on biodiversity and negatively impact the work of Rewilding Europe and its partners.

This spring proved to be a very interactive one for Rewilding Europe’s Oder Delta team.

We regret to announce that recently, Rewilding Europe had to decide to withdraw from the Eastern Carpathians rewilding area. The main reason is that, despite several years of trying, we have found that at the moment there is no enabling environment for a major rewilding initiative in the region.

Photographer Solvin Zankl is on a photo mission for Rewilding Europe in the Oder delta, on the border between Germany and Poland. Here is his second blog from the field.

The Tarpan, an extinct type of the Eurasian wild horse, features in the unique recently released half-hour documentary film called “TARPAN: Repainting An Ancient Picture” which will soon be screened in New York.

Our rewilding efforts have now been officially re-started in the Eastern Carpathians, after a new ambitious and enthusiastic local team has been gathered and a very important cooperation agreement was signed with the Bieszczady National Park. This means that work has now begun in the Polish parts of this huge, cross-border Biosphere Reserve, with lots of opportunities also into Slovakia and Ukraine.

A big herd of dozens of bison suddenly crosses the forest track ahead of us at full speed. A second or two later the large animals are already gone, impressingly fast and agile as they are. Well, I guess that was it. A bit of a disappointment of course, but at least we did see them. Living completely wild here as they do, I did expect them to be pretty shy and wary. Even though I had hoped to be able to photograph them… Luckily, I was soon to learn a few more things about bison.

At the edge of Poland, close to the sources of the river San, a beautiful valley divides the forests on both sides of the border with Ukraine. An ancient lime tree in the meadows and a charming overgrown cemetery remind the visitor of bygone times, when this valley was intensively used by peasant families.

From the start in October 2011, serious efforts were made to influence the reform of the Nature and Landscape Protection Act in Slovakia, which could radically improve the set-up of national parks and other protected areas, as well as reduce the negative impacts of forestry and hunting. The fate of the bill now depends on the politics of the new social-democratic party, the winner of March 10 elections.