Tuesday, July 7, 2026

2:30 PM - 4:00 PM

Room C3

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Details

Rewilding is often seen as a novel approach to ecological restoration, yet it is deeply rooted in evolutionary history – recognizing that natural processes have shaped ecosystems and species for millions of years. Iconic trophic rewilding projects, involving the reintroduction of large wildlife to revive key ecological functions, have inspired a growing number of rewilding initiatives globally. Despite its popularity, rewilding literature is often criticized for being dominated by opinion pieces and conceptual papers with limited empirical evidence. Biodiversity responses to rewilding take time, as do empirical studies of those responses. Many studies are case based and context dependent, yet convincing when we look at the totality. Other less known forms of rewilding –such as abiotic or passive rewilding – and in underrepresented ecosystems like aquatic, urban and peri-urban environments are also still understudied. Moreover, social, economic, governance and interdisciplinary perspectives are often overlooked, despite their importance for the success of rewilding in human-dominated landscapes. This symposium brings together empirical rewilding studies from diverse disciplines and ecosystems. Our goal is to strengthen the scientific foundation of rewilding, inspire evidence-based approaches, and provide actionable insight for decision-makers and practitioners engaged in nature restoration.

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Speakers and Presentation Titles

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Organiser