The natural world thrives if allowed to maintain the delicate balance of its ecosystems, but human activity has thrown nature out of balance and we are now facing the consequences.
To combat our environmental missteps, we seek to find more sustainable and environmentally friendly ways of living, while also attempting to restore nature through tree planting, conservation efforts and the development of environmental technologies. carbon capture. And now Rewilding becomes overbearing.
Rewilding, we give everything back to nature
That said, many people believe that the best way to address the climate crisis and support biodiversity is to allow nature to recover while minimizing human interference as much as possible. This progressive conservation movement is called “rewilding” and is based on the principle that nature knows best when it needs to be protected.
Everything is connected: the Yellowstone case
Nothing like a practical example can make us understand the damage we cause, and the goals of Rewilding.
Yellowstone National Park in the United States: at the beginning of the 20th century, wolves in that area were reduced to near extinction. The drastic decline of wolves caused moose populations to skyrocket, eventually leading to overgrazing of the land that ultimately prevented trees like poplar and willow from maturing.
The domino effect continued, and other creatures such as birds and beavers were also left without trees in their natural habitat. The lack of shade then caused an increase in water temperatures in the rivers, negatively affecting biodiversity even more.
To solve this problem, 14 wolves were brought to Yellowstone from Jasper National Park in Canada to replace the lost ones. Within 20 years, the wolf population was fully restored, which also brought balance to the park's ecosystem.
Rewilding in Scotland
In Scotland, rewilding has gained popularity in recent years thanks to Scottish Rewilding Alliance (SWA). It is an organization that calls on politicians to create policies that will push Scotland to become the world's first “rewilding nation”.
A poll last year revealed that the Scottish public approves of SWA's mission. More than three-quarters of people from across the country said they were in favor of the reconstitution process.
Five fundamental points for the return to nature
Steve Micklewright, who leads the SWA, explains that the alliance is urging all political parties to employ five different strategies to safeguard the environment:
- Rebuild 30% of public land.
- Establish a fund to support reconstruction in towns and cities.
- Support the reintegration of key species such as the reintegration of beavers and the reintroduction of the Eurasian lynx where there is local support.
- Create a coastal area where dredging and trawling are not permitted.
- Introduce a plan to control deer populations, allowing the land to recover from overgrazing.
The SWA hopes that the public will continue to push for politicians who will support the rebuilding plan so that Scotland can fight climate change, recover its natural balance and support its biodiversity.
And in Italy?
There is an extreme need for rewilding in our country too: last October an important seminar he discussed all the perspectives related to sustainable investments that aim at the reaffirmation of nature.
The repopulation of rural areas and the birth of low-impact economies would be a panacea, especially in the context of the ecological transition that is starting with the funds of the Recovery Plan.
