Europe’s once-farmed lands have the potential for revival through rewilding, a movement aimed at returning damaged landscapes to their natural state before human impact. According to researchers, a quarter of the European landmass—about 117 million hectares—presents opportunities for rewilding, as reported on August 15 in the Cell Press journal Current Biology. They outline a plan for nations to achieve the objectives of the 2030 European Biodiversity Strategy, which aims to conserve 30% of the land, with 10% strictly protected.
The research team discovered that 70% of these rewilding opportunities are found in colder regions. Northern Europe, especially areas such as Scandinavia, Scotland, and the Baltic states, along with some highland parts of the Iberian Peninsula, exhibit the most significant potential.
“There are numerous locations in Europe that have minimal human impact and contain key animal species, making them suitable for rewilding,” comments Miguel B. Araújo, the lead author, who is a biogeographer at the National Museum of Natural Sciences, CSIC, Spain, and the University of Évora, Portugal. “We also stress the importance of tailored strategies based on the specific conditions of each area.”
The researchers formulated criteria to pinpoint regions with rewilding potential: broad areas exceeding 10,000 hectares, which experience little human interference and host essential species. They went further to categorize two primary rewilding approaches—passive and active—based on land size and wildlife presence.
Passive rewilding depends on natural repopulation, where animals gradually return to deserted lands independently. This method is most effective in environments that support populations of essential herbivores, like deer, ibex, moose, and rabbits, as well as predators such as wolves, bears, and lynxes. In areas lacking critical herbivores or carnivores, active rewilding becomes necessary, involving the reintroduction of these species to stimulate ecosystem recovery. Both methods aim to establish a self-sufficient and diverse ecological landscape.
“I often describe herbivores as the engineers of the ecosystem because they graze and shape plant life, while predators act as the architects by creating ‘fear landscapes’ that herbivores tend to avoid,” explains Araújo. “The dynamic between herbivores and carnivores cultivates diverse landscape patterns crucial for biodiversity.”
Certain nations, including the UK, France, Spain, and the Scandinavian countries, are well-positioned to achieve their conservation targets by implementing the rewilding areas and strategies proposed in this study. However, given Europe’s high population density, some countries like Ireland, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark may not reach their conservation goals solely through these recommendations, pointing to the necessity for alternative conservation methods.
“Conservation approaches that focus on restoring ecosystems in densely populated regions could assist some countries in securing their conservation aims,” asserts Araújo. “Countries could reclaim lands for conservation or create networks of small protected habitats. Moreover, effectively managing traditional multi-use landscapes—such as the oak parklands of the Iberian Peninsula and various extensive agricultural and forestry settings across Europe—could contribute positively.”
As governments and organizations persist in investing in land conservation, the researchers are hopeful that their insights and framework will guide efforts to acquire or manage areas with the highest potential for successful rewilding. Still, they emphasize the urgency of action.
“We are up against the clock,” warns Araújo. “The regions that currently seem most viable for rewilding may change significantly in 50 years due to climate change effects.”
This research was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, Spain’s Ministry of Science and Innovation, and the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme.
