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Guiding principles for rewilding
Author(s) -
Carver Steve,
Convery Ian,
Hawkins Sally,
Beyers Rene,
Eagle Adam,
Kun Zoltan,
Van Maanen Erwin,
Cao Yue,
Fisher Mark,
Edwards Stephen R.,
Nelson Cara,
Gann George D.,
Shurter Steve,
Aguilar Karina,
Andrade Angela,
Ripple William J.,
Davis John,
Sinclair Anthony,
Bekoff Marc,
Noss Reed,
Foreman Dave,
Pettersson Hanna,
RootBernstein Meredith,
Svenning JensChristian,
Taylor Peter,
WynneJones Sophie,
Featherstone Alan Watson,
Fløjgaard Camilla,
StanleyPrice Mark,
Navarro Laetitia M.,
Aykroyd Toby,
Parfitt Alison,
Soulé Michael
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
conservation biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.2
H-Index - 222
eISSN - 1523-1739
pISSN - 0888-8892
DOI - 10.1111/cobi.13730
Subject(s) - humanities , confusion , vision , context (archaeology) , political science , geography , sociology , philosophy , psychology , archaeology , anthropology , psychoanalysis
There has been much recent interest in the concept of rewilding as a tool for nature conservation, but also confusion over the idea, which has limited its utility. We developed a unifying definition and 10 guiding principles for rewilding through a survey of 59 rewilding experts, a summary of key organizations’ rewilding visions, and workshops involving over 100 participants from around the world. The guiding principles convey that rewilding exits on a continuum of scale, connectivity, and level of human influence and aims to restore ecosystem structure and functions to achieve a self‐sustaining autonomous nature. These principles clarify the concept of rewilding and improve its effectiveness as a tool to achieve global conservation targets, including those of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and post‐2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Finally, we suggest differences in rewilding perspectives lie largely in the extent to which it is seen as achievable and in specific interventions. An understanding of the context of rewilding projects is the key to success, and careful site‐specific interpretations will help achieve the aims of rewilding.