Climate change is changing the way we think about preserving natural environments and promoting the balance of various ecosystems. Europe is one continent that has experienced a massive loss of native flora and fauna that are essential in keeping a balanced ecosystem.
Rewilding is based on the principle that nature knows the best way to protect itself, but humans need to create the correct conditions. The theory behind rewilding is by promoting nature with a bit of push and humans stand back, allowing wildlife to thrive through the process. Scotland has backed rewilding for years now along with a group of politicians known as the Scottish Rewilding Alliance (SRA) that work to create policies to create the world’s first “rewilding nation.”
The SWA is looking forward to the upcoming Scottish parliamentary election, seeking support from political parties to combat the nature and climate crisis while creating employment opportunities. The SWA is also receiving support from the people of Scotland through a poll stating more than three-quarters of people in agreement with the rewilding concept.
The SRA is advocating rewilding should be an option to tackle these climate issues with the following measures to protect nature while boosting the economy:
- Commit 30 percent of public land to rewilding
- Establish a community fund to support rewilding cities and towns
- Develop a coastal zone where trawling and dredging are not permitted
- Reintegration of keystone species including rehoming beavers and reintroducing the Eurasian Lynx
- Introducing a plan to control deer populations to allow land to recover from overgrazing