At the #RewildingSymposium, Koen Aerts holds a plea for ‘human rewilding’: giving more space to natural processes in human life. Disconnect from nature is a “root cause” of crises.

Denk niet alleen aan ‘ecological rewilding’, zegt Koen Aerts (WUR), maar ook aan ‘human rewilding’: meer ruimte geven aan natuurlijke processen in je eigen leven. Want vervreemding van de natuur is de oorzaak van veel problemen…#RewildingSymposium

“Rewilding is 90% about people, 10% about nature” says @RewildingEurope co-founder Frans Achepers at the #RewildingSymposium. In areas with land abandonment, it can offer new opportunities and give the community a new lease on life.

#Rewilding draait voor 90% om mensen, zegt mede-oprichter van @RewildingEurope Frans Schepers op #RewildingSymposium. Op plaatsen met veel leegloop kan het nieuwe kansen bieden als ze erop inspelen. “De gemeenschap komt weer tot leven.”

The upcoming EU Nature Restoration Law could be a gamechanger, with opportunities for #Rewilding, says @SofieRuyss at #RewildingSymposium. But implementation will be key, especially in view of current crises.

De nieuwe EU Natuurherstelwet biedt kansen voor #Rewilding met duidelijke targets, zegt @SofieRuyss (Birdlife International) op #RewildingSymposium. Maar Oekraïne en andere crises zijn een uitdaging. Alles hangt dus af van goede implementatie.

What responsibilities does international law have when it comes to #Rewilding? And how do we deal with the controversy of reintroducing species such as lions which once roamed Europe? Fascinating questions from environmental law expert @Arie_Trouwborst at #RewildingSymposium

Waarom brengen we in Europe eigenlijk geen leeuwen terug, terwijl die hier niet eens zo lang geleden rondliepen? En wat is de rol van internationaal recht bij #Rewilding? Complexe vragen van milieurecht expert @Arie_Trouwborst (Tilburg) op #RewildingSymposium

Full house & brilliant guests at @RewildingEurope #RewildingSymposium ahead of inauguration Liesbeth Bakker as first Rewilding Professor. To stop biodiversity crisis, we need to tell “different stories” said filmmaker Ruben Smit. “We need to go from facts to feelings”.

#RewildingSymposium begint met bekende natuurfilmer @RubenSmitNatuur. Door ziekte van Lyme moest hij opnieuw beginnen, maar na 3 jaar is hij terug. “Het begint allemaal met fascinatie voor de natuur”

Veel belangstelling en volle zaal voor inauguratie Liesbeth Bakker als Rewilding professor #RewildingScience. Nu gelukkig mét publiek. Eerst #RewildingSymposium georganiseerd door @RewildingEurope

The presentations of the #RewildingSymposium are available online! Please visit: nioo.knaw.nl/en/news/symposium-succes...
'Symposium success reveals huge potential of rewilding'

#EcosystemRestoration @RewildingEurope
@WECatWUR
@WUR

The presentations of the #RewildingSymposium will be made available online soon. Watch the organisers' website...
@RewildingEurope @WECatWUR @niooknaw
Connect rewilding science and practice!

Thanks everyone!
#RewildingSymposium

So, what can you do to help rewilding? As a nature conservationist, a student or a scientist?

For the scientists: let's build a network of rewilding research: please get in touch via l.bakker@nioo.knaw.nl
#RewildingSymposium @RewildingEurope @WECatWUR @WUR

Bakker is very positive about today:
"There is a high potential for the rewilding approach. We should form a network to carry on, connecting science and practice." And: "We can rewild the world, but we have to do it together!" #RewildingSymposium @RewildingEurope @WUR @WECatWUR

Bakker: "With the Marker Wadden islands, they’re trying to create a connection between the land and the water. With our research team, we want to deliver a ‘proof of concept’: is this vision of Natuurmonumenten working, can we demonstrate that?” #RewildingSymposium

New rewilding professor Liesbeth Bakker: “It’s our task as scientists to put numbers to what we see.”
#RewildingSymposium @RewildingEurope @WECatWUR @WUR

Liesbeth Bakker: “I think it’s fair to say that science is lagging behind compared to these rewilding initiatives.” #RewildingSymposium

@PatrickAJansen: “There are tons of opportunities to measure progress, including airplanes and drones. Very suitable to get data that lets you measure e.g. the structure of vegetation or map vegetation. We just have to pick the right tools and it’s in place!” #RewildingSymposium

And @JCSvenning continues: “We’ve never had a period [in Europe] without a significant megafauna. Only in the last century, when we’ve removed livestock from the landscape. Livestock bridged the gap left by the loss of the large megafauna.” #RewildingSymposium

Svenning: “We need to have a nuanced view on non-natives. It’s true that the aurochs was extinct, but it has always lived on in our livestock.” @JCSvenning #RewildingSymposium

The loss of megafauna also led to a loss of understanding the role, states @JCSvenning at #RewildingSymposium. "Megafauna enhances heterogeneity"

>> The local communities first opposed the idea, but embraced the bison (= zimbrul) later on. Their economy now revolves around it, with products from bags to T-shirts.
Explains Schepers at #RewildingSymposium

Schepers @RewildingEurope on short film Zimbrul (bison reintroduction in Romania): “Working with nature is fairly easy, it will bounce back if we allow it. It’s all about people!” #RewildingSymposium

Raquel Filgueiras @RewildingEurope asks: “Less populated means there’s more potential. But large parts of Europe are densely populated. Is there still potential in these densely populated areas?” #RewildingSymposium

And @Nestor_Fdez continued: “Where is nature of higher quality close to people? If you want to plan your next holiday after the Covid-situation, you can visit Ljubljana. Whereas if you go to Brussels, you would have a harder time.” #RewildingSymposium

Next was @Nestor_Fdez: “The Ecological Integrity Indicator shows that areas with high integrity are large landscapes with low fragmentation, less human appropriation, and which preserve a high proportion of the functional diversity of megafauna.” #RewildingSymposium

Schepers: “Science should not become prescriptive for rewilding. Rewilding is happening, and science should [try to] keep up.”
#RewildingSymposium

Frans Schepers @RewildingEurope: “People are getting more relaxed about wildlife. Because of urbanisation, but also in the countryside. We’re used to animals being shy, but with rewilding we’re now having to get used to having animals around the corner again"
#RewildingSymposium