News
Rewilding Europe visit to Eastern Rhodopes
On Friday 17th May a Rewilding Europe delegation presented the initiative to a select audience at the Credo Bonum gallery in Sofia. Attendees included Jukian Popov - Minister of Environment and Water, and Karel van Kesteren - Dutch Ambassador.
Successful Intensive Programme on european wilderness entrepreneurship
The first edition of the Erasmus Intensive Programme “European Wilderness Entrepreneurship” was a great success for the Western Iberia rewilding area. During this two week event a consortium of thirty students and fifteen lecturers/researchers from universities in Bulgaria, Croatia, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands looked at the role of...
Rewilding Europe is looking for a communications manager
Would you like to be part of one of the most exciting nature conservation initiatives in Europe?Would you like to help Europe become a wilder place, for the benefit of nature and people?Rewilding Europe has a team of people working from many different European countries and supports five, soon several...
CoalitionWILD seeking for young people to create a wilder world
CoalitionWILD has launched the Wilder World Challenge, where people under 30 are encouraged to submit their ideas on how to create a wilder world, through the CoalitionWILD Facebook page by July 1st.
Success stories of the US Endangered Species Act
An interesting report (also available as pdf) from the USA shows how the Endangered Species Act is helping to recover species.
WILD10 officially launched in Spain
WILD10, the 10th World Wilderness Congress was presented to the Spanish society and the media on April 9 in Madrid. WILD10 will take place in Salamanca from 4 to 10 October 2013 under the Honorary Presidency of H.M. Queen Sofia and fostered by The Wild Foundation.
Five European bisons released in Vanatori-Neamt Nature Park in Romania
Five European bisons were released in Vanatori-Neamt Nature Park, which is the beginning of the reintroduction of the species in the Carpathian Mountains.
Geocache nature trail in Wolf mountains
Geocaching is one of the fastest growing outdoor pursuits in the world. All ages and abilities can play it and you even find hidden treasures. In the Eastern Carpathians one of those hidden treasures is the wild nature. The develoment of this trail was funded by Rewilding Europe.
Two foals born in Reuerta herd
Two Returta foals were born in Western Iberia. The birth of these two foals is a great demonstration of their adaptation to the dehesa they live in.
Rewilding Europe seeking for Chief Financial and Operations Officer
Do you want to be part of one of the most exciting conservation initiatives in Europe? Do you like to help Europe becoming a wilder place?
Coto Doñana officials visited Western Iberia
Last week Juan José Negro, director of the Doñana Biological Station visited the Western Iberia rewilding area. Together with researchers Juan Calderon and Fernando Ibáñez from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) they spent time at the Biological Reserve Campanarios de Azaba.
Become a member of the Rewilding Europe Travel Club and win!
Last year we launched the Rewilding Europe Travel Club - a community of people who like nature travel and nature experiences in a wide sense.
PAN Parks and Rewilding Europe making Europe a wilder place
Recently, PAN Parks and Rewilding Europe agreed to work more closely together on protecting existing wilderness as well as increasing wilderness, wild areas and wildlife numbers in Europe.
Rewilding Europe photo archive now public
Our freshly launched image bank at photo.rewildingeurope.com gives a powerful overview of all our rewilding areas and the natural treasures of Europe.
Rewilding Europe now a beneficiary of the Dutch Postcode Lottery
Rewilding Europe has become one of the new beneficiaries of the Dutch Postcode Lottery. The announcement was made yesterday at the yearly charity event “Goed Geld Gala” in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, where President Bill Clinton was the special guest.
Help us make Europe a Wilder place!
Rewilding Europe would like to offer you the possibility to financially contribute to our work. Although our main financial support comes from our strategic partners, we have found there is also interest from private individuals who very much like our work and want to support it.
Meet the local rewilding team members
In each of the five rewilding areas, there are teams that are actively working to make their area into one of the inspiring rewilding examples in the Rewilding Europe portfolio. The leaders of these five teams and their short biographies are found on our website.
Sayaguesa cattle arrived at the Tauros site
Seven Sayaguesa cows and one bull arrived yesterday at the Tauros programme breeding site in Keent, Netherlands. Together with the four animals still to arrive, this will contribute to the faster transition from a highlander-mixed herd to a more Tauros-like herd.
New documentary about the Danube Delta
A new documentary about Danube Delta will launch tomorrow, 30 January.
Better protection for the Danube Delta and more nature-linked enterprise
The Scientific Council of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority has confirmed the findings of a recent study that suggests potential resizing of the strictly protected areas in the Danube Delta.
Putting a price tag on wolves – alive
January issue of the Spanish Quercus magazine shares interesting facts on the economic benefits of having wolves around.
Get a glimpse of the Southern Carpathians
We have just updated our Southern Carpathians gallery page with new images from German photographer Florian Möllers. Last autumn, Florian spent several days in the local surroundings, photographing people and landscapes in our rewilding area. Back then, he shared his first impressions from the Southern Carpathians in our blog.
First Rewilding seminar held in Spain
On December 14, the last day of the successful Madrid Wild Wonders exhibition, Spain’s first ever Rewilding seminar was held at the Cañada Real Wildlife Park in El Escorial outside Madrid, under the headline “Making Iberia a Wilder Place”.
Travel Club announces the first winners
The winners of the first draw among the today 1400 members of the Rewilding Europe Travel Club were drawn on December 14, during the Rewilding seminar at the Cañada Real Park in El Escorial outside Madrid.
Liberty Wildlife Fund supports Rewilding Europe
Rewilding Europe is very excited to announce that Liberty Wildlife Fund, a private foundation in The Netherlands, has decided to support Rewilding Europe for a period of three years.
Rewilding seminar in Madrid
This Friday, Rewilding Europe is hosting a rewilding seminar in Madrid. Titled "Making Spain a wilder place!/Haciendo a Europa un lugar más Salvaje", the event will describe the rewilding situation in Spain and Europe, looking at different ways to turn problems into opportunities.
Rewilding Europe releases design guide for wildlife watching hides
Rewilding Europe has just released a wildlife watching hides design guide, a valuable tool for nature entrepreneurs who are planning to put up a wildlife hide.
Financial newspaper introduces rewilding business opportunities
Rewilding Europe has had some very nice media coverage in the Netherlands lately.
Rewilding Europe on Dutch TV
An episode of the Dutch TV programme "Kanjers Van Goud" (Heroes of Gold) that was filmed in our Western Iberia rewilding area, is now available for watching online.
The comeback of the European icon
Rewilding Europe and the Taurus Foundation have today signed a long-term agreement about helping to preserve biodiversity in Europe through a breeding programme to bring back a functional, wild version of the Aurochs.
Protected areas have grown in Europe, providing great rewilding opportunities
On 22 October 2012, the European Environment Agency (EEA) published an in-depth overview of protected areas in Europe, highlighting the status of protected regions across 39 countries. The report marks the 20th Anniversary of Natura 2000 and the EU Habitats Directive.
Full protection for Romanian virgin forests
A new ministerial order in Romania spells out the criteria for identification of virgin forests – a key measure that will lead to the full protection of this important European treasure. The order was signed in September by Rovana Plumb, Romania’s Minister of Environment and Forests.
Rowing with the local community in Romania
The autumn in Romania started with nice weather and a good opportunity for getting in touch with the Danube Delta local community. In September, WWF team that is implementing Rewilding Europe initiative in Romania, took part in Rowmania Rowing Boats Festival in Tulcea.
“Wild Wonders of Europe” exhibition in Madrid a great success!
The landmark outdoor photo exhibition “Wild Wonders of Europe”, opened on Tuesday September 25th, in the El Buen Retiro Park in central Madrid, Spain, and Rewilding Europe is the main partner in it.
Rewilding Europe launches Travel Club
We just launched the Rewilding Europe Travel Club - a community of people who like nature travel and nature experiences in a wide sense.
Rolling up sleeves for major bison rewilding
On September 10, Rewilding Europe took off with the Bison Rewilding Action Plan, an important step for the restoration of bison in Europe.
Rewilding Europe Supervisory Board formally established
Rewilding Europe is very excited to announce the formal establishment of the Supervisory Board, which has come into function last month. The Executive Board has managed to find very experienced individuals from different parts of Europe, with different backgrounds and key-competencies that are strongly complementary.
Wild Wonders of Europe Comes to Madrid
The landmark outdoor photo exhibition, “Wild Wonders of Europe” is coming to El Retiro Park in central Madrid, Spain on Tuesday, 25th September 2012.
Rewilding Europe's Staffan Widstrand guides Dutch TV and receives a high award
The Dutch TV company Endemol filmed Staffan Widstrand, Marketing Director of Rewilding Europe, guiding the Dutch TV presenter Martijn Krabbé on an action-filled visit to the Western Iberia rewilding area, for the TV programme ”Kanjers Van Goud” (Heroes of Gold).
Good news for the Iberian Lynx
The Iberian Lynx conservation efforts are giving very good results this year. 60 cubs were born in five breeding facilities in Spain and Portugal this spring, and 44 are still alive.
Seminar on wild horses
"Insights from the pedigree on the social structure of free-roaming Konik horses (Equus caballus) in a Dutch reserve"
Rewilding as a tool, and the role of science
As rewilding is gaining popularity across Europe, it is important that scientific research follows, to answer at least some of the many questions that arise: how and to what extend can we reintroduce natural processes in larger ecosystems, what animals to reintroduce and where, how will they fit in the...
Scientists suggest rewilding as land management for substantial areas in Europe
Rewilding Europe welcomes the publication of one of the first scientific papers on rewilding and land abandonment in Europe, written by Laetitia M. Navarro and Henrique M. Pereira. The article suggests a fourth option of land management policy in addition to agricultural intensification, extensification and afforestation - rewilding.
Wild horses released in Western Iberia rewilding area
A herd of 24 Retuerta horses, coming from the Doñana biological station in southern Spain, were released in the Campanarios de Azaba reserve on July 27. The release was possible thanks to the Rewilding Europe initiative and the collaboration between the Nature and Man Foundation (FNYH) and the Doñana Biological Station.
Seven bison released in Bornholm island, Denmark
Bornholm island in Denmark welcomed seven bison from Poland in the beginning of June. One male and six females where brought to the island by ferry. The animals will live in a 200 ha fence for five years, then a decision is made whether to let them roam freely.
Rewilding Europe featured in a Swedish magazine
Rewilding Europe was featured in a leading Swedish popular science magazine "Forskning och Framsteg". Staffan Widstrand, Wouter Helmer and Carl-Gustaf Thulin were interviewed for the article, which can be in part read here (in Swedish).
New nominations will double the number of rewilding areas next year
One of the programme goals of Rewilding Europe is “by 2020, rewild 1 million ha (10,000 km²) across 10 places in Europe covering different regions and biomes, including areas of both land and sea”.
A warm welcome to new team members!
To meet the challenges and opportunities, we have extended our central team with a number of key positions, most of them to assist at the operational level and to support the rewilding projects.
The rewilding of Europe becomes an epic movie and a TV series
Rewilding Europe has signed a production agreement to develop a major film and a TV-series, with EMS Films (Netherlands) and Gebrüder Beetz Filmproduktion (Germany). The aim is to showcase and document the rewilding of our continent, which is happening in front of our eyes, and the role that Rewilding Europe...
Rewilding in Europe through biosphere reserves
Europe is currently in the middle of an exceptional wildlife comeback boom due to large-scale abandonment of farmland. This phenomenon is particularly notable in the continent’s mountainous areas, which are running wild with robust, resilient nature. The time has never been more ripe for the conservation of biodiversity in Europe.
Wildlife returns to Western Iberia
Since the beginning of our work in Western Iberia last year, a lot of attention has been given to bringing back wildlife, including rewilding horses and bovines.
Chamois comeback and wildlife watching in Velebit
With official start in January 2012, the Velebit rewilding area is now up and running, seeking opportunities to significantly enhance the local chamois population. All three parks in the area – Northern Velebit National Park, Paklenica National Park, and Velebit Nature Park – see this as a priority.
Carpathians prepare for beaver, bison and business
Suitable landscape and socio-economic features for rewilding and protection of already existing wilderness values in Southern Carpathians were analysed in January and February by a team of Romanian and international experts, including representatives from all protected areas that will be affected.
Beaver-cam to be set up in Danube Delta
After more than 190 years the beaver is back in the Danube Delta. Rangers of the Biosphere Reserve found the first beaver lodge upstream Tulcea in January 2012. Two dead beavers were found already in 2011 in the central parts of the delta.
Tourism destination of the future – Wolf Mountains
From the start in October 2011, serious efforts were made to influence the reform of the Nature and Landscape Protection Act in Slovakia, which could radically improve the set-up of national parks and other protected areas, as well as reduce the negative impacts of forestry and hunting.
Rewilding Bison action plan starts in June
The comeback of European Bison in free-living herds of more than 100 animals in, at least, five areas is one of the targets of Rewilding Europe’s wildlife recovery programme for the coming ten years.
Adessium Foundation support for enterprise development
Rewilding Europe team is delighted to have received funding from Adessium Foundation for the purpose of developing conservation-based enterprises. Adessium Foundation is a private foundation based in the Netherlands that aspires to a world in which people live in harmony with each other and with their environments.
First wild bison in Romania after 160 years
Five European bison – 2 females and 3 males – were released in the Vanatori Neamt Nature Park in the eastern part of the Romanian Carpathian Mountains on March 22. The last record of wild bison in Romania dates back to 1852.
Rewilding Europe at PYMWYMIC Impact days
Rewilding Europe are delighted to have been invited by PYMWYMIC (which stands for the “Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Community”) to give a keynote presentation at Europe’s most inspiring and focused gathering of social and environmental investors.
European Beaver returned to Romanian Danube Delta!
2012 came with great news! Rangers of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Administration reported to have spotted a beaver nest in the Somova - Parches lakes complex. This indicates the beaver’s presence, despite the fact that the animals are too shy to be seen, especially in winter.
New Special Advisor to Rewilding Europe: Odile Rodríguez de la Fuente
Rewilding Europe is very proud to announce a new Special Advisor has joined our initiative: Mrs. Odile Rodríguez de la Fuente from Spain.Mrs. Odile Rodríguez de la Fuente is the third member of a small and dedicated team of Special Advisors that Rewilding Europe is establishing. In November last year, Laurentien...
Download Rewilding Europe GEO story
13 february 2012 - Different editions from the January GEO magazine are now available as FREE download! In 2011 Anke Sparmann, author of GEO Magazine, travelled across European nature reserves. Her story was the cover story in 11 countries from Brazil to Slovakia and from Spain to India.
Rewilding Europe GEO cover story
24 January 2012 - In 2011 Anke Sparmann, author of GEO Magazine, travelled across European nature reserves. Her story is now the cover story in 11 countries from Brazil to Slovakia and from Spain to India.
Announcing a WILD partnership
We are happy to announce that the ongoing cooperation between Rewilding Europe and the WILD Foundation has now been formalized in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This MoU was signed by Vance Martin, president of the WILD Foundation, and Frans Schepers, Managing Director of Rewilding Europe, on 5 November 2011.
Swedish Postcode Lottery supports Rewilding Europe
We are very happy to announce that the Swedish Postcode Lottery has decided to support our initiative for the coming two years, in our endeavors to make Europe a wilder place!
Wildlife return and business developments in Romania
The two pilot projects of Rewilding Europe in Romania - Danube Delta and South-West Carpathians - were successfully launched in the autumn. One of the initial aspects was to look into the opportunities for the return of beavers, red deer and the European bison.
Flying start Eastern Carpathians and Western Iberia
With contracts issued in July to October, the field work begun in the Danube Delta, Eastern Carpathians and Western Iberia. Already after a few weeks, the project executants have now reported on some significant achievements.
Big efforts needed for wildlife recovery
Rewilding Europe has started with the design of a Wildlife Recovery Programme, focusing on large herbivores to start with. A working group of dedicated specialists, Rewilding Europe’s Wildlife Team, has prepared an overview of all the wildlife restocking and reintroduction plans that we have developed for the five projects.
Laurentien van Oranje-Nassau and Dr. Claude Martin become Special Advisors of Rewilding Europe
We are very proud to announce that Laurentien van Oranje-Nassau (the Netherlands) and Dr. Claude Martin (Switzerland) have become Special Advisors for Rewilding Europe. Both are the first members of a small and dedicated team of Special Advisors that Rewilding Europe is establishing. Special Advisors will have a specific role in...
Rewilding Europe in Dutch and Belgian newspapers
Today an article was published in 'Trouw', a Dutch daily newspaper. The article is about the remarkable phenomenon of land abandonment, wildlife comeback and the unique chance to create new wild areas with new economic perspectives in Europe. Trouw journalist Hans Marijnissen interviewed Managing Director Frans Schepers.
GEO Magazine online
FREE download GEO Magazine. In the summer of 2011 Anke Sparmann, author of German GEO Magazine, travelled across European nature reserves. The cover story of GEO’s September issue - published on August 19th – features her journey into a continent getting wilder day by day. Download the German article for FREE.
Rewilding Europe in National Geographic Magazine, Dutch/Belgian edition
25 August 2011 - A 12-page story was published in the September issue of the National Geographic Magazine, Dutch/Belgian edition. NGM Staff writer Pancras Dijk visited the rewilding areas Campanarios de Azaba and Faia Brava in Western Iberia, both parts of the Rewilding Europe initiative.
Rewilding in GEO Magazine
19 August 2011 - In the last months Anke Sparmann, author of German GEO Magazine, travelled across European nature reserves. The cover story of GEO’s September issue - published on August 19th – features her journey into a continent getting wilder day by day.
Zoological Society of London studies wildlife come back in Europe
30 July 2011 - The Zoological Society of London has commenced a study for Rewilding Europe to examine the population trends of wildlife in Europe over the past 30-40 years. This has been an era of significant wildlife comeback.
New exciting partnership: Conservation Capital
11 May 2011 - Rewilding Europe is pleased to announce the formation of an exciting partnership with Conservation Capital, a unique conservation organisation which focuses exclusively on linking private sector business and investment finance with global biodiversity conservation.
Rewilding Europe on Dutch television
9 May 2011 - Frans Schepers, Rewilding Europes managing director, was guest in Dutch television show Koffietijd (Coffee Time). Koffietijd is broadcasted daily. Presenter Quinty Trustful asked Frans about the plans of Rewilding Europe and about the importance of the Dutch Postcode Lottery.
3 million euro from Dutch National Postcode Lottery
9 February 2011 - Dutch National Postcode Lottery supports Rewilding Europe with 3,1 million Euro
Report on farmland abandonment
24 November 2010 - On 15 November 2010 the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) published a report on farmland abandonment in the EU. In the report is stated that in the last decades substantial areas of the EU have been affected by abandonment.