Rewilding Europe started its initiative in 2011 with a substantial grant from the Dutch Postcode Lottery for the project “Green Treasures of Europe”. This special project grant was received from the Dutch Postcode Lottery through ARK Nature, one of the initiating partners of Rewilding Europe. After four years of working in partnership with ARK Nature (2011–2014), the project was recently officially approved and closed by the Dutch Postcode Lottery.

Dave and Anna, two environmentalists from the United Kingdom, started their “biking for rewilding” tour in April 2015 after leaving their office jobs and taking off on an adventure with a purpose. In this fourth blog you can read about their visit to the European bison project in the Kraansvlak area along the Dutch coast. This project is one of the first members of the European Rewilding Network (ERN). It was here, where Dave and Anna met the spectacular European bison in nature for the first time in their life.

On September 17^th, the seventh web-based seminar of the European Rewilding Network took place and this time members from several rewilding sites in Europe discussed how to restore food chains and the ways rewilding contributes to this. The webinar specifically addressed the crucial importance of dead animals in nature and consequently the chances for scavengers feeding upon them, all to restore natural food chains in our European ecosystems: the Circle of Life.

On our cycle tour of rewilding areas in Europe, our third stop was Parc Naziunal Svizzer – the Swiss National Park. Established in 1914, it was the first national park in the Alps and by now one of the oldest national parks in Europe. It is one of the first members of the European Rewilding Network (ERN).

Between March and July this year, in total 18 European bison calves have been born in European Rewilding Network member areas. These (semi-)wild new-borns add up to the total number of 5555 individuals registered in the European Bison Pedigree Book (December 2014). The European bison is still listed as ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, although in many places in our continent great work is ongoing to create a better future for the species. All these initiatives help the European bison to roam more of Europe’s natural and semi-natural landscapes.

On our cycle tour of rewilding areas in Europe, our second stop was Muntanya d’Alinyà, a living mountain in the Catalan Pre-Pyrenees. Muntanya d’Alinyà is one of the largest private nature reserves in Spain and member of the European Rewilding Network (ERN).

On June 5 another event was held to share experience between members of the European Rewilding Network. This time the subject was about coexistence between people and large carnivores. This sixth web-based seminar included a presentation of two best-practice examples from areas with existing conflicts between local people and wildlife in Bulgaria and Spain. Webinar discussions focused on innovative methods as to how to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts, and turn such problems into new opportunities.

We are Anna and Dave, two environmentalists who had been working London office jobs for several years. We were becoming discontented with our lifestyles and wanted to be outdoors, helping people and wildlife. We decided to quit our jobs and have an adventure with a purpose. Having read about Rewilding Europe and the rewilding areas in Europe, we wanted to learn more about them, see the challenges and successes, and get involved.  So we set off on a bike tour!

During the fifth event of the European Rewilding Network, that took place March 27, attendants from several rewilding sites exchanged experiences on natural grazing. In specific, aspects were discussed on how to start and manage herds of cattle and horses in a more natural context meaning the animals are managed with less human intervention, in natural densities, and towards becoming self-sufficient.

During this fourth experience-sharing event within the European Rewilding Network on November 25, the attendants discussed how to develop wildlife watching tourism, and especially so by building and using well-designed wildlife watching hides.