The European Rewilding Network has announced the launch of its second phase, focusing on ‘practical, result-oriented’ rewilding practices.
Following the broad success of Phase 1 of the European Rewilding Network (ERN), a Europe-wide platform launched in 2013 enabling members to receive support, training and share resources, independent non-profit Rewilding Europe, which operates the network, has declared its readiness for a second phase. As part of its transition to the network’s secondary stage, Rewilding Europe has announced a series of changes to admissions criteria and a shift in focus from expanding the network to providing increased support for existing projects.
Rewilding Europe’s European Rewilding Network Co-ordinator Mei Elderadzi said: “The overall goal of the ERN is to support the mainstreaming of rewilding as a conservation approach in Europe and to raise the awareness of a broad European audience about the initiatives already taking rewilding action on the continent.”
Last month the European Rewilding Network welcomed its 70th member, the LIFE Lynx project, which aims to reintroduce endangered lynx species in Croatia and Slovenia. Its new admissions requirements, designed to diversify the network in alignment with Rewilding Europe’s key objectives, cover five primary categories:
- Wilder nature, creating space for natural processes such as forest regeneration and natural grazing to allow ecosystems to evolve organically;
- Wildlife comeback, reintroducing and cultivating endangered and threatened species such as wild horses, bison and eagles;
- Nature-based economies, promoting enterprises which benefit from the natural environment;
- Interest in the wild, driving education and engagement; and
- Scaling up rewilding, promoting the rewilding process on a wider scale using communications and networking.
Raquel Filgueiras, Head of Rewilding at Rewilding Europe, said: “With these new, stronger criteria we really want to engage the fantastic array of rewilding-related initiatives that are now developing across Europe, and to help them deliver tangible results more effectively. In addition to regular ERN webinars, the aim is to organise far more site visits and training sessions.”
