Weaving a story of hope with nature recovery
This article by Hannah Partos highlights the emergence of ‘rewilding’ in the UK through a discussion with Sara King, the rewilding manager at Rewilding Britain. While working as an ecological consultant, King was inspired by a visit to a beaver enclosure in Devon, where she witnessed the remarkable ecosystems created by these keystone species. This experience was a turning point that led her to advocate for rewilding, which puts “nature in the driving seat, rather than trying to control it.” As a trained ecologist, she’s come to realize that “keystone species can actually restore nature much better than we can.” At Rewilding Britain, she promotes local biodiversity, supports landowners and managers in rewilding the land and sharing their knowledge, and facilitates community engagement programs. A notable example of successful rewilding is the Knepp Estate in Sussex, now home to the UK’s largest colony of purple emperor butterflies after 25 years of rewilding and the re-establishment of sallow scrub. King believes that rewilding enhances our understanding of nature, and this particular case shows how rewilding can defy conventional ecological assumptions. She also notes that it offers a counter to eco-anxiety by demonstrating nature's resilience, even in Britain, one of the most nature-depleted countries. She emphasizes that with the right space and conditions, nature can flourish again, and believes that bearing witness to the wonders of wildlife has a transformative impact on wellbeing and is a powerful source of optimism for the future of Britain’s ecosystems.
