Rewilder Weekly #15

Welcome to the latest edition of the Rewilder Weekly! Before we get started with this week's eight selected stories, allow me to link you to an upcoming brand-new Rewilding Europe documentary about the rewilding successes in the Iberian Highlands. Stay tuned - it's set to premiere on YouTube at at 5:00 pm today. Now then, let's rewild!

?? As a reminder: If you come across stories you'd like to see featured in an upcoming edition, send them to me and I'll gladly do what I can.

1) Long before Knepp rewilded, there was Strawberry Hill

The Guardian reports on a tale of rewilding that began 40 years ago (Knepp's wonderful transformation began 20 years ago). In a part of England that is known for its intensive agriculture and nature loss, one staunchly conventional farmer began to dramatically rewild part of his Strawberry Hill farm, because he was annoyed with government rules that essentially meant his corn wasn't wanted.

So he set aside the fields and they soon became grass lands with first bushes soon putting in an appearance. The farmer, Hugh White, saw the way nature rushed in to make itself at home in his fields - and he loved it. More and more barn owls showed up, feasting on voles in the meadows. Within a decade, over 200 barn owl chicks had been born on White's lands. Today half of those lands have been bought by The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire - and for the other half a crowdfunding campaign - to buy it for 1.5 million - is in the works. If you have a bit of money to spare, you could do worse than to help make this happen - ￡291'1007 are already there - go here to chip in!

?? Go here for post and article

2) How the golden-headed lion tamarin sparked rewilding effort

In a new post, the folks of the Global Rewilding Alliance give the spotlight to their latest alliance partner - the Almada Mata Atlantica Project in Brazil. This German-Brazilian rewilding effort began in 2016 with the aim to protect the habitat of the amazingly beautiful primate, the golden-headed lion tamarin.

As the post highlights, this was only the beginning. They've "widened their scope and now works to re-establish a wildlife corridor, connecting habitats, not only for the lion tamarind but also other endangered tree species." They also work hand in hand with local families with their organic cocoa agroforestry. Why? Because the cocoa plant actually provides the exact living environment the tamarin needs.

?? Go here for post, pictures and article

3) Deb Haaland, the powerful bison ally in the U.S. government

Deb Haaland is Native American and the Secretary of the Interior in Joe Biden's administration. She is, among many other things, a powerful force for the return of the bison. Haaland comes from humble beginnings and had one heck of a life even before she got into politics. One thing led to another and then 'suddenly' she was the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary. Last year she announced the secretarial order that $25 million in federal spending for bison conservation.

While there are some bison successes to report on in the United States, Haaland said that they remained functionally extinct and that more work was needed to return the animals to tribal lands and restore the grasslands they depend on. She understands that the bison, roaming wild again in the tens and hundreds of thousands, are important for nature - just as they are important for Native Americans (white man slaughtered most bison in the mid to late 19th century to essentially destroy Native American tribes culture and spirit).

?? Go here for post and Deb Haaland's personally written article in Nation Geographic

4) Land twice the size of Belgium reforested in Niger

An excellent story courtesy of Mongabay about fifteen million acres that have been successfully reforested in Niger. What's called 'farmer-managed natural regeneration' is essentially about protecting nature from browsers and grazers to give it a chance to do something with the countless seeds just waiting for their chance. The results are amazing - and the benefits from this formerly degraded land now boost farmers' livelihoods, sustain families with increased food security and, of course, help combat the climate crisis and increase biodiversity.

Read Rhett Ayers Butler 's post, and the article and podcast by Mike DiGirolamo and Rachel Donald about agronomist Tony Rinaudo 's reforestation project.

?? Go here for post, article and podcast

5) Giant anteater twins are born at Iberá Park

Not impressed? Well you should be! Giant anteaters usually only have one offspring - and that's because they carry their young on their back until almost adulthood! And now there's two on that back - and that marks the very first time that twin anteaters have been recorded in Argentina.

The history of the Iberá Park is amazing and the work by the Tompkins Conservation foundation and Rewilding Argentina continues to deliver great results. They began with the introduction of giant anteaters in 2007 and these wondrous creatures are clearly thriving - so much so that apparently no further introduction will be necessary.

?? Go here for post and video

6) Scotland: The Big Picture empowers NextGen communicators

We all know it, communication is not half the work - sometimes it may feel like it's all the work! But the old mantra remains same for rewilding and elsewhere: "Do good things and talk about them." SCOTLAND: The Big Picture has just announced another step towards creating a diverse and inclusive dialogue on rewilding with its #NextGen Communicators project receiving a ￡2,500 grant from The National Lottery Community Fund in Scotland.

Do you think you're a good communicator? Most likely, you're not. Neither am I. But while most of us are not naturals, all of us CAN learn to become better communicator. To be there, to listen, to pay attention, to ask the right questions, to follow up, to do the research, to dig in and find the gold of the story. Whether in print or via podcast, or in a one-on-one or community meeting (or, mind you, in front of ten thousand people) - it's all stuff we can learn and nature needs us to be able to speak out cause clearly, convincingly and empathetically.

?? Go here for post and article

7) A look at the stunning rewilding successes in Bulgaria

In his post, Daniel Allen reports on Rewilding Rhodopes big milestones with release of more than 1000 fallow and red deer, with the bison population now at 16 (plus new calves), 138 vulture pairs (up from only 3 back in 1986) and there are now more than 120 wild horses (imagine seeing those herds galloping past!). While all of that sounds great, it wouldn't be half as great if it wasn't for carnivores doing their predatory work. The Rhodope Mountains are also home to wolves and bears and jackals and the Easter imperial eagle

All of this makes the Rhodope Mountains an amazing place to visit. If you want to see large herbivores roaming wild, or raptors in action, or boars and chamois - or even wolves and bears, then this is the place. Take a look at the options and book a stay (if you manage to go, know that I envy you to no end!).

?? Go here for Daniel's post (and a super cute camera trap clip)

8) Spend a Trees for Life rewilding week in Scotland

This isn't new, but I had not come across it before - and it's beautiful. In September 2023 Katharine James takes a week out of her life to be spent with the Trees for Life gang at Dundreggan in Scotland, together with eleven other volunteers. In her article, Katharine details her whole week, with details that are almost lyrical, and with pictures, of course. This is her personal account of what experienced during what seems to have been an unforgettable week.

She concludes her blog like this: "I’ve not felt so whole, so full, in a long time. The chance to do something so practically positive, something that will endure, far far into the future, something that has allowed me to connect, to myself, to other people and, viscerally, to nature, has been a tremendous gift. I hope I’ll be back. Soon."

Interested in doing what Katharine did? Check out the rewilding experiences here.

?? Go here for post and Katharine's blog

We end the newsletter as always with an artwork by Chilean science illustrator and painter Mauricio Alvarez (mauricio_alvarez_art on Instagram): This time with a beautiful watercolor illustration of the Chucao (Scelorchilus rubecula), at home in temperate and humid forests of southern Argentina and Chile.

And that's it for this edition! For more rewilding insights and stories from around the globe, use the #rewilding hashtag and follow people, organizations and groups that are as passionate about rewilding as you are.

Have a good week!

Cheers,

D