Rewilder Weekly #25

Welcome to the latest edition of the Rewilder Weekly!

Before we jump into this week's eight stories, here are two job opportunities for people with nature at heart - and the time and skills to deliver! Rewilding Europe is hiring - check it out!

Now then, let's get on with it - let's rewild!

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

1) Over 300 organizations call on EU to protect wolves

These days, environmental efforts could be dramatically upended by Europe's ministers for the environment - if they downgrade the protection for the wolf, a keystone species crucial for well-functioning trophic cascading. Many organizations make their voices heard - and you, too, should highlight this, share it across social media - address it wherever and whenever you can. Our voices need to be pervasive, everywhere, impossible to ignore.

In his post, Peter Cairns highlights that "more than 300 civil society organisations are calling on EU Member States to strengthen, not weaken, protection for wolves. The coalition opposes the European Commission’s proposal to downgrade wolf protection under the Bern Convention. Instead, they are calling for increased efforts to promote coexistence with large carnivores through preventive measures and to protect the progress made in wolf conservation over the past decades."

In his post, Frans Schepers writes, "As EU Member States must decide on the European Commission's politically motivated proposal, the coalition and close to?300,000 European citizens?are calling on the EU to promote coexistence:?strengthen preventive measures such as the use of fences and sheep dogs and make them more accessible to farmers; enforce protection:?Ensure that illegal wolf hunting is eradicated and uphold the EU's Habitats Directive; raise awareness:?Provide science-based education on the ecological and socio-economic benefits of wolves; respect science:?Base any changes to wolf protection on rigorous data, not political pressure."

?? Go here for the joint statement, published 19 September

2) Choose leaders committed to protecting the natural world

Aa few days ago, Rhett Ayers Butler sat down with 90-year old nature-legend Jane Goodall. In his post he writes, "At last night’s Climate One event, nearly 1,700 attendees, including more than 600 students and educators, gathered to hear Jane Goodall deliver a heartfelt plea for the future of our planet. In a conversation moderated by Greg Dalton, Goodall’s words pierced through the often numbing barrage of crises that dominate our daily news."

I think that marvel of a human being is absolutely right. We can all do the right thing. As individuals and organizations we can affect a great deal of positive change. But we must also realize that the real power remains with political leadership. That's where laws come into being, that's were laws are struck down. And so, with all the good you and I hope to do - and are doing - the single biggest lever is our vote. To my mind, that should be the litmus test for every politician going forward: "Are you committed to protecting the natural world?" - And if that is not a top three priority for that individual, it should not even be allowed to be considered for public office.

BTW, don't miss watching the brief 1min video!

?? Go here for post and video

3) Herds of wild horses for Europe

Hard to imagine? Looking out of your window and seeing a herd of wild horses grazing, or galloping by? Well, rewilders have long put a big focus on large herbivores - and among these are, of course, horses! We know the benefit of large grazers, the outsized impact of these ecosystem engineers for flora and fauna - but also for CO2 sequestration! It's just that - are wild roaming horses in Europe even possible?

Cue Jens-Christian Svenning and colleagues who have just published a paper entitled "Rewilded horses in European nature conservation - a genetics, ethics & welfare perspective". As Jens-Christian writes in his post, "Hopefully it can help better integrate horses into European nature policy & management and move the discussions to a more informed basis."

?? Go here for post and scientific review

4) What needs to change for England's national parks to recover

The ill health of England's national parks - and the reasons for it - are laid in an excellent The Guardian article. Be warned, it is an incredibly sobering read. Entitled "How natural parks failed nature - and how to fix them", the article offers mounds of insight and yes, shows what needs to happen to for more biodiversity-rich nature - and very much also for all English people who are currently not even allowed to roam vast swaths (44%!) of those national parks.

Did you know that only 26% of 'sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) in England's national parks are considered in 'favorable condition'? They have been and continue to be damaged by mismanaged livestock grazing, moor burning for game bird shoots, water pollution and deer. Just to be clear, the article very much makes the distinction - the focus is on England, not on Wales and Scotland - Scotland especially is mentioned as being on a far better path.

?? Go here for post and article

5) How the Amazon's Ashaninka tribe restored their territory

In the foreword to my last novel (about the early days of the United States in the West) I wrote, "We need to learn from the American Indian people. They were here, living in harmony with the seasons, long before white man. Against overwhelming odds, they are here today - and today, more than ever, we must learn from them to restore our balance with nature."

An AP article highlights how dramatically things have changed since the Ashaninka people were given territorial rights three decades ago. In Brazil, 23% of the country is considered 'indigenous territory' - but for the longest times that meant nothing to either government or big business. Non-indigenous people razed forests and farmed cattle and left indigenous people no other choice but to work for those destructive ventures under slave-like conditions. The changes today are exemplary - and the Ashaninka are sharing their clearly successful ways of living in harmony with nature with neighboring regions.

?? Go here for post and article

6) More marmots released to Ukraine's Tarutino Steppe

The social steppe marmot, similar to the smaller North American prairie dog, inhabits grasslands. Their burrowing activities (tunnels twenty meters in length and three meters below ground!) make them ecosystem engineers as it has positive effects on soil health and ground water. In addition, this species is also important prey for wolves, foxes and raptors.

Daniel Allen writes, "The rewilding of Ukraine's Tarutino Steppe has just taken another step forward with the arrival of two groups of these likeable rodents. The 18 animals were translocated to the steppe - which is part of Rewilding Europe's extended Danube Delta rewilding landscape - from Ukraine's Odessa region. They join a thriving group of marmots which were released here by the Rewilding Ukraine team in 2020."

?? Go here for post, article and video clip

7) In Switzerland, lots of cows die - but not because of the wolf

Currently, Swiss cantons can 'regulate' (the euphemism for slaughter) wolves between the 1st of September and the 31st of January IF it is deemed necessary despite applied prevention measures. The Federal Office for the Environment FOEN can grant or deny request.

That the current requests flowing into the federal office are beyond the pale, becomes apparent when you look at the actual facts: GWS (Gruppe Wolf Schweiz) reports that the canton of Grisons, wolves have killed 4 cows. While that is surely horrible for the affected farmer, those 4 cows must also be seen in context. 4 cows. At the same time, in the same canton, 2'000 still births of calves were reported, as well as the loss of 700 cows on alpine pastures, due to causes other than the wolf. The science is overwhelmingly clear, the numbers are overwhelmingly obvious, the mitigation/coexistence measure have proven to be effective - and yet, the loudest of fearmongering continues here in Switzerland - as it does at EU level (see the first story of this edition).

?? Go here for post

8) The fight of the Sami's way of life is aligned with rewilding efforts

As Henrik Persson of Rewilding Sweden says in this excellent CNN article about the Sami and their way of life, "We want to restore the forests and the ecosystem, and that is the same ecosystem that they want to have back for their reindeer.” If you can take a bit of time, dive into a different world and stay with the Sami for a while - lots to see, lots to learn, lots more to ponder about where we are, where we all go, what matters, what doesn't, who we are and who we want to be - and what we are prepared do differently going forward in this rapidly changing world.

Rewilding Sweden looks to reverse what industry has done to the environment for decades. Intensive logging has caused intense strain on forest and rivers were straightened to transport timber, causing erosion and affecting plants, animals and habitats. Clear cut forestry, the practice of felling an entire forest before replanting it, has stunted the growth of ground lichens and other species.

?? Go here for post and article

We end the newsletter as always with an artwork by Chilean science illustrator and painter Mauricio Alvarez (mauricio_alvarez_art on Instagram): This time meet the white-crested Elaenia (elaenia albiceps), commonly known as Fio Fio in Chile. I love this rendering, there's something mischievous about this one, right? ??

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