London, United Kingdom – December 14th, 2022 – As the world looks for solutions to the environmental problems our planet is facing using nature-based solutions offers hope. Rewilding projects that restore peatlands, saltmarshes, and seagrass beds tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis by expanding wildlife habitats and drawing carbon from the air.
While many think of rewilding as planting trees, advocates are eager to emphasize that much more is involved. The charity ‘Rewilding Britain’ defines rewilding as “the large-scale restoration of ecosystems to the point where nature is allowed to take care of itself. Rewilding seeks to reinstate natural processes and, where appropriate, missing species – allowing them to shape the landscape and the habitats within. It’s focused firmly on the future although we can learn from the past. Rewilding encourages a balance between people and the rest of nature so that we thrive together. It can provide opportunities for communities to diversify and create nature-based economies; for living systems to provide the ecological functions on which we all depend; and for people to reconnect with wild nature.”
Educating the public is vital to get support and funding for rewilding projects. Fay and Matt Doyle, creators and owners of the multi-media platform ‘This Expansive Adventure‘, are doing their part in educating and highlighting rewilding. Their most recent release is the documentary ‘Remaking the Wild‘ series on their free to watch video streaming platform tea:tv. Each episode features a different rewilding project currently happening in the United Kingdom.
The episodes, which are all available now to watch for free range from improving the water quality in Haweswater Reservoir through land management to breaching the seawall to create salt marshes at Naddle Hall Farm in Essex. Each episode explains and provides inspiration about the grassroots work being done by these schemes to create better environments, create valuable flood defenses, transform ex-brownfield sites, and so much more.
Rewilding is very much in harmony with the ethos of ‘This Expansive Adventure’. “Our aim is to encourage people to get out and connect with our environment. The more connected people feel to the ecosystem around them the more likely they are to take action to protect it. We use our online magazine and streaming platform to not only to offer advice on the best equipment for outdoor adventuring, from tents to hiking belts, but we also inspire and educate our readers and followers about our planet,” Fay told us. “We want to focus on meaningful travel, mindful adventure, mental health, wellbeing as a concept, the environment and how we interact with the world around us to shift the dial and make an intentional difference to our lives and those around us.”
Rewilding is something ‘This Expansive Adventure’ feel passionate about. Fay says: “We hear so much about rewilding, but many of these stories lack context. Rewilding is a great concept, but it can seem unrealistic, and only some understand its benefits. Our ‘Remaking the Wild’ series sets out to make it clear how pivotal and essential rewilding is. We are looking at ways to build more climate-resilient landscapes that can help with our fight against climate change. It also aims to present solutions rather than just problems and to make the information presented bite-sized and easy to understand.”
Many celebrities are using their influence to draw attention to rewilding projects in the UK. Leonardo DiCaprio has joined high-profile figures like David Attenborough, Kate Moss, Ed Sheeran, Geri Halliwell, and Chris Packham in highlighting Britain’s rewilding efforts. The initiative that caught DiCaprio’s attention was Kent Wildlife Trust and the Wildwood Trust to manage West Blean and Thornden Woods by releasing a bison herd into the wild in July 2022.
Recent updates reveal that the bison have significantly impacted the woodland within just a few months, creating an environment for wildlife to thrive through their natural behavior. In September, one of the bison gave birth to a calf, who is thriving in her new environment. Bison Rangers Tom Gibbs and Donovan Wright have been observing the animals and checking if they can fend for themselves and find food, water, and shelter. “Whilst bison are fascinating, they have been brought to West Blean Woods for a very specific purpose. Known as ecosystem engineers, they shape the habitat around them through their natural behaviors allowing light to reach the forest floor and encouraging wildlife to thrive,” the Rangers said. “We have already seen the amazing impact they have had on the smaller area, the changes they have made are encouraging other wildlife to flourish. It is rewarding to work on a project that continues to capture the imagination of so many people across the globe.”
In his latest documentary film, ‘David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet’, Sir David highlighted the importance of rewilding, saying: “We are facing nothing less than the collapse of the living world. The very thing which gave birth to our civilisation. The thing we rely upon for every element of the lives we lead. No-one wanted this to happen. So, what do we do? It’s quite straightforward. It’s been staring us in the face all along. To restore stability to our planet we must restore biodiversity. The very thing we’ve removed. It’s the only way out of this crisis we’ve created. We must rewild the world.”
With continued support, funding, and public awareness, hopefully many more rewilding projects will have success.
Media Contact
Company Name: This Expansive Adventure
Contact Person: Fay Doyle
Email: Send Email
Phone: 07502285208
Country: United Kingdom
Website: https://www.thisexpansiveadventure.com/