Campaigners in Scotland are advocating for a groundbreaking initiative to transform the nation into the world’s first rewilding nation. The Scottish Rewilding Alliance, a coalition comprising 20 organizations, has introduced the Rewilding Nation Charter to support this ambitious endeavor.
This announcement comes alongside the revelation that 2% of Scotland’s land has already undergone rewilding efforts. Despite this progress, Scotland continues to grapple with significant nature depletion, ranking among the most depleted countries globally.
Scotland to Become Rewilding Nation (Credits: www.afar.com)
The Rewilding Nation Charter urges the Scottish Government to commit to nature recovery across 30% of both land and sea, emphasizing the urgent need for action.
As part of the campaign, a new feature-length film titled “Why Not Scotland?” has been launched to explore the potential for larger-scale rewilding in the country.
The documentary will be screened nationwide, with locations including Oban, Peebles, Dundee, and Inverness, following its premiere in Edinburgh.
Steve Micklewright, convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance and chief executive of Trees for Life, emphasized the critical importance of addressing climate breakdown and nature loss. He expressed optimism that Scotland could lead the way as a Rewilding Nation, benefiting nature, climate, and people.
Despite being ranked low in global nature rankings, with 11% of its species facing extinction, Scotland is witnessing a growing movement to address these challenges.
Scotland to Become Rewilding Nation (Credits: The Planetary Press)
Intensive agriculture and climate change pose significant threats to biodiversity, affecting access to essential resources such as food, water, and clean air, and impacting people’s health and well-being.
However, there is hope as communities, charities, farmers, and landowners are taking proactive steps to reverse Scotland’s nature crisis.
The Scottish Rewilding Alliance revealed that 2.1% of Scotland’s land is now undergoing rewilding efforts, encompassing over 150 projects across 160,000 hectares.
These initiatives, ranging from community woodlands to landscape-scale partnerships, are contributing to mitigating climate change impacts and creating economic opportunities.
Tom Bowser, a farmer and owner of Argaty Red Kites in Perthshire, emphasized the collective responsibility in addressing the nature and climate crises.
He encouraged individuals to support the Rewilding Nation Charter, emphasizing the importance of collective action in building a greener and fairer Scotland.
