rewilding

1 of 2

noun

re·​wild·​ing (ˌ)rē-ˈwī(-ə)l-diŋ 

: an effort to increase biodiversity and restore the natural processes of an ecosystem that typically involves reducing or ceasing human activity and often the planned reintroduction of a plant or animal species and especially a keystone species

Rewilding—giving nature the space and opportunity to express itself—is largely a leap of faith.

—Isabella Tree

Large-scale domestic rewilding projects include dam removal in the Pacific Northwest and in the Northeast to facilitate the return of several endangered species of salmon, as well as reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone National Park, which stabilized and reinvigorated the ecosystem.

—Carey Smith

The concept of rewilding creates hope; it gives the opportunity to set things right, to link protected areas through corridors, to bring back species once lost, and to revitalize our forests, rivers, and wetlands with all forms of life.

—Bahar Dutt

The truth of when this forest actually existed and why it disappeared is murky. … Now, a group of visionary conservationists and ecotourism companies are working to revive the landscape through rewilding.

—Chloe Berge

rewilding

2 of 2

present participle of rewild

Examples of rewilding in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The estate has been running one of the U.K.’s most successful rewilding programmes for the last 20 years, with an emphasis on using natural processes to regenerate degraded ecosystems. —Jamie Hailstone, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

In fact, the study concludes carbon sequestration rates in rewilding projects are as fast as deciduous woodland planting over the first 20 years when measured using the woodland carbon code. —Jamie Hailstone, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

Dana Taylor: Was an historic precedent for rewilding, the area around the Chernobyl nuclear plant, the site of one of the worst disasters involving nuclear power, has now, according to the UN, become an iconic experiment in rewilding. —Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024

In the past, the startup spoke about Pleistocene Park in Siberia as a potential rewilding location. —Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 21 Feb. 2024

It was defeated, with some 70 percent of voters in San Geronimo opting for the rewilding to proceed. —Cara Buckley, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2024

Developed by Free Lives and published by Devolver Digital, the goal of the game is to restore an ecosystem through rewilding and green technology, essentially demolishing cities and wastelands in the name of reviving nature. —Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 18 Dec. 2023

Plains Camp, Samara Karoo Reserve, South Africa The unique selling point of this camp, which has just four off-grid tents with antique furnishings, is the rugged environment of the Karoo, where the surrounding reserve has seen the Big Five reintroduced through rewilding efforts. —Heather Richardson, Travel + Leisure, 2 Dec. 2023

In addition to championing horse rewilding and conservation awareness, RAN, formerly known as the CANA Foundation, promotes the inclusion of traditional knowledge through Native American culture. —Jaden Thompson, Variety, 12 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

rewild + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1993, in the meaning defined above