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 long-term impacts of rewilding have not been well studied, and some scholars worry about it. — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026

The wetlands, a 40-hectare (100-acre) rewilding site that was previously an area of gravel pits, has been identified as a critical stepping stone for stork recovery. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026

Indeed, some of the country’s most ambitious conservation work is focused on restoring ecosystems, preserving indigenous cultures and rewilding landscapes that had been altered by agriculture. — Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Not everyone embraces beaver rewilding, especially when — unlike the Ealing project — the animals are introduced illicitly, said George Holmes, a conservation professor at the University of Leeds. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 18 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

rewild + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1993, in the meaning defined above