The concept is pivoted on 3Cs — core, corridor and carnivore
Humans have undisputedly capsized the delicate balance of the ecosystem. What will happen to the wildlife when we monopolise all the resources?
Rewilding is perhaps a solution to help us coexist. The process is pivoted on restoration of the local ecosystem to let it thrive independently.
In 1998, conservationists Michael Soulé and Reed Noss developed rewilding around 3Cs:
These form the basis of most rewilding projects. Let’s examine some of the programmes undertaken in the past to determine the efficiency of the concept.
A well-known success story is the reintroduction of wolves to the Yellowstone National Park in 1995. “In the places where they returned, wolves tidied up explosive deer and elk populations, which had eaten valleys barren,” explained JoAnna Klein, a contributor for The New York Times.
Vegetation grew back and boosted the biodiversity and migration of other animals into the park. The recovered plant life stabilised the rivers, causing them to meander less and deepen the riverbed. This subsequently regulated the geography and the microclimate of the park.
Another stellar example is The American Prairie Reserve in Montana. A colossal core of 405,200 acres was created there to establish a thriving ecosystem for native and endangered species like swift fox, pronghorn and black-footed ferrets.
It is privately funded and has grown over time by connecting adjoining land with corridors.
Not all rewilding attempts, however, have been fruitful. A massive marshland, Oostvaardersplassen in the Netherlands, was repopulated by wild horses and bison (foreign species) to graze and reduce the vegetation, which was multiplying alarmingly and posing a danger for bird species.
There were no keystone species introduced. Eventually, these large grazers increased exponentially, rendering the land barren. Trapped without corridors, 60 per cent of the grazers perished with no food and extreme climate.
The Oostvaardersplassen experiment collapsed due to lack of research, not a flaw in the model.
The assessment of the dynamics of the ecosystem and an in-depth survey and research of the 3Cs are essential for the success of rewilding. Technical skills to manage the vast area, funding and government support can also augment positive results.
The optimum cost and speed of the project as well as the time taken for the outcome can further confirm an efficient model.
Protecting the wildlife and their ecosystems should ideally be the most prioritised solution. But when that fails, rewilding promises a radical change and a way forward.
Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth.
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