People and rewilding
2 Who do we work with?
2.3 How do rewilders build engagement?
The methods for building engagement vary, from community to continental level. In-person meetings, formal events, festivals, exhibitions, press releases, annual reviews, and social media all have a part to play.
Engaging people inside rewilding areas
Within a rewilding area, face-to-face communications, personal dialogue, and genuine engagement are important to build trust and relationships. People should be able to access relevant information, be given a platform to share their ideas and opinions, and have an opportunity to become part of local rewilding efforts and the greater rewilding movement.
This can mean taking steps to ensure some people aren't accidentally excluded. For example:
- Meetings during the day may exclude people who are at work.
- Consultations in the evening could exclude people who work at night, or single parents who can't leave children alone at home.
- Events held upstairs may exclude wheelchair users.
- Meetings at some times of year could exclude people who are in the area on a seasonal basis, such as pastoralists, or people who work in tourism.
Going to where people are rather than asking them to come to you, can ensure that engagement efforts are truly inclusive.
Dialogue and information-sharing are only the first steps in the engagement process in areas that are being rewilded. Rewilding is a long-term process, and the success of rewilding efforts depends on establishing trust and real buy-in to the rewilding philosophy.
This can be achieved by inspiring people, generating pride in the new natural values of the landscape, and ensuring businesses and communities benefit from nature recovery by:
- developing nature-based economies
- organising events such as festivals, exhibitions, documentary screenings, and educational camps
- giving people the opportunity to really connect with the wild nature on their doorstep on a regular basis.
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Engaging people outside of rewilding areas
Films, podcasts, imagery, social media, festivals, and music all demonstrate the beauty of wild nature and build engagement across wider society which creates a more enabling social environment for rewilding.
A wide range of inspirational events and media are already leading a change in how people understand wilder nature across Europe. Here are just a few examples:
James Shooter travelled across much of Europe, visiting 16 high-profile rewilding landscapes and initiatives. For each of these he created a dedicated podcast, The Rewild Podcast, bringing the sounds and stories of these remarkable places to a global audience.
The Rewild Podcast takes listeners on an immersive audio journey across Europe.
In his series ‘Rewilding the World’, Ben Goldsmith speaks to the people leading the most dynamic rewilding initiatives taking place today.
From Mexico to Mauritius, from the sea to the urban environment of London, these podcasts show the huge transformation that can take place when we let nature lead its own recovery.
Emmanuel Rondeau is a director, producer, and photojournalist who creates inspiring and educational films with the aim of changing attitudes and behaviours.
Some of his recent ‘The rewilding documentary series’ features rewilding landscapes in the Iberian Highlands of Spain, the Velebit Mountains of Croatia, and the Rhodope Mountains of Bulgaria. Meet the people who live there and see what rewilding means to them through his intimate and powerful documentaries.
The Blue Marine Foundation have created an online immersive experience. Dive below the waves and learn about majestic marine wildlife and what we need to do to rewild the seas.
