People and rewilding

3 Communicating hope

Now you have considered who to engage and how, it's important to reflect on how you convey your messages and information.

As you saw in the case study focusing on Io Non Ho Paura del Lupo, positive, hopeful communications can help to address misinformation and fear. But they also have a wider, deeper purpose.

In a world without people, nature would flourish without human restraint. This fundamental truth underscores the role of people as the ones who define the boundaries of nature. Our choices determine whether we welcome the presence of predators, the existence of fallen trees, the course of untamed rivers, and all other natural processes that shape our landscapes.

People have controlled Europe's natural environment for centuries. From managing predatory animals that may pose a risk to people and their assets, to draining wetlands for agriculture, to straightening rivers to aid transport and industry, most of Europe is now heavily modified and ecologically degraded.

With 18 of the world's 50 least biodiverse countries found in Europe, it can be a challenge to visualise a continent where wilder, healthier nature is far more abundant.