The economic opportunity of rewilding

1 The role of rewilding in boosting local economies

1.1 Supporting local enterprise development

Rewilding aims to develop viable business models and new employment and entrepreneurial opportunities so that local people will benefit from nature’s recovery.

Existing businesses can adapt to benefit from the opportunities of a more nature-rich environment, enabling local people to live alongside wilder nature. An existing tourism company changing to offer high-quality nature watching experiences, or a local restaurant serving food from local producers that adopt peaceful coexistence practices.

A collection of artisanal food items displayed on a wooden surface outdoors, with a tree and an orange wall in the background. The items include a bottle of cider labeled 'SIDRA,' two jars of preserves or spreads, a package of cookies, a loaf of bread wrapped in cloth, and another loaf partially sliced open. There is also a box labeled 'Bear Smart box' in the background.

Products Bear-Smart Box in collaboration with Broozy. Credit: Rewilding Apennines.

However, the process of changing and adapting business practices to align with rewilding principles incurs costs.

Click on the icons below to see the different types of costs.

The types of costs vary from place to place: each landscape and seascape is unique, and all offer different economic opportunities or challenges.