As you have learned in the first three modules, rewilding is a holistic approach to bring back wilder nature to Europe. Rewilding lets nature lead. Our approach is to reconnect parts of the ecosystem, allowing nature to heal itself, and offering a helping hand where it’s needed.

With the return of nature comes the potential for new economic activities, where nature is an asset rather than a consumable resource to be exploited. Many places where rewilding is happening are places where the old economic use of the land was no longer working, from rocky uplands in Spain to heavy clay soils in England. Or where new opportunities have been identified: widening river beds to reduce the risk of flooding damage downstream, creating space for more natural river systems in the Netherlands, financed by shallow clay extraction for the brick industry.

In this module, you will learn about the different ways that rewilding can contribute to building stronger local economies, and the ways it can draw additional funding from beyond the rewilding area itself.

You will see practical examples of people who have chosen to use their land for rewilding with positive results for nature and the economy.

You will also have the opportunity to reflect on the new economic opportunities that rewilding would present in our case study landscape.