Mapping opportunities and challenges for rewilding in Europe

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Environmental Science
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Farmland abandonment is a global phenomenon driven by socio-economic and ecological factors.
• European policies traditionally aim to prevent abandonment and halt ecological succession.
• Ecological rewilding is emerging as an alternative conservation strategy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a framework for assessing rewilding opportunities across Europe.
• To map key wilderness indicators in areas projected for farmland abandonment.
• To inform tailored rewilding management strategies based on regional contexts.

Main Methods:

• Mapping artificial light, human accessibility (transport infrastructure), and harvested primary productivity.
• Assessing deviation from potential natural vegetation in projected abandonment areas.
• Analyzing regional variations in wilderness metrics and their socio-economic links.

Main Results:

• Projected abandonment areas show low artificial light and high deviation from natural vegetation.
• Wilderness metric importance varies regionally, linked to local environmental and socio-economic conditions.
• Significant abandonment areas overlap with Natura 2000 sites, indicating rewilding potential.

Conclusions:

• Management should be customized to regional wilderness deficits to support rewilding.
• Integrating rewilding into Natura 2000 management can boost biodiversity and species recovery.
• The developed framework is applicable globally for assessing rewilding potential and guiding conservation subsidies.