Stakeholder perceptions and planning implications for urban rewilding as a nature-based solution in Poland

Urban rewilding is increasingly recognized as a nature-based solution for restoring biodiversity, mitigating climate risks, and strengthening urban resilience. Yet, empirical evidence on how rewilding is perceived and supported by both policymakers and the public-particularly in post-socialist contexts-remains scarce. This study investigates expert and community perspectives on urban rewilding in Poland through a mixed-method design: a nationwide survey of 32 municipal environmental officials and a visual preference survey with 1,000 residents of the coastal city of Sopot. Expert responses highlight strong conceptual support for rewilding's ecological and social benefits, but also identify persistent concerns about institutional feasibility, funding, and integration into existing planning frameworks. Community results reveal consistent public endorsement of moderate rewilding, with more cautious acceptance of intensive ecological designs in highly symbolic civic spaces. Taken together, the findings suggest that urban rewilding in Central and Eastern Europe is both socially viable and ecologically desirable, but its successful implementation will depend on adaptive governance, participatory planning, and the strategic use of visual engagement tools to bridge policy ambition with public expectations.