WHY REWILDING?

It’s no longer enough just to reduce carbon emissions. We need to actively remove carbon from the atmosphere, and rewilding is a process that allows us to do so.

Rewilding involves planting endemic trees and plants to regenerate the natural biodiversity of the area, recreating the eco-system that existed before it was destroyed by human activity.

Rewilding is cost effective, and it is a solution to two of the world's major current crises: climate change, and the mass extinction of wildlife.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF REWILDING?

Recreates carbon sinks

When you recreate ecosystems as nature intended them, their capacity for removing carbon and other harmful pollutants from the atmosphere increases, oxygen is created and ultimately, climate change is reversed.

Protects biodiversity

Deforestation has eradicated and displaced far too many incredible species. By recreating the natural environment via rewilding, endemic species are provided with the right conditions in which to survive and thrive.

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Combats soil erosion and desertification

Soil is a powerful carbon sink, but fertilisers, pesticides and other harmful chemicals have had a catastrophic effect on soil. The sustainable and regenerative effect of rewilding restores soil health and biodiversity, and strengthens food security for local communities.

Provides protection from natural disasters

Rewilding the land restores natural rainfall patterns. It also prevents flooding via the canopy - which protects the forest floor, and the plant roots - which draw water deep underground. Without trees soil washes into waterways and causes landslides and erosion of riverbanks, which ultimately leads to flooding.

Encourages cooperation with nature

Rewilding is a way of seeing ourselves as just one part of a larger, complex natural ecosystem, rather than as the domineering, destructive species that humans have become.

Maintains the water supply

Freshwater is essential to the survival of the planet. Costa Rica is home to the most important water sink in North America. Rewilding the land provides us with the best opportunity to protect that water sink, and thus the essential water supply for hundreds of millions of people.

HERE'S THE SCIENCE

Tropical reforestation has been found to be the most effective, and lowest cost way of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. We may have pushed nature to the brink, but leading scientists believe it may be capable of repairing the damage...

A 2020 study found that by returning 30% of the world's most important ecosystems to their natural state, we can prevent more than 70% of predicted extinctions and soak up 465 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide - the equivalent of reducing carbon in the atmosphere caused by human behaviour by 49%.

The same study found that restoring the most promising 15% of ecosystems (including former forests) could remove 30% of all carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution, and avoid 60% of all expected extinctions.

Another paper found that stopping disturbances (by getting rid of grazing cows, for example) and letting pastures regrow naturally as forests could absorb the equivalent of a quarter of global fossil fuel emissions per year up to 2050, while maintaining current levels of food production.