Rewilding
Rewilding is restoring ecosystems by letting natural processes take over, rather than managing toward a fixed target of which species should be present.
Full definition of Rewilding →:: COMPARE ::
RewildingvsEcological restoration
The short answer
Traditional restoration aims at a defined reference condition and manages toward it; rewilding is nature-led and deliberately declines to specify the endpoint. The IUCN positions rewilding as working alongside traditional conservation rather than replacing it.
Side by side
| Aspect | Rewilding | Ecological restoration |
|---|---|---|
| Endpoint | Unspecified | Defined |
| Led by | Natural processes | Management plan |
| Species list | Not prescribed | Usually specified |
| Embraces uncertainty | Explicitly | Less so |
What each one means
Ecological restoration
The contrast above sets out how Ecological restoration differs from Rewilding on the points that actually matter.