Rewilding is a holistic, forward-looking approach to conservation with people at its heart. The goal is to restore damaged natural processes so that nature can lead its own recovery – while enabling people to live from and alongside it in a sustainable way.
Revitalising natural processes by focusing on the gaps
Ecosystems are like intricate jigsaw puzzles – when pieces are missing, broken, or in the wrong place, they cannot function as they should. By restoring critical components – be they species, habitats, or natural processes like water flows – we can trigger nature’s marvellous ability to heal itself and regain balance. This process-based strategy is the cornerstone of rewilding: returning conditions to enable ecosystems to heal, adjust, and thrive, to the benefit of both nature and people.
In a fragmented landscape, like in the Nordic Taiga, rewilding of habitats is important to enable exiting keystone species to fulfil their ecological roles. Especially in the spaces between the sparse areas of suitable habitats remaining – in nature’s gaps. For instance, big herbivores are, in the majority of places, a principal force behind shaping vegetation, creating habitats for other species and sequestering carbon. If absent, rewilding entails their reintroduction. But in the Nordic Taiga, where many existing grazers suffer from densely planted production forests, thinning becomes essential to allow ground vegetation to flourish and, hence, allow grazers like reindeer to do their ecological work.
Ultimately, rewilding shall always start with identifying what pieces are missing or being suppressed in an ecosystem. The job then involves putting those pieces back in place to revitalize natural processes, followed by stepping back to let nature take the lead in its recovery.
Adding the missing pieces
Selecting the right rewilding approach
Rewilding can follow three pathways. Two of these require active interventions to kick-start recovery, while the third involves standing back and letting nature recover on its own. Selecting the right approach is a deductive process, which you can learn more about on our rewilding chart.
Habitat rewilding
(Active supportive approach)
This active rewilding approach improves ecosystem structure and function, enabling suppressed keystone species to thrive. It applies when natural processes are too degraded to recover alone or when self-recovery is too slow. Examples include dam removal, river restoration, reconnecting habitats, tree veteranisation, and rewetting forests and wetlands.
Keystone species reintroduction
(Active trophic approach)
This active rewilding approach focuses on the reintroduction or population reinforcement of ecologically important wildlife species that are missing or critically low in number. For this approach to succeed, the species must be given sufficient space and access to high-quality habitat. If such habitat is lacking, targeted habitat rewilding should be the first step.
Passive rewilding
(Inactive approach)
This approach is used when key ecological elements are already in place and the ecosystem is relatively intact. If human disturbance ceases, natural species can often recolonise spontaneously. Given enough space, time, and minimal interference, natural processes have the potential to restore the ecosystem’s complexity, resilience, and biodiversity on their own.
Examples of keystone biota in the Nordic Taiga
Freshwater pearl mussel
(Margaritifera margaritifera)
One freshwater pearl mussel filter 50 litres of water daily, removing contaminants and producing nutrient-rich mucus for bottom-dwelling animals.
Reindeer lichens
(Cladonia spp.)
In boreal forests, ground-growing reindeer lichens play a key role in carbon and nutrient storage and serve as vital food for reindeer during winter.
Reindeer
(Rangifer tarandus)
Beyond grazing on fungi and lichens, reindeer shape vegetation, spread seeds, and affect nutrient cycling in summer mountain habitats.
Leaf-shredding macroinvertebrates
By consuming leaf litter covered with bacteria and fungi, these insect larvae initiate the aquatic food web in low-productive boreal waters.
Deciduous trees
(e.g., rowan, willow)
Broadleaf trees boost insect and bird diversity, fuel aquatic ecosystems via autumn leaf fall, and neutralise acidic soils.
Eurasian beaver
(Castor fiber)
Beavers build dams that shape rivers, create wetlands, regulate water, boost biodiversity, store carbon, and provide habitats for many species.