Wonderful Wildlife Recovery at Scotland's Rewilding Sites

A “dramatic” increase in biodiversity at rewilding sites across Scotland has been observed, with bird numbers almost tripling.

Credit: SCOTLAND: The Big Picture

New research from sites across the Northwoods Rewilding Network, coordinated by rewilding charity SCOTLAND: The Big Picture, shows that rewilding has led to remarkable increases in biodiversity. On rewilded land, the amount of suitable space and habitat for birds increased by at least fivefold, while the numbers of bumblebees and butterflies rose by more than tenfold.

Researchers surveyed wildlife at more than 100 rewilding sites, and compared the results to nearby non-rewilded areas. “The results are astonishingly clear,” said Dr Ross Macleod, an ecologist at England’s Liverpool John Moores University, who analysed the data. “On rewilded land, biodiversity surged across the board, with the number of bird species up 261 percent and their breeding territories up by 546 percent."

“For pollinators, the variety of bumblebee and butterfly species more than doubled, their abundance increased over tenfold, and the number of nectar-rich plants they could use in the rewilded areas rose by around 250 percent.”

Threatened birds also saw significant increases, he added. “Species such as spotted flycatcher, cuckoo and woodcock are relatively common on the rewilded areas, bucking the national trend of almost catastrophic declines.”

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture, said the results "show us that rewilding not only works but is extremely effective. Whether it’s turning a conifer plantation into a naturally regenerating native woodland, or increasing wildflower species in cattle pasture, we have shown that having more native habitats and natural processes leads to higher biodiversity. But just as crucially, we’ve shown that rewilding can work alongside business, from food production to recreation and tourism."