This is the complete guide to keeping deer off your land or out of your garden, whether using a deterrent or a fence. We've got clear and simple recommendations, based on scientific research, and information from DEFRA, the Forestry Commission and The British Deer Society. In this in-depth guide, you'll learn: Why do I need a deer fence? 8 alternatives to a deer fence (tree guards, sprays etc) UK deer species: facts & fence specs (incl. fence height) Best material for a deer fence (wire, plastic etc) Important things to consider Why do I need a deer fence when planting trees? Our natural ..read more

The three principles of rewilding are brilliantly explained in Rewilding Complex Ecosystems - a 2019 paper by Perino et al. We've rewritten this for a wider audience, to help scientists, farmers and conservationists understand how to run a successful rewilding project. This is a great article for conservationists, as it lays out a framework for how to understand rewilding, then applies it to explain how to design and manage a project that will appeal to the general public. It's also a good introduction to some basic rewilding concepts. Title: Rewilding Complex Ecosystems Journal: Science Publ ..read more

Here at How to Rewild, it's our mission to ditch the jargon, so we came up with a clear and simple explanation of rewilding that everyone can understand... Before modern humans walked the Earth, wild nature thrived without our help. Rewilding returns natural spaces to that healthy state and stops the damage to our climate, wildlife, rivers and countryside. But for 1000s of years, we've changed nature by wiping out herbivores (plant-eaters), carnivores (meat-eaters), draining land, channeling and blocking rivers, and breaking up wilderness into tiny chunks. This means we can't just leav ..read more

As I've bought land for rewilding recently myself, I'll break this down into simple steps and try to give you a bit of context from my own experience. The field plot I purchased is in Somerset, UK - 3.5 acres in size and it wasn't advertised when I found it. Alongside the typical processes, I'll also let you know how I managed to find something that wasn't on the market and how you could do the same to buy your own rewilding land. Caveat: This article is not legal advice - I am not a lawyer. I will not be held liable for any decisions made based on the content of this article, though I have do ..read more

Lots of travel companies are beginning to jump on the 'rewilding holidays' buzzword, but not all of them are being honest. We've done a deep dive into UK rewilding destinations and found the best sites to visit, where your stay will genuinely help to subsidise the cost of rewilding projects. Image credit: "European Beaver"by Aivar Ruukel is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 Rewilding Coombeshead Shepherd huts and camping on a captive breeding site. A hidden gem of UK rewilding and home to a celebrated conservation maverick, Rewilding Coombeshead is situated between Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor, with bea ..read more

Rewilding is not just important for wildlife - it's vital for humans, too. Let's take a look at its impacts on climate change, flooding and farming. For decades, conservation has been working against natural processes, following the science to try and hold nature in a fixed state in order to qualify for scarce funding. But that isn't what a wild landscape looks like - ecology is all about change. Recently we've begun to realise that embracing the change - shifting to a rewilding approach - can reduce the severity of floods, store carbon and improve soil health. How does rewilding help climate ..read more

Rewilding your garden will not only attract more wildlife and improve the amount of carbon stored in your soil, it should also make your life easier. When you start recognising that those 'weeds' are actually an important part of a healthy ecospace, you'll spend less time on your knees tidying up. I've been rewilding my own suburban garden for the past three years now, turning a giant slab of concrete into a native woodland edge. It's taken some adjusting to get into the rewilding mindset in the garden, but we've seen a vast amount of wildlife taking hold here, in this relatively small space ..read more

If you're looking for an ethical Christmas gift or thinking about leaving a legacy to a UK rewilding charity, it can be tricky to know which is the best choice. To make your life simpler, we've independently assembled the facts and figures that show what these charities do and how they spend their money. Every organisation listed below is officially registered, so you can rest assured that they're monitored by national charity regulators. Kent Wildlife Trust 2020-2021 report: Established 21 July 1959 5% of budget spent on fundraising 80 paid employees Focus: Rewilding Land It might seem odd ..read more

Whether you're a farmer, birdwatcher or conservationist, we've found the best rewilding books that you can buy in 2021. Wilding - Isabella Tree Our pick for: Farmers The Knepp project is probably the UK's most famous rewilding site at this point, so, for those familiar with the field, you might imagine that you've heard it all before. But Isabella's captivating storytelling, evoking the sounds and sights of her and her husband Charles' youth, do a lot to pull you into this great book. For those in the farming community who are feeling skeptical about the benefits of rewilding farmland and the ..read more