Not so long ago, I got into a new genre of videos: rewilding efforts in the Scottish Highlands. It might seem like a fairly seem like the world is a dark and difficult place, and many have a hard time imagining that we have decades left of human existence, let alone centuries. But the rewilding organisations, particularly MossyEarth and LeaveCurious, plus the search engine Ecosia, fill me with hope.
So let’s explore together, who are the rewilding organisations in Scotland and how are they doing? Is there a case for optimism even in light of everything that’s going on?
Optimism: a precious rarity these days
With the state of the planet, politics, the cost of living crisis and numerous other factors at play, optimism is in short supply. This is reflected in a declining birth rate, world round. Some who have decided to not have children have specifically decided because “who would bring a child into a world that’s dying?”
Fair
Honestly, it is quite understandable that some think the world is irredeemable and completely ruined. It has been a constant part of news cycles for the last 40 years at least. These became 24-hour and then constantly accessible. Of course there’s a rise in all sorts of negative side effects!
Why rewilding in Scotland is the necessary break from woe
Statistics about rewilding in Scotland show that it is a growing and continued process. It has seen a four-fold increase in jobs at some sites and hundreds of new jobs in places which never had them before. Attempts to safeguard pine martins amongst forestry activity has seen numbers increase. New Scots pine forests are starting to take root in formerly barren landscapes.
And all this? Only 2.1% of Scottish land is currently being used for rewilding.
There are several positive results already coming in from what is basically just the beginning. From these small seedlings do vast rainforests spring.
Recent setbacks to rewilding Scotland
There was recently an incident where someone released lynx to the Scottish Highlands. This wildcat release (pun intended) put at risk a lot of different organisations who advocate for larger predators to be reintroduced to Scotland
The fact is, Scotland’s land has been run as an oversize pleasure estate for a long time. Deer and grouse populate the land in excessive numbers purely so they can be shot. Back in the 1700s, the deer were kept in check by wolves chasing them away from the young fresh saplings.
Hopefully the irresponsible lynx release leads to more attention to the issue rather than any sort of step back away from the agenda to have a wilder country.
Potential benefits to rewilding Scotland
As well as enabling more space for endangered animals to repopulate, the idea is that rewilding can create lots more jobs, change the way we look at landscapes, and there can be positive effects on both the tourist economy and the environment at large. For the sake of a better world 100 years hence, it is imperative that we get involved now.
Ways to get involved in rewilding
There are several organisations mentioned in this article and there’s a variety of ways to help out. You can donate, which is often one of the most helpful ways to keep the work going. Alternatively, there are volunteering opportunities to plant trees. Lastly, and this is what we’re doing here at Edinburgh Street Historians, you can spread the word.
The world is not done just yet.
The international picture
While finding out about the Scottish projects, many others have come up around the world. There are attempts to fix rivers, create new food sources in forests, and even an attempt to stop the growth of the Sahara Desert through the Great Green Wall.
The world might seem like it’s getting worse all the time, but there are people and organisations who are working their utmost to fix the planet
Rewilding in Scotland 100 years down the line
The dream is that by the time we’re all old, the world will still be here. The hope is that it can be substantially better than the world we were born into. There has been progress on a lot of fronts hut it needs to keep going and we need to support efforts.
So that’s our overall take on rewilding Scotland. It is arguably one of the coolest and most important issues in the country right now. The downstream effects of a cleaner ecosystem cannot be overstated. From healthier children to a better more resilient economy. In order to live a better future and not have to worry forever about what is coming next, attempts to build a better future are of the utmost importance. And the letter I’d write to my 100-year old self would largely be to ask how successful we were.
The writer of this piece is painted like the ancient inhabitants of Scotland, the Picts.
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