‘Guerrilla rewilding’ aims for DIY conservation – but it may do more harm than good

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 19:27:41 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/guerrilla-rewilding-aims-for-diy-conservation-but-it-may-do-more-harm-than-good-258818>

"Ever since modern environmentalism took off in the 1960s, people have tried to
undo the damage humans have caused to nature. Efforts have ranged from reducing
threats, to restoring habitats, to reintroducing vanished species – and the
results have been mixed.

However, these efforts have helped shape modern conservation science. This
branch of knowledge uses ecological, genetic and behavioural insights to guide
smarter, more ethical conservation actions.

Governments often use this science to decide whether restoration projects
should be approved. However, approval processes may be slow, under-resourced
and complex, leaving passionate people feeling shut out.

In response, some have turned to “guerilla rewilding” without approval, and
often without due consideration of the potential for unintended impacts. As a
recent ABC investigation showed, these passionate souls may release species
into the wild or build self-managed sanctuaries, often dismissing scientists as
“purists”."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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