Beyond agroecology: agricultural rewilding, a prospect for livestock systems?

Abstract

Biodiversity conservation and restoration generally involve human intervention. In comparison, rewilding, a radically different approach, aims to increase the ability of ecological processes to restore ecosystems. Rewilding, including that of agricultural systems, has been examined from ecological and social perspectives but rarely from an agricultural perspective. In this review of the literature and case studies, we i) analyse whether and how rewilding of agricultural systems, particularly livestock systems, can help conserve and restore biodiversity and offer new prospects, primarily in Europe, and ii) identify research questions about rewilding of agricultural systems. We researched literature on rewilding, agriculture, and interactions between them. We also identified agricultural rewilding projects established for at least five years in the United Kingdom (UK) to analyse their approaches and characteristics. Agricultural rewilding is an emerging form of land use that we conceptually position between agroecology and rewilding. It combines restoration of ecological processes with some degree of agricultural production, most often of herbivores. A selection of 11 agricultural rewilding projects in the UK had areas of 121-4402 ha. The main actions to enhance rewilding were extensive grazing and habitat restoration. The main economic activities were animal sales, tourism and education. Agricultural rewilding may provide a multifunctional model to which livestock systems with herbivores may transition to respond better to environmental concerns.