Anja Murray: Rewilding makes space for nature to thrive

All across the country, families, farmers and communities are embarking on their own adventures with rewilding

The sound of woodpeckers has returned to Co Wicklow

In Ireland, we have an unfortunate cultural mindset that every piece of land must be used for productivity. Whether to grow crops, feed cattle or produce timber, each acre is required to earn its keep. In this, we overlook the need for healthy ecosystems that underpin every aspect of productivity. In order to maintain a habitable and productive environment, there must be space for nature to thrive.

It is most welcome to witness, therefore, a surge of enthusiasm for rewilding in recent years. From small pockets of land in which wild trees can seed themselves at their own discretion, or river floodplains in which wetlands can once again reign, rewilding is a whole spectrum of approaches that allow nature to decide what habitats are most suited to that piece of land. Rewilding is about surrendering our control of every parcel of land and offering wild species and habitats the space they need to recover.