Rewilding in Europe: A Systematic Characterization and Classification of 89 Rewilding Projects

Rewilding is increasingly adopted as a novel, process-oriented restoration approach worldwide, yet little knowledge exists on commonalities and differences in rewilding practice. This study systematically examines rewilding projects enlisted on the European Rewilding Network (n = 89) from a social-ecological perspective. Using qualitative content analysis and hierarchical clustering, we assess the diversity of rewilding strategies by comparing ecological and socioeconomic goals, types of interventions, targeted ecological processes, and people's assigned roles in rewilding. Six distinct rewilding strategies emerged: “megaherbivore rewilding”, “multi-intervention rewilding”, “ecosystem restoration”, “species breeding and reintroduction”, “fostering human-wildlife coexistence”, and “wild nature protection”. Our findings highlight (1) recurring patterns in rewilding practices across contexts, (2) co-occurrences between ecological and socioeconomic elements in shaping rewilding practices, and (3) variability in people's roles depending on the rewilding strategy pursued. The findings can support knowledge transfer and cross-site learning among researchers and practitioners, and the development of tailored policy and planning tools.