A Year in Partnership: Working with Rewilding Britain

Rewilding Britain depends entirely on voluntary donations to do our work; so Explore's donations have been a lifeline! Explore has already given over £15,000, thanks to the simple act of adding a donation per individual booking. That's an amazing figure considering much of this was donated during covid lockdowns and reduced travel. Over the last year of the partnership we've achieved some incredible things, but one stand out is the growth of our Rewilding Network to almost 900 members. That means new rewilding initiatives of all shapes and sizes across Britain - from coastal community projects to ex-grouse moors to farm clusters - can access the tools they need to catalyse their rewilding journey, including events, webinars and connections to other rewilders. Our research of some of the network projects has shown a 65% increase in jobs thanks to rewilding!
 
But this partnership is so much more than a financial relationship; it's really a collaboration. Explore plays a really important role in promoting our work and campaigns, telling the story of how rewilding can benefit so many places and communities. We're now exploring together how the incredible rewilding projects we're working with could be integrated into Explore’s UK trips in the UK, and how Explore staff can get involved more proactively in their local areas.

Image credits: Kate Barclay © Jim Johnston

Absolutely. It’s estimated that gardens in Britain cover an area more than twice as large as all of our national nature reserves. So with over half of our species in decline in Britain, and one in seven heading towards extinction, that space really matters. If each of these gardens in Britain were made even a tiny bit wilder - even if that simply means cutting your lawn less often - they could do a lot to offer a vital lifeline for wildlife. Read our tips to make your garden wilder. Or if you're lucky enough to own a larger piece of land, from a smallholding upwards, you can get all sorts of useful tips by joining our Rewilding Network. 

Image credits: Loch Beinn a'Mheadhoin in Glen Affric Scotland © Scotlandbigpicture.com

Thank you! Working with landscape designers Urquhart & Hunt to bring an award-winning garden to the show was a highlight of our year. Being able to show visitors what rewilding looks and feels like, and help shift the way people see and relate to the landscapes around them, was a golden opportunity. On top of that, the outpouring of excitement for the show garden across the nation – from a rewilding-themed Radio 6 Music listener’s playlist to a mention on Have I Got News for You – really helped to bring rewilding into the spotlight. 

Image credits: A Rewilding Britain Garden © James Ingram