‘Rewilding: The Vision, Examples, Constraints and Benefits’

Very large natural habitat areas can now be restored to natural "wildlands" in a linked network on a much bigger scale. However, this depends on what is practicably possible, given relevant potential and constraints

Toby Aykroyd and Jonathan Spencer both promote the concept of rewilding. They will jointly present the case for rewilding, but will review the established difficulties in achieving this.

Tony Aykroyd will review the great opportunities that are now emerging for restoration of very large natural habitat areas. Falling subsidies resulting from ongoing CAP reform and problems with the forestry sector point to diminishing financial viability of traditional land use in many marginal areas. Equally, there is growing appreciation of the benefits of natural "wildlands" - for local communities and landholders as well as conservation interests. Climate change, nature-tourism and the growth of new markets in healthcare, youth at risk and education all offer opportunities for direct income, as well as funding support for wildland environmental and social "services". Many excellent restoration initiatives are underway in individual locations, but there is now potential to develop these into a linked network on a much bigger scale - matching rural opportunity with urban need and engaging a higher level of political support in the process.

Jonathan Spencer will contrast the radical ideas of Toby Aykroyd with a more establishment approach to what is practicably possible, given relevant potential and constraints. He will draw out the issues and opportunities that lie out there, and explore some of the examples of restoration.

Toby Aykroyd studied macroeconomics, geography and development economics at Cambridge University and has an MBA from the Cranfield Institute of Technology. He was initially posted to the UN Development Programme in Central America where he worked on agricultural and SME business projects. His career since has mainly included commercial management both in the private sector and under contract to government. He has been involved in farming and forestry enterprises, directed a political lobby group and co-founded the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative.
The Wild Britain Initiative which he coordinates seeks to promote the restoration of large-scale natural habitat areas across 2 million acres in the UK over the next 25 years: making use of economic, social and political as well as conservation opportunities. He is Co-Chairman of the Population & Sustainability Network and Vice-Chairman of the Wilderness Foundation.

Jonathan Spencer is the Senior Ecologist for the Forestry Commission in England. Having studied botany and zoology at Nottingham he worked as research assistant in the Genetics Department of Cambridge University before embarking on a career in woodland conservation with the Nature Conservancy Council in 1981, working to George Peterken and Keith Kirby. After many years of compiling the NCC Ancient Woodland Inventory, he moved to Regional duties as Conservation Officer for Buckinghamshire, though with woodland work continuing across the country in the form of various projects. His chief accomplishment in this time was the restoration of Greenham Common Airbase to wildlife habitat and commonland. A secondment to the FC in the New Forest matured into a permanent appointment as senior ecologist FC England, where he continues to work. With 268,000ha of land under its direct control and with forest and woodland creation and management policy and support across the rest of the country as key parts of the FC's role, the post continues to provide challenge and interest.

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