Does re-wilding contribute to biodiversity conservation in Mediterranean cultural landscapes

Bibliographic Data

ID10889060
AuthorsMiguel Nuno Bugalho (0000-0002-7081-657X, University of Lisbon, corresponding author), F Javier Pérez-Barbería (0000-0001-7513-5418, Universidad de Oviedo), José M C Pereira (0000-0003-2583-3669, University of Lisbon), Iain J Gordon (0000-0001-9704-0946, Australian National University)
Year2026
Volume55
Issue3
Pages546-557
Publication date2026-03-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAMBIO (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0044-7447 • E-ISSN: 1654-7209
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s13280-025-02266-x
PMID41076513
OpenAlexW4415066536
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited53

Debate has arisen on the use of "re-wilding" to promote biodiversity conservation. We contend that approaches aiming for strict non-intervention to restore "wilderness" may be conceptually inconsistent when applied to human-shaped landscapes. Several ecosystems of high biodiversity value, often misclassified as "pristine" have been shaped over millennia of human use, a context rarely acknowledged by re-wilding approaches. Rural abandonment in Europe is seen as an opportunity to promote biodiversity conservation through "re-wilding", but management neglect may favor forest species at the expense of open-habitat species. In Mediterranean regions, where cultural ecosystems have high conservation value, management neglect may reduce biodiversity and increase wildfire hazard, especially under climate change. Using three Mediterranean basin case studies, we argue that wilderness-focused re-wilding, if applied uncritically, can have unintended negative consequences. While recognizing the diversity of re-wilding concepts, we highlight the need for context-specific strategies, where active management remains essential

Agricultural biodiversity · Biodiversity · Biodiversity conservation · Context (archaeology · Measurement of biodiversity · Mediterranean Basin · Mediterranean climate · Neglect · Environmental Philosophy and Ethics · Geographies of human-animal interactions · Land Use and Ecosystem Services

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