Can rewilding truly restore nature without controlling it?

The desire to give nature back its freedom and ability to self-organize is gaining ground in the face of biodiversity loss and ecosystem fragility. Yet, this approach, known as rewilding, raises fundamental questions about our relationship with the living world and the limits of our intervention. The central idea is to minimize human influence to allow species and habitats to regain their own dynamics. But how can we define what is natural or wild when humans have profoundly transformed landscapes for millennia?

Rewilding is based on a simple principle: letting nature reclaim its rights by limiting human actions that hinder its functioning. This can involve reintroducing extinct species, abandoning agricultural lands, or protecting areas left in a wild state. However, this approach encounters a paradox. To restore an ecosystem, intervention is often necessary—choosing which species to favor or which processes to encourage. Yet, any intervention risks repeating past mistakes by imposing a human vision of what nature should be.

Some projects focus on reintroducing key animals, such as large predators or herbivores, to restore balanced food chains. For example, the return of wolves to Yellowstone Park changed the behavior of deer and promoted vegetation regeneration. However, these initiatives rely on models that assume we know the exact role of each species, even though ecosystems are constantly evolving and full of uncertainties. Scientists often compare the current situation to an idealized past state, as if nature could be frozen in perfect balance. But the climate is changing, species are adapting or disappearing, and interactions among living beings are far more complex than they appear.

Another challenge lies in the concept of ecological function. Sometimes, it is thought that one species can be replaced by another if it plays a similar role, as if nature were a machine whose parts could be swapped without consequence. Yet, every living being has unique traits and participates in unpredictable relationships. Replacing one species with another, even if they seem equivalent, can have unexpected effects and reduce diversity rather than preserve it.

Some advocate leaving land abandoned so that nature can spontaneously reclaim it. This passive approach avoids the risks of overly directive intervention, but it is not without limitations. In some regions, the abandonment of traditional agricultural practices has led to the disappearance of species adapted to these semi-natural environments. Moreover, landscapes bear the mark of human history, and their future evolution will also depend on current social and political choices.

Rewilding also questions our responsibility for the damage caused to nature. Should we seek to restore a past state, even if it is unattainable? Or should we accept that some ecosystems have been irreversibly transformed and imagine new forms of coexistence? These questions show that rewilding is not just a restoration technique, but a reflection on our place in the living world.

It is not just about protecting wild spaces, but rethinking our way of inhabiting the Earth. This involves recognizing that other species have the right to live according to their own needs, without being reduced to resources or services for humanity. The real challenge may be learning to live with an unpredictable nature, accepting that its future is not entirely in our hands. This requires humility and a willingness to share space with beings whose ways of life partly elude us.

Rewilding thus invites a profound reassessment of our values and practices. It is not enough to let nature take its course or to shape it according to our desires. We must also listen to its history, understand its dynamics, and accept that some transformations are permanent. Only a mindful and respectful approach will preserve the ability of ecosystems to renew themselves, while leaving room for the unexpected and the diversity of life forms.

Bibliographie

Source de l’étude

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s40656-026-00727-4

Titre : Rewilding: history, intervention and the quest for immanence

Revue : History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences

Éditeur : Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Auteurs : Nuria Valverde Pérez; Òscar Castro García