Is rewilding truly mainstream now, or does it remain mired in misunderstanding? Can we finally agree on what the term actually means? And is it really an anti-rural movement that seeks to empty the countryside of people? These questions have dominated conservation debates for years, and our conversation today tackles them head-on with refreshing clarity. Our guest is Dr Steve Carver, Director of the Wildland Research Institute at the School of Geography, University of Leeds, and Professor of Rewilding and Wilderness Science.

In our conversation we explore how rewilding differs fundamentally from traditional conservation and regenerative farming. We examine the crucial role of scale, the problematic nature of fences in rewilding projects, and why the Oostvaardersplassen experiment in the Netherlands offers important lessons. Steve introduces his concept of 'nature-led versus human-led' approaches and explains why giving nature the space and time to determine its own trajectory remains the core principle. We also discuss the controversial question of whether projects like Knepp Estate truly qualify as rewilding or represent something else entirely.

Throughout our discussion, Steve emphasises that rewilding is deeply context-specific and requires genuine local community engagement to succeed. He unpacks the relationship between wilderness and rewilding, explores why species reintroductions aren't mandatory, and shares his measured optimism about lynx returning to the UK (though wolves remain a more distant prospect). We also examine how the European interpretation of rewilding has evolved differently from its North American origins, and what this means for future conservation efforts. This episode offers a balanced, scientifically grounded perspective on where rewilding stands today and where it might be heading.

Further reading:

• Guiding principles for rewilding

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This is the Conservation and Science podcast Replay series, a curated collection of best episodes from last year. If you are new to the show, this is an excellent opportunity to catch up with the most popular episodes from the back catalogue. And if you’re a regular listener, maybe you missed one of those or want to listen to one of them again. Don’t worry! The new episodes are being published on the regular fortnightly schedule, so keep tuning in for the new content every other Tuesday.