SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2020 TIMES EVOKE NEW DELHI ‘Rewilding is life-changing — it saves multiple species and creates sustainable economies’ avid Attenborough’s new documentary teaches ecology and evolutionary biology at Princeton University. Closely involved ‘A Life On ’ is an extraordi- Robert Pringle A DREAM REALISED Dnary ‘witness statement’, where the in successful rewilding projects in Costa Rica and Mozambique, the biodiversity expert shares his From impalas to waterbuck, iconic naturalist describes both paradise lost numbers in Gorongosa National — and inspiration gained. Attenborough, who insights with Times Evoke on how these projects worked — and what they’ve brought back: Park have risen with rewilding has spent 70 years covering Earth’s species, traces nature’s story from the Holocene, 10,000 ewilding is important for the be if people cannot realise the benefits. 3 years ago, when all its living beings shared a future of humanity. And we One universal benefit is the opportunity veritable Garden of Eden. Nature, Attenbor- now need to decide what the to experience the place. Therefore, in Mo- 2 ough emphasises, means harmony, its diverse R quality of this future will be. zambique and Costa Rica, a major empha- beings composing ecosystems where each Will it be vibrant, invigorating and sis is on educational field trips for chil- 1 species contributes vital services. These in- healthy? Or will it be dreary and digital, dren, who will grow up to be the custodi- Animals/sq km Animals/sq clude dispersing seeds which become crops, sitting in our basements, vilifying each ans of protected areas. Another common- IMPALA rejuvenating trees which produce clean air, other over social media? In my experi- ality is the recognition that a wild pro- 0 bulwarking coasts against floods, oceans ab- ence, most people want the first option. tected area needs to be big and well-con- sorbing excess heat. In such ecosystems, even I’ve seen people from every culture enjoy nected to survive — thus, both projects 1993 1999 2005 2011 2017 the tiniest phytoplankton produces oxygen to the opportunity to be focus not just on rehabilitating ecosys- breathe. The natural world consists, Atten- in wild places — I’ve tems, but also growing the protected area. 30 borough says, of ‘interlocked lives which never met anybody Rewilding and economic development sustain each other — humans rely entirely who didn’t get a thrill can go together, but you need to think with 20 on this finely-tuned life support machine’, seeing a wild elephant WELCOME HOME: From African savanna a longer time horizon. In the short term, based on biodiversity, which enabled humans or a 100-metre tall tree. elephants to antelopes, rewilding has the most profitable thing often seems to 10

to begin farming and transformed our lives. These are life-chang- seen the return of endangered wildlife in OUR TIMELINE WITHOUT REWILDING be to squeeze a resource as hard as pos- km Animals/sq Yet, we harmed this very world. The Holo- ing experiences. Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park sible — log it, hunt it, plant crops, build WATERBUCK cene is our story of loss — entranced by con- But these wild 2030s The apartments. But, if you factor in sustain- 0

sumption, we trespassed recklessly on wild places are growing so scarce that this story grow underneath it. In Gorongosa becomes a savanna, changing the ability and the time horizons that matter Graphs courtesy: RM Pringle, 2017, ‘Upgrading Protected spaces and species. In 1937, Attenborough magical experience is increasingly avail- National Park in Mozambique, the goal global water cycle for our children, you need a longer time- Areas to Conserve Wild Biodiversity’, Nature 546: 91-99 recalls, Earth had 66% wild places left — by able only to a wealthy minority that can was to re-establish large animal popula- line — the rewilding efforts in Costa Rica 2040s Arctic ice melts, permafrost 2020, only 35% remain. Animal populations pay to go on safari in Africa or see a wild tions, which entailed a mix of strategies and Mozambique are a living classroom role by keeping herbivore populations globally declined by 70% since 1970. Half of tiger in India. The last few wild places — some animals were translocated from thaws, releasing deadly methane for children, so that the next generation in check. African elephants, which are all fertile land is agricultural now, and while themselves are under pressure — they other African parks, other animal popu- 2050s Coral reefs with plankton, fi sh is educated about nature. These areas also endangered, are important as eco- humans compose one-third of Earth’s mam- are under-funded, and there is a constant lations have been allowed to grow. In and amphibians perish provide clean water for villages and cities. system engineers, creating habitats for mal mass, wildlife is only four percent, one push to shrink them further, open them other cases, one might focus on issues 2080s Pollinating invertebrates go Tourists visit these, small businesses are smaller species. Their populations are million species facing extinction. But, by de- to industry, build highways through such as pollution, removing dams and so growing and there is development aid. also increasing in Gorongosa. Along- extinct — a global food crisis begins stroying biodiversity, humanity is destroying them, dam their rivers, put up fences. forth. But rewilding’s aim is the same The results are visible. In Mozambique, side, our research finds that the recov- itself. Walking through Chernobyl, Attenbor- Rewilding is our opportunity to de- — to create a biodiverse natural system 2100s With a four degree rise in the Gorongosa Project has built schools, ery of native herbivores in Gorongosa ough shows us foxes in abandoned class- mocratise that magical human experi- that effectively regulates itself without temperature, large parts of Earth helped farmers diversify crops and in- stopped the spread of the invasive plant rooms, deer on empty streets, observing, ‘With ence, while rehabilitating the ecosystems needing constant human intervention. become uninhabitable, creating crease yields, and partnered with the Mimosa pigra, which is a threat to or without us, the living world will endure. that preserve humanity by supplying Rewilding can be done at all kinds of millions of climate refugees, a sixth National Health Service to run commu- ecological health in tropical countries We humans cannot presume the same.’ With- clean water, absorbing floods and scales — people are doing it on mass extinction nity health programs. On Mount Gorongo- worldwide, including India. out nature’s biodiversity, we face catastrophe. typhoons and storing carbon. There are farms in England. I have a underway sa, farmers are growing sustainable coffee I personally believe that we need to pay However, we can still change this — and multiple ways to approach rewilding. In friend rewilding a ranch in Data Courtesy: A Life distributed worldwide, assisted by the attention to majestic species which are Attenborough offers inspiration. Among Costa Rica’s Area de Conservacion Gua- Texas. At the biggest On Our Planet park. These efforts build a strong, sustain- on the brink of extinction, and whose mitigating strategies, he outlines the vision- nacaste, for example, the aim was to re- scales, some govern- able economy, rather than simply trashing loss would be a global tragedy. We must ary idea of rewilding — restoring species to store forest. Old pastures and other lands ments have invested in the primary source for short-term profits. create space for rhinoceros, big cats, lost habitats and growing wild spaces without were acquired and the forest was allowed it, Mozambique and In terms of biodiversity, the most elephants, mahoganies, rosewoods. close human impact. As Times Evoke’s glob- to regenerate. That was not an entirely Costa Rica taking a lead. exciting development has been the re- By creating space for these, we create al experts emphasise, rewilded landscapes passive process — there was a need to Interestingly, both the rewil- turn of African wild dogs (Lycaon pic- space for many other species. But again, see species return and ecosystems heal, offer- prevent wildfire, which meant firefight- ding projects in Costa Rica tus) to Gorongosa National Park. Afri- rewilding works on multiple scales. ing multiple benefits for humanity. Join ers put in a lot of work. In wetter areas, and Mozambique put local can wild dogs are globally endangered. My friend in Texas is focusing on Times Evoke on a journey exploring rewild- they had to ‘kickstart’ the process of for- human interests at the centre. These beautiful, highly social and intel- critically endangered Bolson tortoises. ing, for, as Attenborough advises, ‘If we take est regeneration by planting plantation Both pragmatically recognise that a ligent animals play a crucial ecosystem And those species matter too.

care of nature, nature takes care of us.’ trees and letting a wild rainforest under- society won’t let a large protected area Photos courtesy: Robert M Pringle

RESTORING THE LOST The elimination of wildlife began during the Pleistocene Currently, one million species Degraded landscapes harm Restoration is key — scientists fi nd for Rewilding is a powerful nature-based strategy — era 60,000 years ago, when humans left Africa and fanned — 5,00,000 animals and plants, humanity — healthy natural every hectare, conserved woodlands absorb it restores ecosystem processes created by fl ora out across the globe. The ongoing Holocene or Anthropocene and 5,00,000 insects — face ecosystems perform vital 12.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum, and fauna, leading to a self-regulated ecological era is marked by a mass extinction of species, caused mostly extinction. Ecologists record 70% functions, from seed dispersal wetlands absorb 5.1 tonnes of carbon community. Rewilding or ‘network rewiring’ includes by land use change for agriculture, leading to habitat loss decline in over 20,000 populations to carbon sequestration, dioxide per hectare each year and every reintroducing vanished species and translocating for wildlife. Other factors include hunting, pollution, over- of mammals, birds, amphibians, control of invasive plants and hectare of thriving marine environments surrogate wildlife with equivalent ecological roles exploitation of natural resources and reptiles and fi sh since 1970 protection against fl ooding absorbs 4 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually Research: National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, World Wildlife Fund, Living Planet Index, Science ‘From lions to bustards, rewilding ‘Rewilding gave us ecotourism — Indian species will benefit people’ and nature’s magical landscape’ K Ullas Karanth is a conservation zoologist whose work on preserving tiger habitats is globally renowned. Isabella Tree is a pioneer of rewilding, her country estate, Knepp, in Southern England being a Emeritus director of the Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS), the distinguished ecologist spoke to Srijana success story in restoring habitats and rejuvenating wildlife. Author of the award-winning Mitra Das at Times Evoke about how rewilding can work in India — and which species need care urgently: ‘Wilding — The Return of Nature To A British Farm’, chosen by the Smithsonian as one of its Photos: Getty Images Why is rewilding so important globally? ten best science books, Tree shares her experiences of rewilding Knepp with Times Evoke: Many wildlife species have been Photos: Charles Burrell extirpated by human action across a huge part of their original distribution range. This goes back over 15,000 years — as humans spread across the globe, much of the world’s megafauna was wiped out. The current range of most species is a fraction of what it was. However, the restoration of biodi- versity is crucial for humanity be- cause these species represent ecosys- tem services which produce our food and balance climatic changes. Rewild- ing, or the restoration of lost species to their range, was first tried for the North American MEET THE NEIGHBOURS: From white storks to large red deer, rewilded Knepp thrives with diverse species bison. This was once abundant but ewilding our farmland changed The more urban we become, the more need have the densest population of breeding as gun-wielding set- ONCE A KING: The lion which dominated northwestern India now finds its habitat our fortunes — in every way. In my we feel to get back to nature. That need can songbirds in the UK and some of the rarest tlers arrived, huge perilously shrunken view, we now need to change our sustain rewilding itself. species — nightingales and turtle doves, numbers were shot. core concept of farming itself. We At Knepp, we introduced free-roaming whose populations have crashed by over

TO ROAM AGAIN: Over 50 million iStock R Bison became virtually extinct by the rewilding is ensuring human popula- live under a misconception that every inch large herbivores to drive the rewilded eco- 90% since the 1960s, and endangered Purple 1900s. Now, they’ve been somewhat tions prosper via the conservation of bison were killed in North America of available land must be dedicated to pro- system. Because we hunted some of these Emperor butterflies too. Knepp is a breed- restored due to rewilding. nature. From the 1990s, CWS has fo- through the 19th century, reducing ducing food. The hugely powerful farming to extinction, we used domesticated animals ing hotspot for all of them — and this has The tiger has lost over 90% of its cused on creating such zones, mainly them from 60 million in the 1500s industries also perpetuate this myth. But to represent their ancestors. So, English happened in less than 20 years. natural range in the last 100 years. through voluntary relocation. We have to a few hundred by the 1900s. globally, we’re producing enough food for We’ve weathered challenges as well. One Once, it was found from Armenia to augmented government efforts. It isn’t Rewilding efforts have now seen 10 billion people — we’re 7.5 billion now. We of our biggest tests was when creeping this- Bali and Russian Siberia to Iraq. To- easy to convince settled groups to bison numbers rise to 5,00,000 produce way more than we need. The tle — an ‘injurious weed’ — spread over day, it occupies only seven percent of move in order to expand or protect terrible truth is, we waste 30% of all food. hundreds of acres. Normally, as farmers, that range. We must extend the range wild areas. Local communities need Yet, there’s a drive to continue producing. we’d spray it with herbicide as soon as it of such species, by protecting animals help to tackle a new way of life or We have to change the way we farm — it appeared. But we decided to wait and see in rewilded areas and relocating manage a different dominant commu- produces large amounts of carbon and what nature would do — and a miracle animals from captivity into the wild. nity. We’ve represented these groups other greenhouse gases and pollutes our happened. One morning in May, thousands with the government. water systems. Globally, 25-40 billion tonnes of Painted Lady butterflies landed on the What is rewilding’s context in India? We are now researching possibili- of topsoil are lost to erosion through plough- thistles. We stood in swirling clouds of Humans colonised India some 60,000 ties for farmers to earn through ing and chemical agriculture annually, orange and brown butterflies that had years ago. Their advance has been ecotourism in the rewilded areas which costs $10.6 trillion a year or 17% of flown all the way from Morocco. They laid relentless — by the 19th century, only which they help to protect. This could global GDP. We must move to regenerative their eggs on the creeping thistles and a quarter of the country had natural be a win-win situation as farmers agriculture — a movement begun by small FROM CASTLE TO SAVANNA: Rewilding can when the caterpillars hatched, they de- forests left. The British tried to slow earn more and wildlife gets addition- farmers, taking root from the Americas to change landscapes and habitats dramatically voured the plants. The following year, there this loss down by creating reserved al habitat. Our experience shows that Australia. With this, you don’t plough — you wasn’t a single creeping thistle. It was our forests, which equalled 20% of the it is possible to bring people on board, use cover crops and crop rotations, with first lesson in the value of doing nothing. total area. However, over time, this too fill gaps in nature reserves and broad- livestock to help fertilise and restore the soil. Nature will always sort something out — has been eroded, mainly due to agri- en corridors for wildlife. better for us to imagine different land This is a huge revolution — if we embrace nature doesn’t depend on us. It’s better to cultural expansion. Now, just four Today, there is a global consensus uses now, which will benefit nature’s this instead of farming with chemicals, we stand back and let nature do its thing. percent of the land in India is that ecosystems must be preserved in diverse species — and, through them, could recover our soils and water systems, Another incredible moment has been the protected to conserve nature, in the human interest. Some questions arise, benefit us. reduce pollution and produce sustainable, birth of white stork babies at Knepp. White form of national parks where you can including whether a developing coun- healthier, cheaper food. And because this storks used to exist in Britain (our village still see some of the species which try like India can afford rewilding? In terms of habitat loss, which species system works with nature, rather than is called Storrington which, in old English, have been wiped out elsewhere. However, 96% of our concern you the most now? destroying it, regenerative farming creates means ‘Abode of the Storks’) but it’s likely Yet, rewilding opportunities are land is already being There are several but consider the landscapes that are much more permeable we hunted them to extinction. White storks growing. In our research at CWS, used for economic Great Indian Bustard — the bird was to wildlife — or rewilding. breed in colonies — they need the security we’ve noted a global trend of people growth. If we haven’t once found across Gujarat, Rajasthan We decided to rewild our farmland in the longhorn cattle stand in for aurochs, the of many other birds as reassurance against moving out of agriculture into ser- solved our economic and the Deccan forests. However, Low Weald of Sussex in Southern England ancestral cow, Exmoor ponies behave like predators. So, to encourage them, we estab- vices and manufacturing. India problems by using 96% of due to habitat loss, it’s virtually in 1999. Our land had 350 metres of heavy their ancestor, the tarpan, and Tamworth lished a colony at Knepp. This year, white too had about 80% people our land, it seems unlikely extinct today except for some parts of clay over a bedrock of limestone. In a wet pigs do a really good imitation of wild boar. storks nested in our oak trees. They make dependent on agriculture at that we’ll do so by finish- Rajasthan. The lion was found across winter, the land becomes so muddy, you can’t We also introduced red and fallow deer. All this wonderful, echoing sound, throwing independence. Now, ing the remaining four northwest India till the 1900s — today, get heavy machinery onto it for months, these animals create habitat by browsing the their heads back to greet each other — you that number is around percent as well. It is far it’s limited to one park in Gujarat and which means you can’t dig ditches or do in- scrub, de-barking trees, rootling, puddling, can hear it miles away. It’s incredible to 55%. As people become some spillover population in the frastructure and hedge maintenance. Some- pawing the ground, and transporting seeds. think we’re hearing this in the wild for the urbanised, the pres- A LONELY BIRD: The Great surrounding countryside. The Terai, times, you can’t even sow spring crops. It Our estate now looks completely differ- first time in Britain in 600 years. This has sure on land reduces. Indian Bustard has been the tall grasslands which the rhinoc- took us 17 years before we gave up intensive ent to the neat, manicured countryside become a story of hope — 45,000 visitors Opportunities emerge extirpated in over 90% of its eros needs, is now just a tiny remnant arable and dairy farming — we now have a typical of England — it’s a messy place of have come to see the white stork chicks. Sud- to expand the range of natural scrubland habitat. of a huge, sprawling habitat. Oppor- very successful ecotourism business, with dense, thorny scrub with huge trees, grazing denly, this beautiful, charismatic creature, natural areas. Only 150 of these critically tunities to rewild exist for multiple camping, glamping and African-style safa- meadows and boggy wetlands. Its birdsong lost to us for so long, is connecting people to A core element for successful endangered birds survive Indian species. ris. There is huge scope for these ventures. is so loud, you can feel it reverberating. We nature again. It’s incredibly moving.