Rewilding Europe - Dinaric Arc parks

Rewilding EuropeMaking Europe a Wilder PlaceDinaric Arc Parks Conference,Banja Luka, 20 November 2012Frans Schepers, Managing Director

Europe is changingHistoric opportunityVision and approachRewilding opportunities inthe Dinaric Arc?

Europe is changing

?Urbanisation: in 2015, 4 out of 5 Europeansliving in towns and cities

Until 2030, an additional 12-18 million hectares inEU countries will be abandoned (IEEP, 2010)

Biodiversity loss

50% of European flora and fauna

1920 200,0002005 720,0001960 1,0002009 19,8001927 132010 2,7501970 205,0002005 2,450,0001970 3,0002008 9,8001900 7002003 680,0001970 14,0002008 17,000Wildlife comeback1970 10,0002008 25,000

Increasing demand for wildlife watching andwilderness experience

Not only in wilderness…

This means an increasing marketfor all kinds of nature tourism

Wilderness & Rewilding on the EU agenda

Natura2000Institute for EuropeanEnvironmental Policy(IEEP, 2011):- Funding allocated to Natura 2000inadequate, given the need forresources- Only 9-19 % of 5.8 billion Euro/year iscovered- ‘Business as usual approach puts thenetwork at risk’18%Could other management approacheshelp?

Turning problems into opportunities:Making Europe a Wilder Place

• With much more space for wildlife,wilderness and natural processes.

• Bringing back the variety of lifefor us all to enjoy.

• Exploring new ways for people to earn a fairliving from the wild.

• Time horizonEstablished by 2020, but rewilding is a longprocess, maybe 25 years is reasonable

Rewilding Europe is differentRewilding – Communication - Enterprise

1. Overall rewilding objective:Rewilding of at least 1 million ha of land by 2020

• Started in 10 areas by 2o13, where naturalprocesses and wild nature shape the landscape.

• Natural fires, bark beetles, flooding, ice, storms, erosion,sedimentation, salt intrusion, natural grazing, carnivory,scavenging, ...

• Breeding and reintroduction of keystone species

• Natural grazing by native wild herbivoresas a key factor to keep landscapes open.

• Rewilding can be applied to all landscapesand all levels of protection.

• Where?Thirty (30) nominated areas from all over Europe

Our first 5 rewilding areas ...

Our first 5 rewilding areas ...and we are exploring 5 additional ones

Western Iberia:‘Ancient Dehesa, Sierra and Montado landscapes’

Danube Delta:‘Europe’s unrivalled wetland’

Eastern Carpathians:‘One of Europe’s best wilderness areas’

Southern Carpathians:‘Wilderness Arc in the heart of Europe’

Velebit:‘The Wild West of the Adriatic Coast’

Alladale,UKBornholm,DKLake Pape,LVDviete Valley,LVStettiner Haff,DE/PLOostvaardersplassen, NLKempen-Broek, BE/NLFormer military areas, DEGelderse Poort,NLMaasvallei,BE/NLBavarian Forest,DESumava/Boletice,CZEastern Carpathians,PL/SKAskania-Nova,UATicha Valley,SKDanube,RO/BG/AT/UA,.. Danube Delta,ROSouthern Carpathians,ROCevennes,FRSan Cebrian,ESWestern Iberia,PT/ESHaute Thorenc,FRCatalunya,ESVelebit,CRCentral Appenines,ITEastern Rodopes,BGRewilding is happeningin many places in Europe already

2. CommunicationWild Wonders of Europe

Large outdoor exhibitions500.000 - 2 million visitors, each

Wide range of communication tools

Media Coverage

3. Promoting ‘rewilding enterprises’How can rewilding generate income?How can investments promote rewilding?

Enterprises generating direct outputs:• A wildlife lodge, wildlife breeding centre,wildlife watching businesses, ...

Enterprises generating indirect outputs:• Local tour outfitter, film production, high quality productsfrom rewilding area, local cultural products, ...

So far, we have identified 26 local businesses(in 3 rewilding areas), and 10 new Rewilding Europe drivenenterprises

Wildlife watching tourism is a high priority• It makes outstanding wildlife experiences accessible tomany • It makes wildlife more valuable alive.

• In many countries wildlife is the main tourism attraction.• Large carnivores have highest value, multi-million/billionvalues.

• It makes a very good business case.• It is the strongest case yet for solving man and wildlifeconflict.

Large animals with big teeth or big horns/antlers have thehighest value.

Meeting one of the large carnivoresis an experience of a lifetime.

In USA in 2011 wildlife watching: direct turnover € 43 billion…72 million participants.

Scotland: 56% of all travel here is nature orientedWildlife watching in 2011:2 763 jobs, € 83 million in turnover.

Wildlife watching & photography Finland –What about the Dinaric Arc?

Conservation CapitalInvestment finance, customer networks, safari hotel chains,business lawyers, investment bankers - raised 220 M €…

Wildlife numbers in Europe are depressingly lowNatural numbers between 5 and >100 times higher than today.Not one large area in Europe with natural wildlife numbers.

So, we need to increase wildlife variety and numbers• In Africa, many landowners turn into wildlife paradises• In Europe, we feel we need years of “feasibility studies”

Cooperation with hunters community is essentialHunting free zones, where numbers can grow, core areas forwildlife watching, spill over to sustainable hunting zones

Some key conclusions

Turning problems into opportunitiesContinued, massive landabandonmentSevere socio-economicimpacts in our rural areasWildlife comeback, butgeneral biodiversity lossFinancial challengesNatura 2000Heavy dependence onsubsidies in a financial crisis..Too few wildlife to becomeeconomic factorTurning back former cultivated landinto new wild areas connected withprotected areas of all kindsReintroducing natural processes,completing and boosting wildlifeWild areas with rich wildlife startgenerating their own income, andcreate new rural economiesRewilding as a tool for conservation ofEurope’s rich biodiversityConnecting to large audiences inurbanised Europe that can enjoy theseattractive wild areas and animals

Dinaric Arc as a ‘Yellowstone’ of Europe• Huge natural, physical range from Slovenia to Albania• Extensive protected areas network, large connectivity• High potential to become one of Europe’s uniquewilderness and prime wildlife areas (a ‘Yellowstone’)• Because of size and potential, need for cost-effectivemanagement approaches• Wild values main base for economic activities,combined with traditional uses (zoning)• Velebit acts as first model area, but rewilding can bepioneered in many areas

First rewilding activities in Velebit• Vision 2020 developed and 3 year plans, start Jan ‘12• Creation of hunting free zones in Velebit Nature Park,• Connections between North Velebit, Paklenica andmaybe Plitvice national parks• Starting wildlife watching businesses (bear, wolf),linked with the coastal tourism• Feasibility studies and preparation of reintroductionsand/or breeding of wildlife (chamois, bison, horses)• Velebit acts as first model area, but rewilding can bepioneered in many areas

Land ownersProtected area managersHunting associationsWildlife breedersPoliticians at all levelsLocal communitiesPolicy makersOpinion leadersEuropean CommissionScientistsFellow conservationistsLocal entrepreneursInvestorsFunding agenciesWe invite you to work with usto make Europe a Wilder Place!

The Rewilding Europe TeamPortugal – Spain – Slovakia – Poland – Romania – Croatia –Netherlands – Belgium - Estonia - Sweden - Switzerland – UK

Making Europe a Wilder PlaceAll pictures: Wild Wonders of Europe