Rewilding - What is your view?

Photo: Farmer's Guardian

On the back of the launch of a new charity 'Rewilding Britain' The Farmer's Guardian has published an Insight Article that sets out the arguments for and against.

What do you think?  Is there a place for re-wilding in the UK? If so, where?!

My starting point is that I do not dismiss re-wilding, but I do not see a place for large-scale, hands-off re-wilding.  However, there may be areas where less intensive management could be of benefit, and it could take place alongside other, more traditional management.

On reintroductions, I think we need to be careful what we wish for, and we should be careful of being driven by purely, romantic views.  There is an argument that having some of the larger predators would help with deer management by removing the sick and infirm without needing a bullet, but I do not see how you discourage the same predators from taking sheep.

There is talk of developing a moorland strategy / vision in Scotland and the intensity of management might well be an area for discussion, as part of the development process.