Inspiration and support

There are many different ways to start rewilding as a community. 

Among the communities who contributed to this guide, some started with land and then decided to rewild. Others wanted to rewild and had no land, but started surveying the biodiversity and communicating about their local area anyway – and later found their own land. Communities concerned about the seabed have started by campaigning to protect their local area, by influencing politicians or by doing experiments to restore seagrass.

Many community groups start because they perceive a threat in their neighbourhood. This could be a new planning application, or a landowner felling much-loved trees. In Scotland we have rights to access environmental information, take part in environmental decision-making and access justice if laws are broken or decisions hurt the environment.      

To be most effective, you will need:

• A group - other people to share the work and create ideas
• Broad agreement about what you want to do - this could be restoring missing species like oysters, increasing the amount of seagrass or natural woodland
• A place where you can make a difference - it could be a shoreline, a river, a green space or a larger area of seabed or land
• Ecological know-how (or access to it) - you will need someone in your group, or in your wider network, who understands how ecosystems work
• A way to track your progress - so you can monitor change over the years

Over time, you may have the opportunity to buy land, or to work with legal experts to define a marine or land reserve. You may need to formalise your organisation. You may need to conduct community consultations, and involve the wider community in steering and making decisions. You might reach a stage where you want to employ people. 

All of these activities help to grow and strengthen your influence, and they also require resources: time, energy, expertise and funds. 

Sources of support

The Northwoods Rewilding Network is a Scotland-wide chain of landholdings convened and coordinated by SCOTLAND: The Big Picture. Its partners – 20% of whom are community-run – are all committed to nature recovery and share a vision for an ecologically restored landscape, where habitats are better connected and species can recover, expand and disperse. 

Rewilding Britain’s Rewilding Network is open to rewilding projects across Britain. It helps rewilding practitioners connect and share experiences, ideas and expertise. 

The Community Woodlands Association is a membership organisation for community woodlands in Scotland. It provides support for members and any interested people, through its lively annual Conference, monthly Bulletin, quarterly Newsletter, and learning exchange visits. It also offers online and in-person training sessions providing support across a range of themes, including acquiring land, woodland management and community involvement.                              

The Coastal Communities Network (CCN) is a coalition of community-based groups and organisations committed to the preservation and safeguarding of Scotland’s coastal and marine environments. They are supported by the wildlife organisation Fauna & Flora. Together, members of CCN address a wide range of pressing issues – including salmon farming, marine plastic pollution and the restoration of marine habitats. Fauna & Flora supports individual CCN members, assisting them in establishing their operations, developing governance structures, raising independent funds and initiating projects.