These 11 pioneering rewilding projects are helping bring nature back in Britain

See the elk in their million hordes, they’re being rewilded to the Norfolk broads. That’s the dream of one grassroots nature group awarded thousands of pounds to get young people immersed in nature.

“There is something really magical and hopeful about rewilding. And I think that’s the important narrative, and all the rest is just politics,” says Sara King, rewilding manager at Rewilding Britain.

Rewilding Britain’s Rewilding Innovation Fund has dished out £150,000 in funding to 11 projects across the UK, and hopes to kick-start an interest in nature for the next generation. It has backed communities and organisations trying out something new, hoping to create templates to fight back against the linchpin statistic of rewilding: The UK is one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries.

“Rewilding is still really new in Britain, so we’re still learning quite a lot,” says King. “What we really want to do is show rewilding is about nature restoration, but also people. It’s a really important element to connect people with rewilding, to experience some of those wild elements, and see some of that untamed nature. 

“When young people come across nature, it’s a park, or somewhere things are being managed, and you don’t really come across very much wildlife.”

Here are the 11 pioneering rewilding projects backed to bring nature back, baby.

1. Outdoor classrooms to bring nature to disadvantaged children

Children who spend at least an hour a day in nature have a 50% lower risk of mental health issues, a 2024 study found. But a third of parents from lower-income households say cost is the biggest barrier in accessing nature.

To help bridge the gap and benefit young people, the Wilderness Foundation has bought an ancient woodland in Great Leighs, Essex, to use as an outdoor classroom and put on classes with youth groups.

Terri Dawson, environmental education manager at the Wilderness Foundation, said: “When children grow up with a love and connection for the outdoors we hope they grow into adults who appreciate the importance of thriving ecosystems and the need to protect them.” 

2. Scout Adventure Centres

Totalling over 300 hectares at locations including Snowdonia and the Lake District, Scout Adventure Centres are not only for those who know their woggles from their bowline hitches – they can be used for school trips.

Bex Craske, group sustainability manager at the Scouts, said funding from Rewilding Britain would help the organisation to make nature thrive at the sites, allowing visitors to learn new skills.

“At Scouts, we create opportunities for young people to thrive in nature and develop skills for life. Scouting provides young people with new opportunities for fun, adventures and chances to learn about the world in which they live,” said Craske. 

3. Helping storks make a return to the capital

Most children’s connection with storks ends once the sharp-beaked birds drop them with their parents. But Citizen Zoo – the organisation behind the reintroduction of beavers to London – hopes to put the relationship on a more modern footing. Buoyed by the reintroduction of white storks in Sussex, the group is studying the possibility of bringing storks to London. Native to Britain, the white stork was driven to extinction in 1416, but is experiencing a revival in the south thanks to rewilding.

4. Figuring out the appetite for wild lynx

The recent unauthorised release of two lynx in Scotland has brought the big cats to mass attention. It’s unknown whether the animals, one of whom died after capture, were abandoned pets or part of a guerilla rewilding effort. In response, the Scottish government confirmed it has no plans to reintroduce lynx to the nation.

On a mission to change hearts and minds is the Missing Lynx Project, which puts on a travelling exhibition, touring locations including schools and universities. It aims to open a conversation about whether locals would accept the lynx back into their area. If they can find an area where locals would accept the animal, and the animal would be able to thrive, they say they would back the return of the lynx.

Dr Deborah Brady, The Lifescape Project’s lead ecologist says: “Nature is in crisis and one in six species is now at risk of extinction in this country. Lynx are one of the native species that were once part of the rich mix of wildlife found in our countryside and one of many species that have vanished due to human impact. 

“Animals and habitats are part of an interconnected web of life and huge efforts are being made to restore wildlife and the places that they depend on wherever possible. Replacing missing parts of this jigsaw such as lynx can help rebuild our ecosystems.”

5. A rewilding summit for young people

“Rewilding can’t just be a big flash in the pan, but instead must have a long term gravitas that shapes our land and our society well into the future,” said Jack Durant, co-director of Youngwilders.

If that’s to be true, the next generation must be involved. Run by young people, Youngwilders put on an annual youth rewilding summit for those under 30 to “teach each other, inspire each other, and help each other build our generation’s capacity as environmental stewards. Naturally, the two-day summit involves camping.

With funding from Rewilding Britain, Youngwilders plan an extra summit for the north of England.

6. Bringing Elk back to the Norfolk Fens

Weighing in at 330kg, with a height of 1.5m, and not seen on these shores since before the time of Jesus, ladies and gentlemen, it’s the elk.

Could we be seeing elk in the Norfolk fens any time soon? That’s the dream of Nattergal, who plan to use funding from Rewilding Britain to do a feasibility study on bringing elk back to the fens, which they are in the process of “re-wetting”

7. Reintroducing the UK’s largest-ever bird

The dalmatian pelican is Britain’s largest-ever bird, and their presence dates back thousands of years. With a bill up to 45cm in length, you’d have to fold a baguette in two to fit, but they’re still formidable birds. Sadly, they disappeared during medieval times.

But you can’t just bring a big bird back. First, you’ll need a feasibility study, which is exactly what Keep It Wild are going to do with their rewilding cash.

8. Helping a remote farm start its rewilding journey

Gartcharron, a 110-hectare farm in Argyll and Bute, is just at the start of its rewilding journey, says King, and is exploring feasibility studies.

“Rewilding can be quite a jump for people. It goes against our traditional thinking for how to manage land and marine ecosystems,” she says. “They want a bit of funding to explore how they might rewild the land, and then look at that to explore a rewilding strategy.”

9. Turning a historic estate into a ‘living classroom’

The charity Bright Green Nature wants to turn the Haining estate in the Scottish borders into a “living classroom”, where pupils from local schools can get involved in rewilding.

Dating back to the 1790s, the 65-hectare estate was left to charity in 2009 and is set for a second life as a place for children to learn to become citizen scientists. The wetlands around the estate could be the perfect habitat for great crested newts, and the charity is working to restore the wetlands.

10. The community that bought a nature reserve

Most groups of friends might club together and buy a taxi ride, or a pizza. But a community in Scotland raised £6m and bought thousands of hectares of the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve, in a landmark community buy-out scheme.

Now it’s time for the herbivores, with the team behind the project hoping to accelerate rewilding through grazing.

11. Dear me, dear me, dear mediation

Deer by name, dear by nature? Managed improperly, Bambi’s distant relatives can create all sorts of costly problems. But when taken care of well, they can form an essential part of nature-rich landscapes. That’s where deer mediation comes in.

The charity Trees for Life has brought together over 120 individuals and groups as part of the Common Ground Forum, to figure out how best to help deer thrive alongside residents and the natural world in the Scottish Highlands. Think of it like the UN, but with cute animals instead of nuclear warheads.

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