What Even IS Rewilding?

Rewilding in Conservation

If you’ve heard the term ‘rewilding’ before, it’s most likely you’ve heard it in reference to a conservation method. Rewilding the environment is about restoring natural processes, reintroducing important species and letting the ecosystem be self-sufficient with minimal human influence. Currently, that means planting more native tree species and reintroducing beavers in the UK!

Rewilding Your Life

So what does rewilding look like in terms of our human lives? Rewilding is all about finding more balance, unlearning societal norms that are detrimental to our mental and physical wellbeing and living in a more intentional, holistic way. The benefits are endless but include lowering stress, increasing physical fitness and boosting your immune system and overall quality of life and happiness.

Image description: on a chilly, empty Cornish beach with grassy cliffs to the left and a rough, blue sea to the right, dances a tall, white man with his black and white scruffy dog.

What Does it Involve?

A mindset shift. Societal norms that can be detrimental to our mental and physical wellbeing include the glamorisation of ‘the hustle’ and busyness. For example, when you meet up with friends or family for a catch up, how many times do you reply to ‘what have you been up to’ with ‘I’ve been so busy with X, Y, Z…’. A healthier and rewilding response would be “I’ve been trying to make time for more walks and self-care time in between X, Y, Z…” or “I’ve been really enjoying [insert hobby here]”.

The process of rewilding often means to return to nature and realise that we are part of nature, wildlife, the planet- rather than visiting nature and wildlife as a disconnected attraction for birthdays and holidays. Though obviously, this is a great way to connect with nature in urban environments with the right mindset!

Image description: Becky, a white woman with a smile like the Cheshire cat, is wearing her hair down and a green and white woolly jumper. she has climbed a tree and is hugging a thick branch dotted with white and orange lichens.

Rewilding Acts

Simple rewilding acts that are accessible in urban places and for people with accessibility difficulties include listening to bird song, spotting wildlife in local green spaces, noticing the different types of clouds and what they might mean etc. A recent favourite of mine is noticing the autumnal changes even in towns, by simply looking at trees, feeling the difference in weather and eating seasonal foods. If you’re inside, the Insight Timer app is free and has a plethora of nature soundscapes which are beautiful to listen to, from log fires burning to bird song and forest rains! (Not an ad, just a fan.)

Activities that take more time and need access to natural spaces include forest bathing, using all five senses in sensory gardens, climbing trees, taking care of plants, going for group walks or forest bathing in local woods.

Advanced and dedicated (and very privileged) rewilders love wild swimming and long hikes to have time to connect to nature. The amazing thing about being in the great outdoors is that you get to be your true self, you can tune into your mind and body and figure out how you’re feeling and what you want. We find nature a great place for reflection, but also play!

Image description: Jack and Becky are wrapped up warm on an autumn afternoon in the forest. They are dancing together to the song "I love to boogie" by T-Rex with huge smiles on their faces.

Adults Can Play Too

If you are eagle-eyed and pay attention to the minutiae of details, you’ll have noticed that on our Instagram @rewilding_our_lives we have been using the #adultscanplaytoo with our posts of den building, tree climbing, running and dancing through forests. We’d love to see you find your inner child, let them be free and play in nature- it is so important for our mental wellbeing and another societal norm that is accepted but wildly untrue- that fun and silliness stops at adulthood. So if you get a chance to rewild or play outside, make sure to tag us in your Instagram posts or comment below!