REWILDED LANDSCAPES
Clockwise from top: Rewilding projects
across Spain’s Southern Iberian Chain are reconnecting vast tracts of depopulated land; in Italy’s Central Appenines, wild poppies bloom in natural drifts; the Eurasian wolf has made a remarkable
comeback across Europe, rebounding from near-extinction in the 1970s
S IX MOR E
rewilded landscapes 1
RUTLAND WATER, ENGLAND Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Rutland
Water is one of Europe’s largest artificial lakes. A series of hamlets were well and truly rewilded when they were flooded to create this biodiversity hotspot, and nature’s primacy has continued to be acknowledged since. There’s a 1,000-acre reserve at the western end; the lake and surrounding wetlands are a sanctuary for wildfowl and migrating birdlife; and water voles and ospreys are among the reintroduced creatures. The birds of prey have been a particular success story, with the Rutland Osprey Project celebrating its 300th release last year. Meanwhile, a 23-mile path around the lake’s perimeter attracts walkers and cyclists. And if ambitious plans for a 1,000-acre conservation attraction at the Burley Estate, on the northwest shore, come to fruition, then brown bears, wolves and lynx could soon be adding to the natural soundtrack. 90-minute osprey cruise, £31.
lrwt.org.uk
2
APOYO LAGOON, NICARAGUA In a country blighted by deforestation, this
23,000-year-old volcanic crater lake serves as an emblem of conservation and restoration. Its importance as a catalyst for biodiversity was recognised before widespread exploitation could take place; the Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve was established in 1991, with strict environmental protections encompassing the threatened tropical dry forest on its banks. The result is an ecosystem that grows ever richer and more diversified by the year. Listen out for the throaty cry of howler monkeys reverberating around the undeveloped shores or join a nature tour to spot anteaters, white-faced capuchin monkeys, jaguarundi wild cats or the colourful, long-tailed motmot bird. The waters are clear and mineral-rich and, with motorised craft outlawed, there’s little to break the all-pervading peace. Two-hour guided birdwatching tour, $20 (£15).
sansimianlodge.com
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NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL 3
LUSATIAN LAKELAND, GERMANY
By decade’s end, this area two hours’ drive south of Berlin will be Europe’s largest artificial wetland landscape, with 23 lakes created from the chasms left by opencast mining. These bodies of water, some linked by navigable canals, are being used as the catalyst to regenerate surrounding heathland, grassland and forest, restoring habitats for rare plant and animal species. Tourism is fast gaining a foothold: many of the lakes are fringed by beaches with campsites and holiday parks, and there are options to rent canoes or sailboats. Cyclists, meanwhile, are drawn by the Lower Lusatia Mining Route, a pristine 320-mile cycle path. This isn’t a post- industrial landscape that treats its past as a dirty secret — museums and visitor attractions document the importance of lignite mining to the region. Kayak rental from €9 (£7.50).
expeditours.de
4
TAPIR VALLEY NATURE RESERVE, COSTA RICA
When Central America’s largest mammal returned to this rewilded former cattle ranch, those behind the project knew they were doing something right. The creatures have since given their name to the reserve, set on the eastern fringes of the mountainous Tenorio Volcano National Park in the north of the country. Wetlands and lagoons mirror the forested flanks of the park; former pastures are being reclaimed by broad-leaf plants; and the humid, vine-draped canopy teems with more than 440 species of birdlife. The tapir, a herbivorous gentle giant, is the star of the various nature tours that showcase the reserve to visitors. But don’t overlook the frogs — some 50 species have recolonised the area, including one (now officially named the tapir valley tree frog) never before documented. Three-hour wildlife tour from $95 (£70).
tapirvalley.com
5
IBERIAN HIGHLANDS, SPAIN It wasn’t just the biodiversity that had gone
missing from a great swathe of the Southern Iberian Chain mountain range in central-eastern Spain — the people had vanished, too. Harsh winters, labour- intensive farming and the lure of the cities had led to decades of land abandonment and depopulation. This was the backdrop to the Iberian Highlands rewilding project, whose 2.1 million acres include some of Spain’s most desolately beautiful expanses. The landscape is a mix of elevated plateaus and rocky ridges, dramatic river canyons and isolated pockets of ancient forest, laced together by a network of hiking and biking trails. Look out for reintroduced scavengers such as the Cinereous vulture; scan outcrops for the elusive Iberian lynx; and mingle among rejuvenated populations of Iberian ibex, wild horses and tauros. Three-hour rewilding safari, €25 (£22).
parquelamaleza.com
6
CENTRAL APENNINES, ITALY Central Apennines, the forest-cloaked spine of
the Italian peninsula, is home to chamois, Griffon vultures, golden eagles, wild boar, Marsican brown bears and one of the highest densities of wolves in Europe. This abundance is testament to the space given to nature to reclaim areas once depleted by livestock herding and mountain farming. Rewilding efforts have focused on creating wilderness corridors between adjacent national parks to allow for safe movement and migration of such creatures. The tourism ecosystem is also flourishing, with landowners and local communities persuaded of the benefits of catering to nature-focused visitors over the more short-term commercial profit of hunting or felling. Options include rewilding weeks, wolf-spotting experiences based in a mountain refuge and trips to spot Italy’s ‘big five’. Seven-hour bear-watching guided hike from €35 (£30.50).
wildlifeadventures.it
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