Can we rewild land in our inner cities?

Missed the webinar? Watch again below.

Thursday, 7 October, 15:00–16:00 BST

Biodiversity loss is at an all-time high, with two-thirds of the world’s wildlife lost in the last 50 years. It’s a dismaying figure, but it’s not too late to recover. Experts worldwide have proposed rewilding, the intentional restoration of natural ecosystems, as a solution.

On 7 October, join us for a webinar with leaders in the rewilding movement as they discuss the challenges and benefits of rewilding high-density cities. Specialists from across the ecology and restoration space will offer new insights and their own perspectives on a range of issues defining rewilding initiatives across the UK and Europe.

Why rewilding?

How exactly would rewilding a city work? How would urban rewilding impact the well-being of residents? Just how well can natural ecosystems function in the built environment of a high-density city? What are the best places for rewilding, both in the UK and around the world, to prevent further biodiversity loss?

Now that rewilding efforts have met with success in rural areas, it’s time to rethink the relationship between the natural and urban environments to create a new, sustainable ecology to complement the efforts underway in the countryside.

Moderator

Lucy Sherriff, former Environment Editor at The Huffington Post 

Lucy is a multimedia journalist and producer, focusing on environmental and social justice issues. Her work in multimedia and documentary journalism has earned her a number of accolades, including the Prince Albert II of Monaco United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) Award for climate change reporting in 2019. She was a Society of Environmental Journalists grantee in 2020. Lucy worked for The Huffington Post for six years, first as a reporter and then as an editor, before moving to the US where she now works as a freelance documentary producer and film-maker. 

Speakers

Stephanie Wray, Managing Director of RSK Wilding, RSK

With 25 years of experience, Steph is a respected leader in the movement for rewilding and works at the vital intersection of business and environmental welfare. She is the former president of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and continues to advise the government on environmental issues.

Sabine Hoefnagel, Rewilding Europe

Sabine brings over 25 years’ experience in sustainability consulting to her role as a member of the supervisory board at Rewilding Europe, as well as her role as Global Director of Services, Brand and Communications at ERM, a global sustainability consultancy.

Elliot McCandless, Communications Manager, Beaver Trust

Elliot McCandless leads Beaver Trust’s communications and helps to engage and inform the public about coexisting with beavers and river restoration.

Elliot is a financial professional by trade who has long had a passion for conservation and rewilding. He was a Trustee of Scottish Wild Beaver Group for three years (2017–2020) and is currently a Trustee of SCOTLAND: The Big Picture.

Dusty Gedge, President of the European Federation of Green Roof Associations

Dusty has 25 years’ experience working in the green infrastructure sector, in which he is a recognised designer and technical and policy adviser on green roofing and urban infrastructure. Dusty’s interest in biodiversity and urban nature has led his work in the built environment to focus on the promotion of greener cities through the adoption of green infrastructure projects.