Interdisciplinary insights on climate-smart rewilding: Lessons from pioneering Dutch river transformations

With climate and biodiversity crises intensifying, integrated solutions are urgently needed. Rewilding offers a promising approach to ecosystem restoration and climate adaptation. However, challenges regarding land-use, societal conflicts and governance can hinder its implementation. This paper discusses the elements of transformative thinking that can support rewilding implementation and establishment as an innovative approach to ecological recovery. We draw on the lessons learned from over 30 years of rewilding in the Gelderse Poort, the Netherlands. The floodplains in this area have been transformed from a predominantly dry, agricultural landscape into a dynamic riverine nature landscape with a broader range of socio-economic services in a peri-urban area and densely populated region. We describe how a readiness to embrace uncertainty, supportive policies, dedicated champions and innovative funding partnerships were crucial for this rewilding project. We explore how these lessons can inform rewilding efforts in Europe to deliver both climate resilience and biodiversity benefits.