Pian de le Stele, one of WILDCARD’s proforestation study sites in the Cansiglio Forest, has been officially recognised as an old-growth forest and is now included in Italy’s National Network of Old-Growth Forests.
Located in the municipality of Polcenigo, in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, Pian de le Stele is among the first forest stands in Italy to receive this recognition. Together with Bosco Vintulins and Croseraz-Val Bona, it was formally included in the national network following ministerial decisions on 6 August 2026.
Protected as an integral reserve since 1971 and free from timber harvesting for more than 60 years, the 14.36-hectare silver fir forest provides an important example of long-term natural forest development. Surveys carried out by researchers at the University of Udine have documented characteristics associated with mature forest ecosystems, including large trees, substantial carbon stocks, abundant standing and lying deadwood, and a diversity of tree-related microhabitats supporting numerous species.
Pian de le Stele also has a direct connection to WILDCARD. The site is part of the project’s network of research sites and contributes to our work investigating proforestation – the process of allowing existing forests to continue growing and develop naturally by reducing or suspending forest management interventions.
Being included in Italy’s National Network of Old-Growth Forests is therefore an important step towards protecting the site in the long term. It also highlights the ecological value that forests can develop when natural processes are allowed to continue over time.
The recognition follows research led by the University of Udine’s Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, coordinated by Wildcard coordinator Giorgio Alberti, as part of a wider study promoted by the Forest Service of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region.
Read the full press release from the University of Udine in Italian (here) to learn more about the recognition, the characteristics of these old-growth forests and the research behind their designation.
Featured photo: Pian de le Stelle forest by Alessandro Foscari
A new European hub, Rewilding Knowledge, is bringing together rewilding research and knowledge to bridge the gap between academia, policy and rewilding action.
Rewilding Knowledge has been developed through a collaboration between three EU Horizon projects, wildE, REWRITE, and us, WILDCARD. While Horizon projects are time-bound, the platform Rewilding Knowledge will ensure that our findings remain accessible to policymakers, land managers, and researchers long after the projects conclude.
Across Europe, a range of different management approaches and tools are enabling nature to adapt to a changing world and drive the restoration of habitats and ecosystems on land and at sea. Rewilding approaches are bringing benefits to climate and biodiversity while addressing the needs of local communities.
Rewilding Knowledge aims to advance both academic and practical understanding of how rewilding science can address the climate and biodiversity crises and support nature restoration across Europe. This research and knowledge has been developed through three rigorous Horizon Europe-funded projects, with high-quality outputs aiming to build a future where rewilding plays a key role in supporting nature restoration and climate adaptation.
By bringing together the latest curated, robust scientific evidence from trusted and reputable sources in Europe, Rewilding Knowledge ensures users can rely on the quality and credibility of the information provided.
Key features include news, blogs, a searchable resource repository featuring reports and policy guidance, videos and podcasts. More content will continue to be added as the site expands and new knowledge and research becomes available.
Built on a foundation of collaboration and connection, Rewilding Knowledge welcomes projects and initiatives from the European rewilding science community to explore opportunities for knowledge sharing and partnership.
Powered by Oppla, Rewilding Knowledge is part of a wider global knowledge network bringing together the latest research on natural capital, ecosystem services and nature-based solutions.
200 million football fields are the size of agricultural areas abandoned in Europe since the 1990s, especially in regions like the Iberian Peninsula, the Alps and the Carpathians mountains. What to do with all this land? In many cases the alternative is to “rewild”, which means promoting natural processes whilst minimizing human management. This can be achieved differently: One option is to let landscape evolve naturally with eventually, abandoned agricultural fields turning into forests (called “passive rewilding”) and forests that were managed reaching their full ecological potential (called “proforestation”). Meanwhile, another option is to reintroduce emblematic and locally instinct species like the beaver or the lynx (called “trophic” or “active rewilding”). However, people, and especially local communities, do not always welcome these changes.
Overall, rural, older and farming respondents typically opposed rewilding and preferred traditional land management. This was mostly because these communities are attached to the land and livelihood they grew up in, and they perceived rewilding as a threat to those. Meanwhile, younger and urban individuals, such as tourists, were usually more positive towards the conversion of abandoned agricultural areas into forests. When criticizing rewilding, people mostly dreaded impacts on the landscape (e.g. homogenizing the landscape or increased fire risk), and on economic activities (e.g. reducing food production). Feelings of fear or unsafety were also often mentioned along with feeling of injustice, specifically concerning active rewilding. Indeed, some people felt that wildlife and wilderness were prioritised over already marginalised humans.
Figure: Agricultural abandonment hotspot map with location of data collection sites of the case-studies. The agricultural abandonment hotspots were determined by combining data on both projected and existing abandonment. Map lines delineate study areas and do not necessarily depict accepted national boundaries.
To limit this feeling and conflict in general, we found that practitioners should focus on trust building, stakeholder engagement and financial support (e.g. subsidies which are powerful tools to promote acceptability). For the successful and fair re-naturalisation of abandoned agricultural areas, we advocate for better alignment between actors’ perspectives and rewilding objectives. In fire-prone regions for example, many oppose passive rewilding because it can fuel fire risk (more shrubs and vegetation that dries out in summer). Meanwhile, using active rewilding can limit this risk (e.g. herbivores consume the inflammable vegetation) and consequently reduce the conflict.
For next steps in research, more studies on perceptions are needed in the Carpathians and Baltic regions, which face strong yet more recent abandonment (20 to 30 years later than the Alps because agricultural abandonment only started after the Socialist period). In addition, while many papers look at attitudes towards active and passive rewilding, we mostly lack studies towards “proforestation” (passive rewilding of managed forests).
Lastly, timeline is crucial. Interestingly, some studies showed that people feared less Bisons after their reintroduction. This illustrates that attitudes are dynamic and evolve with knowledge and experience, particularly in the case of rewilding which can take decades to unfold and involve uncertainty. As such, we need more long-term understanding of perceptions with studies in later-stages of rewilding processes.
Reference: Jeanroy, C. G., Smith, A. M., & Verburg, P. H. (2026). Perceptions of rewilding in European abandoned agricultural lands. Landscape and Urban Planning, 274, 105715. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.LANDURBPLAN.2026.105715
Featured image: Rewilding of former agricultural land in Friuli Venezia Giulia (photo: Alessandro Foscari)
What happens when people leave the land, when forests return on their own, or when nature refuses to follow our expectations? Our four new episodes of WILDCARD: The Forest Game take listeners on a journey through some of Europe’s most fascinating ecological transformations, revealing how landscapes, wildlife, and even microscopic organisms are reshaping the continent’s future.
In Episode 5, Natural Reforestation in Portugal, we travel to the remote Trás-os-Montes region, where abandoned farmland is gradually becoming forest. This largely unplanned process, driven by demographic and economic change, represents one of Europe’s largest reforestation phenomena. Yet the story is far more complex than a simple return of trees. Through local voices and scientific insights, the episode explores how people, forests, and changing rural landscapes continue to interact.
Episode 6, When Nature Surprises Us: The Steppe That Refused to Become Forest, challenges one of the most common assumptions about ecological succession. After fifty years of observation, ecologist Karel Prach discovered that an abandoned field in the Czech Republic did not become forest as expected. Instead, it developed into a valuable grassland ecosystem supporting rare steppe species. The episode highlights the importance of adaptation, long-term observation, and humility when working with nature.
In Episode 7,The Invisible Architects, the focus shifts beneath our feet. Following devastating wildfires on Mount Vesuvius, researchers uncovered a hidden world of bacteria, fungi, and soil organisms that drive ecosystem recovery. These microscopic communities rebuild soil health, recycle nutrients, and create the foundations without which forests regeneration could not take place. Their work may be invisible to our eyes, but it is essential for successful rewilding.
Finally, Episode 8, Where Wolves Walk: Natural Reforestation and the Return of Wildlife, explores the dynamic relationship between regenerating forests and wildlife. As forests reconnect fragmented landscapes, animals expand into new territories, creating ecological corridors across Europe. Yet wildlife are not merely beneficiaries of restoration; they actively shape the forests themselves through browsing, seed dispersal, and predator-prey interactions. Rewilding emerges as a continuous dialogue between animals and landscapes.
Together, these four episodes reveal that rewilding is neither simple nor predictable. Forests, grasslands, wildlife, and soil organisms all play interconnected roles in shaping Europe’s future landscapes. Through compelling stories and cutting-edge science, WILDCARD: The Forest Game invites listeners to discover how nature recovers when humans step back and observe.
Produced within the WILDCARD project, the podcast combines scientific expertise with engaging storytelling to bring Europe’s rewilding revolution to life. Whether you are interested in ecology, restoration, conservation, or the future of European landscapes, these episodes offer fresh perspectives on the surprising ways nature responds to change.
The first time I walked through a primary forest in the Low Tatras in Slovakia, I was struck by how different it looked and felt from the forests I had known before. Woody fungi called Polypores, larger than both of my hands emerged from the deadwood littered across the forest floor. Spruce trees bore horizontal scars left by three toed woodpeckers searching for insects beneath the bark. Beneath a tree more than 200 years old, a patch of cleared earth marked the resting place of a brown bear. At every step, the forest revealed something new and unexpected.
These remaining primary and old-growth forests offer a rare glimpse into ecosystems that existed before centuries of intensive land use and forest management reshaped much of Europe. Today, however, they survive only in small, isolated fragments and continue to decline rapidly due to logging. Their loss is of particular concern because these forests support exceptionally high levels of biodiversity and provide important ecosystem services like carbon storage and water regulation.
Ecosystem services: old growth forest in Slovakia (photo: Lyla O’Brien)Biodiversity: old growth forest in Slovakia (photo: Lyla O’Brien)
Together with other researchers, I published a perspective article in Conservation Letters, titled Priority actions for the conservation of primary and old-growth forests in Europe. In the article, we examine how the recently adopted Nature Restoration Regulation could strengthen the long-term conservation of Europe’s remaining primary and old-growth forests. Although the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 calls for their strict protection, the target is not legally binding and implementation has progressed slowly. We argue that, despite not explicitly referring to primary and old-growth forests, the Regulation nonetheless presents an exceptional opportunity to advance their conservation.
We therefore identify four key problems for the conservation of these forests and propose four accompanying actions that we consider most urgent, while exploring how the Regulation could support their implementation (Table 1).
First, incomplete mapping and weak protection should be addressed by identifying barriers and introducing a logging moratorium for unprotected forests, including those that are unmapped.
Second, human pressures should be reduced in and around primary and old-growth forests by banning logging, avoiding new roads, limiting infrastructure and recreation, and regulating hunting practices.
Third, because many forests are too small and fragmented, strict protection should be expanded and buffer zones established to maintain ecological processes and reduce external anthropogenic disturbances.
Fourth, connectivity between isolated forest patches should be improved and new old-growth forests should be developed through active restoration or by letting nature recover on its own passively.
The paper shows that conserving Europe’s primary and old-growth forests requires more than formal protection goals; it needs targeted, complementary action, which can be implemented under the Nature Restoration Regulation.
Table 1: Priority actions for improving the conservation of primary and old-growth forests in the EU and relevant articles for achieving them embedded in the National Restoration Regulation
Problem
Priority action
Key elements
Link to NRR
Significant gaps in mapping and protection
1. Assess progress and address barriers to identification, mapping, and protection; implement a logging moratorium
Identify implementation barriers to mapping and protection; integrate findings into EU progress assessments; impose a moratorium on mapped but unprotected and potential primary and old-growth forests
Article 4(12) non-deterioration clause
Anthropogenic impacts, also in protected forests
2. Prevent degradation from anthropogenic pressures and protect natural processes
No new forest roads; no logging; limited infrastructure and recreation; relocation of ungulate hunting; ban on supplementary feeding
Small, fragmented patches, limiting natural disturbance dynamics and increasing vulnerability
3. Expand strict protection and establish buffer zones around primary and old-growth forests
Expand strictly protected area to meet minimum dynamic area; Establish protection and conservation buffer zones
Article 4(1) restoration of degraded habitat types listed in Annex 1 to good condition; Article 12(1) enhancement of forest; Article 12(3) increase in the national trend for at least six of the following seven indicators for forest biodiversity: standing deadwood, lying deadwood, share of forests with uneven-aged structure, forest connectivity, stock of organic carbon, and share of forests dominated by native tree species and tree species diversity
Fragmentation and isolation, which threatens persistence of associated species, lack of representative network of primary and old-growth forests
4. Improve connectivity between primary and old-growth forests and create secondary old-growth forests through restoration
Restore patches of land to reconnect forests and promote secondary old-growth forests through passive and active restoration
With this article, we urge EU Member States to incorporate these priority actions into their national restoration plans before the end of 2026, providing an opportunity for the EU to move beyond broad political commitments toward concrete conservation outcomes for some of Europe’s most valuable and threatened forests.
Reference: O’Brien, L., Castelli, F., Felton, A., Kuemmerle, T., Mikoláš, M., Munteanu, C., Sabatini, F. M., Svensson, J., Svoboda, M., Vandekerkhove, K., Winkel, G., & Lindner, M. (2026). Priority actions for the conservation of primary and old-growth forests in Europe. Conservation Letters. https://doi.org/10.1111/con4.70054
The research explored the effects of proforestation – the practice of allowing existing forests to continue growing naturally with minimal or no logging and limited human intervention – across three contrasting forest categories ranging from Mediterranean oak systems to Alpine coniferous and mountainous beech forests. By comparing actively managed stands with forests abandoned for more than 20 and more than 60 years, the study examined how time since abandonment (TSA) influences the development of tree-related microhabitats (TreMs).
TreMs include small but ecologically critical features such as cavities, cracks, bark loss, dead branches, fungal conks, and insect galleries. These structures provide habitat, shelter, and feeding resources for a wide variety of organisms including birds, bats, insects, fungi, and plants. As indicators of forest structural complexity, TreMs are increasingly used in biodiversity monitoring and forest conservation planning across Europe.
The results of the study revealed a clear pattern: in most forest types, longer periods without management promoted greater richness and abundance of TreMs. The strongest effects were observed in Alpine coniferous forests and mountainous beech forests, where unmanaged stands accumulated more deadwood and supported a broader diversity of microhabitats linked to ageing and natural decay processes.
Results of TSA effects on TreM indices across three forest categories:
However, the study also demonstrated that there is no universal trajectory of forest recovery. Mediterranean thermophilous deciduous forests (forests found in relatively warm Mediterranean climates that are dominated by trees which lose their leaves seasonally) showed a weaker response to abandonment, suggesting that structural ageing processes occur more slowly in these systems. The researchers propose that oak-dominated Mediterranean forests may require much longer timeframes – potentially over 90 years without management – before strong old-growth characteristics fully emerge.
Importantly, the research moved beyond simply counting microhabitats. It also investigated how TreM composition changes over time. The findings showed that proforestation not only increases the number of microhabitats but gradually reshapes the entire assemblage of ecological structures present within a forest. Long-abandoned stands increasingly hosted TreMs associated with decomposition, senescence (gradual biological ageing process of an organism or its tissues), and standing deadwood, while some microhabitats linked to active forestry operations became less common.
At the same time, responses varied strongly depending on local conditions, forest history, topography, and tree species composition. Certain TreMs, such as insect galleries and exposed sapwood, increased mainly where standing dead trees accumulated, while others were more influenced by silvicultural disturbance or terrain characteristics. This highlights the importance of understanding forest dynamics within their ecological context rather than applying one-size-fits-all management assumptions.
The study offers important implications for biodiversity-oriented forest planning. As Europe seeks effective nature-based solutions for climate mitigation and ecosystem restoration, proforestation emerges as a valuable strategy not only for carbon storage but also for enhancing habitat diversity and ecological integrity. Integrating long-term unmanaged stands into forest landscapes can help create the structural conditions required by many specialised species that depend on old-growth characteristics.
Ultimately, the research reinforces a simple but powerful message: when forests are given time, they develop complexity that management alone cannot easily reproduce. Protecting existing forests and allowing natural processes to unfold may therefore play a central role in safeguarding biodiversity across both Mediterranean and Alpine ecosystems.
Reference: Marcoz, G., Tomao, A., Bitunjac, D., Boscutti, F., Duvaltier, C., Marjanović, H., Orzan, L., Piazza, N., & Alberti, G. (2026). Beyond management: Proforestation enriches tree-related microhabitat diversity, but forest types determine their composition across Mediterranean and Alpine forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 614, 10.1016/j.foreco.2026.123827
A new WILDCARD study published in the European Journal of Soil Science highlights the important role that natural vegetation recovery on abandoned agricultural land can play in climate change mitigation across Europe. The review paper, “Soil Carbon Sequestration Following Natural Vegetation Recovery on Abandoned European Lands: Review and Research Needs”, brings together evidence from 36 studies to better understand how soil organic carbon (SOC) changes after farmland abandonment.
Led by Mohammad Tahsin Karimi Nezhad and co-authored by Domagoj Gajski, Clara G. Jeanroy, Peter H. Verburg, Giorgio Alberti, and Pavel Šamonil, the review demonstrates that abandoned croplands undergoing natural regeneration can become valuable carbon sinks over time. In particular, croplands transitioning into mixed and broadleaf forests showed strong increases in SOC, especially in Mediterranean regions and in soil groups such as Regosols, Cambisols, and Calcisols.
The study also reveals important knowledge gaps. Most available research is concentrated in Mediterranean Europe, while regions such as Central France, Germany, Poland, the Baltic states, the Balkans, and the United Kingdom remain underrepresented. The authors stress the need for more long-term studies across different climates, soil types, and vegetation systems to improve understanding of soil carbon dynamics at the continental scale.
Importantly, the paper emphasizes that natural vegetation recovery should not be viewed as a blanket recommendation for widespread cropland abandonment. Instead, land-use decisions must balance ecological, economic, and societal considerations alongside climate benefits.
The findings provide valuable guidance for researchers, land managers, and policymakers working to strengthen nature-based solutions and soil carbon monitoring across Europe.
Reference: Karimi Nezhad, M. T., Gajski, D., Jeanroy, C. G., Verburg, P. H., Alberti, G., & Šamonil, P. (2026). Soil Carbon Sequestration Following Natural Vegetation Recovery on Abandoned European Lands: Review and Research Needs. European Journal of Soil Science. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70333
Across Europe, something quiet but powerful is happening. As people leave rural areas, forests are coming back, slowly reclaiming former meadows and pastures. At first glance, this seems like good news. More forests mean more carbon stored and, potentially, more biodiversity. But is it really that simple?
In our recent study across Italy, we followed this process from North to South, tracking how ecosystems change over time as forests naturally regenerate. By comparing sites at different stages, from open grasslands to forests up to 75 years old, we were able to reconstruct what happens when trees return.
The first answer is clear: carbon storage increases steadily. As forests grow, trees accumulate large amounts of carbon, becoming the main storage pool. In the oldest stands, carbon stocks can reach very high levels, highlighting the strong potential of natural reforestation for climate mitigation. But there is another side to the story: As forests close, light becomes scarce. Many herbaceous species that thrive in open habitats start to disappear. Across most of our study sites, plant diversity peaked in meadows and early stages and then declined as forests matured. In other words, gaining carbon often meant losing plant diversity. Yet, the picture is not entirely uniform. In the southernmost site, under Mediterranean conditions, plant diversity initially declined as forests became denser, but partially recovered again in the oldest stands, suggesting that mature forests can recreate suitable conditions for a richer understory vegetation. This suggests that, in some contexts, forests may eventually host both high carbon stocks and a richer understory. These findings highlight an important message for rewilding and land management: natural forest expansion is not automatically a win-win solution. It can involve trade-offs between climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation.
The challenge, moving forward, is to understand where and when these trade-offs can be reduced. Under the right conditions and given enough time, forests may offer opportunities to balance both goals. Until then, letting forests return remains a powerful tool, although it needs to be used with awareness of what we gain, and what we might lose along the way.
References: Orzan, L., Tomao, A., Antoniella, G., Bonari, G., Casolo, V., Chiti, T., Cingano, P., Foscari, A., Incerti, G., Panico, S. C., Piazza, N., Trotta, G., & Alberti, G. (Year). As forests reclaim the land: Latitudinal variations in carbon-biodiversity trade-offs under natural forest expansion in Italy. Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2026.123527
Our innovative new online exhibition is inviting audiences to experience rewilding through a different lens – one shaped not by data alone, but by creativity, emotion, and shared reflection. Launched in collaboration with the Meander Magazine and the REWRITE project, the “Rewilding through Art” initiative brings together science, culture, and artistic expression in a unique virtual gallery hosted by Meander magazine: www.meandermagazine.earth/rewildingthroughart
The exhibition stems from a simple yet powerful set of questions: what does rewilding mean to individuals and communities, and how can it reshape both landscapes and mindsets? The response was striking. More than 80 submissions from artists, researchers, and citizens across 19 countries offered diverse interpretations – from ocean installations and satellite imagery to sculptures made of forest materials. A jury combining expertise from art, ecology, and environmental practice selected 12 standout works, reflecting a wide range of perspectives. While the exhibition originated as a physical installation in a forest setting in Freising, Germany, in February 2026, it now lives on through its online format, making these reflections accessible to a broader audience.
The virtual gallery highlights how art can deepen engagement with environmental issues, creating space for dialogue and new ways of seeing. Complementary to presenting rewilding as a purely scientific concept, the exhibition reveals it as a cultural and emotional process – one that reconnects people with nature and with each other.
How does rewilding speak to you? Why does it matter to you or your community? How can rewilding transform both landscapes and mindsets?
These were the questions we asked ourselves as we started our collaborative “Rewilding through Art” initiative between the WILDCARD and the REWRITE projects. These were also the questions we put forward, to invite anyone with a story, image, or idea about rewilding to share their vision with us. Our goal? An immersive exhibition in the forest with the vision to bridge art, science, and culture. And a virtual gallery with Meander, a new magazine for bioregional culture, slow living, and regenerative futures, who became a collaborating partner along the way.
An invitation that resonated
First of all, it was beautiful to see so many people – artists, citizens, NGOs, researchers – excited about the initiative and sharing the Open Call via their social media channels. Within a few weeks, our LinkedIn account had >200 more followers from several disciplines and fields of work – from rewilding practice to the creative sector. As submissions started coming in, we were even more astonished – there are so many ways to interpret and reflect upon “rewilding”: statues that are being sunk into the ocean, beautiful satellite images of rewilded areas, animal sculptures in real-life sizes created out of forest-based materials, installations in rivers, just to mention a few. While we were hoping to receive between 20 and 30 submissions, we ended up with more than 80 artwork submissions, coming from creatives from 19 countries.
Perspectives in dialogue: the jury
Our jury brought together a remarkable mix of perspectives from art, science, and environmental practice. Evgenia Emets is an artist, poet, and filmmaker whose work explores forests, biodiversity, and community engagement through installations, visual storytelling, and ecological performances. Tom Greenwood, founder and editor of Meander, draws on a background in marine biology and strategic design to connect ecological thinking, regenerative culture, and systems change through his magazine. Giorgio Alberti, Professor of Forest Ecology at the University of Udine and coordinator of the Wildcard project, focuses on forest resilience, carbon dynamics, and climate mitigation. Cintia Organo Quintana, Associate Professor at the University of Southern Denmark and contributor to the REWRITE project, bridges research, teaching, and conservation with her work on plant ecology, biodiversity, and ecosystem restoration. Sara Chiba, consultant and EU project coordinator at Prospex Institute, specializes in stakeholder engagement and bringing diverse perspectives into environmental solutions.
Deciding on the final selection proved extraordinarily challenging. In the end, rather than the planned ten, the jury chose twelve artworks. This decision was not only linked to the exceptional quality of the submissions but also the need to honor the diversity in perspectives and expertise within our jury, ensuring that every voice was able to contribute to the conversation.
From concept to forest floor
However, if we thought selecting was a tough call, we were surprised how much effort it took to actually plan an exhibition in the forest, that was supposed to be part of the “Rewilding Forum” organized by WILDCARD. Permissions from the local forest service had to be granted, proper material needed to be selected, a local printing service had to be found, and a van was rented to bring the artworks to the forest. And easels. Most of us didn’t even know that word in English, but without easels, there would be no outdoors exhibition.
When we – colleagues from Prospex Institute, artist Evgenia Emets, and I – finally stood in the Freising forest on 25th February, it was a moment of pride and excitement. We didn’t notice it was freezing cold (-2 degrees), but we enjoyed the mystical dust in the woods. We didn’t mind carrying the heavy artwork (and the easels) several hundred meters, but we were on a mission to make the careful selection visible – and we expected a big group of around 60 visitors, consisting of rewilding practitioners and scientists, stakeholders from policy, nature conservation, and the creative sector. Setting up the artwork was a muddy experience, but the work looked beautiful in the forest. With us were also three of the twelve artists, that were selected to present their work on the spot, while we had nice introductions prepared for the other artworks and their creators. And then the Rewilding Forum participants came and split into smaller groups to enable a more in-depth exchange.
Everyone started with visiting the three artists who joined the exhibition to introduce their work: Angelina Kumar, Diana Takacsova, and Inna Zrajaeva, who was representing Feral Malmö, a studio dedicated to reimagining relationships between people and nonhuman nature.
Angelina Kumar was the first to present. She is an artist, researcher and educator whose interdisciplinary practice connects ecology, community, and care. Her participatory sculpture “Hyphae of Kindness,” made from mycelium and fabric, draws on fungal networks to explore reciprocity, kindness and interdependence. When she told us how difficult it was for participants in her work to identify “acts of kindness” for themselves, it was obvious that the forest exhibition group was touched and reflecting about what kindness meant to them. Questions evolved around the contributors to the installation – it was open to the public – and to the knowledge these contributors gathered both about fungal networks and artistic practice. The stakeholder group was impressed with Angelina’s approach of expanding rewilding beyond landscapes to social and emotional renewal through a collaborative, artistic process.
Diana Takacsova was the second presenter. As aresearch-driven photographer and National Geographic Explorer, she explores environment, identity, and human relationships to place. With her project “Like a Flowing Path” she uses social documentary photography to show ecological restoration and cultural change in Slovakia’s inland Danube delta since 2022. The researchers in the group were interested in her collaboration with the scientists working in the Danube delta, and Diana shared her appreciation of their openness to “invite her into their boat”. She also emphasized how important it is for researchers to make their work visible, and documented it in a visually attractive way to highlight both biodiversity recovery and human stewardship within this transforming landscape.
The third artist was Inna Zrajaeva, representing Feral Malmö. She presented us with a photography of beautiful tiles designed in a Portuguese Art Nouveau style as part of a public workshop hosted at the Aveiro Ceramic Biennial in 2025, called “Rewilding the Salinas”. Inna Zrajaeva explained that during this workshop, participants were invited to paint species inhabiting the salinas today, focusing on four representative species and learning about their ecology through accompanying booklets and discussion with a scientist. Interestingly, we learned from the artist that people were more open to listen while they were painting – which led some Rewilding Forum participants to reflect upon their engagement strategies. We learned that sea pickles should not be harvested intensively, and that the European eel is facing extinction. Through “Rewilding the Salinas,” Feral Malmö highlighted the interplay between art, learning, and ecological awareness. In the Freising forest, Inna invited us to reflect on our role in nurturing resilient ecosystems and celebrating the species returning to these restored habitats.
All other artworks were then presented by us, the people leading the smaller groups of Rewilding Forum participants. While the audience was listening to our speeches and admiring the diverse artwork, we could see that it was not the same as listening to the artists themselves, and we reflected if it would be possible to increase the budget to invite more artists to travel next time.
An immersive space for reflection
What most participants – including myself – realized, is that art has a unique way of opening a reflective space that facts alone rarely manage to do for us. In the quiet of the forest, surrounded by images, stories, and shared curiosity, something shifted: conversations deepened, perspectives widened, and connections formed – between people, disciplines, and ways of seeing the world. What began as an exhibition became a living dialogue, where science met emotion, and knowledge met imagination.
Rewilding, we realized, is not only about restoring landscapes; it is about restoring relationships – between humans and nature, but also among ourselves. Through art, complex ideas can become tangible, and learning can emerge not as instruction, but as exchange. People listened differently and found common ground in unexpected places.
In this space, art did more than communicate – it connected. It invited us to pause, to question, and to imagine other worlds together. And perhaps that is where transformation begins: not only in changing ecosystems, but in rewilding how we think, feel, and relate to one another.
Are you curious to explore rewilding and the selected artworks yourself? The Exhibition Gallery, featuring 12 compelling responses to our Open Call, just launched on Meander magazine with diverse artworks for you to see, sense, and engage with.
