Restoration, Rewilding, and Ecosystem Recovery
Ecological restoration and rewilding are increasingly promoted as responses to biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and climate change. Large scale restoration targets, tree planting initiatives, and species reintroductions now feature prominently in global environmental agendas. At the same time, growing evidence shows that restoration and rewilding are not universally feasible, scalable, or beneficial, and that poorly designed interventions can misdirect resources, simplify ecosystems, or generate new social and ecological conflicts.
In this theme, we take a critical, ecology first approach to restoration and rewilding. Rather than assuming that restoring ecosystems or reintroducing species is inherently positive, we ask what kinds of restoration and rewilding are ecologically appropriate, under which conditions, and how they interact with existing social–ecological systems. Our work emphasises ecological processes, historical baselines, and ecosystem diversity, including the importance of recognising open and disturbance driven ecosystems alongside forests. A central strand of our work examines the limits, costs, and assumptions underlying contemporary restoration agendas. This includes critical assessments showing that marine restoration efforts, such as coral restoration, cannot be scaled up globally to offset ongoing degradation, highlighting that restoration cannot substitute for reducing underlying pressures.
We also engage with debates around large scale tree planting, cautioning that afforestation initiatives can be ecologically inappropriate in regions that are naturally open ecosystems. In such systems, restoration focused solely on tree cover risks undermining native biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and long standing ecological dynamics.
Rewilding initiatives—particularly in Europe—are often implemented in landscapes that are socially and institutionally unprepared for the return or reinforcement of large mammals, especially top predators. Our work highlights how rewilding without adequate anticipatory planning for coexistence can trigger conflict, backlash, and rapid loss of social acceptance.
Linking restoration ecology with our work on human–nature relations, we examine how preparatory coexistence measures—including governance arrangements, monitoring, communication, and mitigation strategies—can be integrated into rewilding and restoration from the outset. This perspective treats coexistence as a precondition for long term ecological recovery, rather than an afterthought once conflicts emerge.
Examples from our research
Our research includes a global analysis demonstrating that coral restoration cannot be scaled up to prevent reef loss, underscoring the limits of restoration in the absence of pressure reduction. We contribute to debates on open versus forested ecosystems, highlighting how large‑scale tree‑planting initiatives can misalign with the ecology of grasslands and savannas. In terrestrial systems, our work also considers how herbivory and extensive land‑use practices can influence ecosystem recovery when aligned with ecological principles. In boreal landscapes, ongoing research examines peatland restoration and the potential reintroduction of the wild forest reindeer, combining habitat‑use modelling with local knowledge. In coastal systems, we explore community‑led and Indigenous stewardship approaches to seagrass restoration, showing how ecological recovery, knowledge, and governance are closely intertwined.
Related projects:
- Rewilding and reintroducing wild forest reindeer to their ancestral homelands ()
- From individual identity to community interaction: the role of acoustic signalling in the Eurasian lynx ()
People
Publications
Briske D, ..., Manzano P et al. (2026) Pastoralism Can Mitigate Biodiversity Loss on Global Rangelands. BioScience.
Mulà C, ..., Cabeza M, Manca F, et al. (2025) Restoration cannot be scaled up globally to save reefs from loss and degradation. Nature ecology & evolution.
Manzano P, et al. (2023) Underrated past herbivore densities could lead to misoriented sustainability policies. npj biodivers.
Thompson L, ..., Manzano P (2023). Ecosystem management using livestock: embracing diversity and respecting ecological principles. Animal Frontiers.