The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said it is reviewing what steps it can take to improve the resilience of rewilded land after a fire that lasted five weeks. The lengthy blaze has led the conservation charity to reassess how landscapes managed for nature recovery cope with and respond to wildfires.
Rewilding seeks to restore natural processes and allow habitats to evolve with minimal human intervention. While supporters say it can deliver biodiversity gains and more natural ecosystem functioning, the shift in vegetation structure that accompanies rewilding can also change fuel patterns and influence fire behaviour, prompting questions about appropriate management and prevention strategies.
The RSPB has not announced specific new policies but said it is considering a range of measures aimed at reducing vulnerability and improving response capability. Those deliberations are expected to look at prevention, habitat management and emergency preparedness, while balancing conservation objectives.
The incident has reignited broader discussion among land managers and conservation groups about how to reconcile rewilding goals with the increasing risk of wildfires in many regions. As climate and land-use pressures change, organisations that oversee large swathes of countryside are examining how to adapt management approaches to protect wildlife, people and property.
The RSPB’s review will be watched by other organisations involved in landscape-scale restoration as they weigh the lessons from a prolonged fire against the wider aims of rewilding programmes. The charity has signalled it will take findings from the review into account when planning future management of rewilded sites.