The United Kingdom has many great rewilding success stories. In Scotland, the white-tailed eagle was reintroduced in 1975, 2008 saw the reintroduction of the Eurasian beaver on the River Otter in Devon, and around tCI HQ we see daily the majestic, soaring flight of the Red Kite a species whose reintroduction has been so successful that the RSPB can no longer track the number of breeding pairs.

These and many other species once endemic to the UK have become once again beloved parts of the local environment, but the proposed reintroduction of some other species have become magnets for controversy. Perhaps the two most controversial species that are frequently put forward for reintroduction are the Grey Wolf and the Eurasian Lynx.

Both species have long been extinct in the British Isles- the last confirmed wolf was killed in 1680 and the last lynx sometime in the Middle Ages. Their loss has not necessarily been a universal good, as it has left the UK without a natural apex predator and has led to a dramatic increase in (particularly) the deer population which, though it sounds harmless, causes significant damage to many environments.

But in recent times we have seen many proposals to reintroduce both lynx and wolves in various capacities. Proposals usually focus on the introduction of breeding pairs into the less densely inhabited areas of the Scottish Highlands, the idea being that this would provide them with a sizeable range, plentiful prey, and an easy job avoiding humans.

This week, the Guardian reported on the story of a ‘maverick rewilder’ attempting to rally public support for the reintroduction of lynx with a small population of zoo-raised lynx at a project in Devon. The report comes off the back of a study in Scotland which started in January and promises to “actively seek to include a wide range of stakeholders who represent multiple perspectives, giving everyone opportunity to influence the outcome”- although it self-describes as a study, it certainly sounds like a consultation doesn’t it?

It’s a curious thing that no such major consultation has ever taken place in the past, probably reflecting the lack of priority given to it by government, and the fact that most projects and proposals are led by small charities and groups better at grabbing headlines than actively pursuing their goals.

Although little detail is available about the progress of the study, it looks like a relatively robust process. It’s starting with a study of stakeholder perceptions, before moving on to a subsequent process of wider community consultation, and acknowledges that if the proposed reintroduction does not have widespread support then it would not be appropriate to proceed.

The reintroduction of large predators is always controversial, particularly with farmers who fear losing livestock to them- though previous studies have concluded that there is tentative support even within rural communities as long as there is some sort of compensation scheme for lost animals, similar to those operated in most European countries that have seen such reintroductions.

We spoke last week about using consultation and engagement as a driver for change, and studies such as this can provide interesting examples- it remains to be seen if this one will, but issues such as this where there are strong feelings on both sides, but clear compromises that can be made to achieve overarching support are where consultation and engagement shine as a method of resolution and investigation. Though attention these days is often focussed on the global problems of climate change, bolstering local biospheres can have an important role to play. It should be interesting to see how the study goes- we’ll reach out to the organisers to try and find out some more.