Europe’s rewilding movement has transformed approximately 1.2 million hectares of former agricultural and degraded land into wildlife habitat since the Rewilding Europe initiative launched in 2011. The conservation outcomes are remarkable — but the tourism implications may be even more consequential.
The Rewilding Landscape
Rewilding is distinguished from conventional conservation by its emphasis on natural processes rather than human management. Instead of maintaining a fixed conservation state, rewilded landscapes are allowed to develop dynamically, with reintroduced keystone species driving ecological succession.
European rewilding flagship projects span from the Iberian Peninsula (Iberian lynx and imperial eagle recovery) to the Romanian Carpathians (bison and bear restoration) to the Scottish Highlands (Caledonian forest regeneration and beaver reintroduction).
Wildlife Returns and Tourism Responds
The ecological results have exceeded expectations in many areas. European bison numbers have increased from 1,800 in 2000 to over 9,600 in 2025. Iberian lynx populations have grown from 94 individuals in 2002 to over 2,000 today. Eurasian beaver populations across the continent have expanded from scattered remnants to an estimated 1.5 million.
These wildlife recoveries are creating tourism opportunities that did not exist two decades ago. Bison-tracking safaris in Poland’s Bialowieza Forest and Romania’s Southern Carpathians now generate substantial local revenue. Beaver-watching tourism in Scotland has grown from zero to a market worth approximately $4 million annually.
Economic Impact on Rural Communities
Rewilding tourism is providing an economic lifeline to depopulated rural regions. In the Greater Coa Valley of Portugal — one of Rewilding Europe’s flagship areas — tourism revenue has increased 340% since the rewilding program began, driven primarily by wildlife watching and nature photography tourism.
The economic model is particularly powerful because rewilding tourism attracts visitors during seasons when conventional rural tourism is dormant. Wildlife activity peaks in spring and autumn, extending the tourism season beyond the traditional summer peak.
Landowner Resistance and Transition Support
The primary obstacle to scaling rewilding is landowner and agricultural community resistance. Farmers who are asked to convert productive land to wildscape understandably demand economic alternatives. Successful rewilding programs address this by developing tourism enterprises that replace agricultural income.
The EU Common Agricultural Policy is increasingly supporting this transition through agri-environment payments that compensate landowners for rewilding activities. These payments, combined with tourism revenue, are making the economic case for rewilding increasingly compelling.
Outlook
European rewilding is projected to reach 3 million hectares by 2030, creating a continent-wide network of wildlife-rich landscapes that collectively represent a new tourism asset class. The model’s success in Europe is informing rewilding initiatives in South America, East Africa, and Southeast Asia.