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REWILDING, CARBON & CLIMATE CHANGE, WILDLIFE

Happy World Rewilding Day!

March 20th is World Rewilding Day, and we invite you to celebrate!

In truth, every day is rewilding day at Northeast Wilderness Trust—but as a charter member of the Global Rewilding Alliance we’re delighted to be one of more than 140 international NGOs focusing attention today on the planetary potential of helping nature heal.

This year’s theme, “animate the carbon cycle,” reflects emerging science on how ecologically effective populations of wild animals are crucial to Earth’s ability to soak up carbon. Restoring wildlife populations to abundance presents an opportunity to repair humanity’s fractured relationship with the rest of life while also mitigating the climate crisis. Animating the carbon cycle is such a useful tool in the array of natural climate solutions and such a compelling idea that it may finally cement the link between the climate and biodiversity crises in the popular imagination. And spur positive, hopeful action to confront them.

Of course, the foundation for rewilding is protected areas, places where our wild cousins need never fear the bulldozers of tomorrow. For two decades, project by project (64,000+ forever-wild acres now) Northeast Wilderness Trust has been safeguarding habitat. When you and I envision sky-darkening flocks of migrating waterfowl, river-jamming runs of anadromous fish, ear-deafening choruses of frogs, and expansive ancient forests where wolves and cougars keep the moose and deer fleet of foot—we’re not conjuring some distant historical memory. We’re seeing the future.

As a member of the Wilderness Trust community, you are part of the work toward that coming time when our region is characterized by beauty, diversity, and abundance. On World Rewilding Day, it’s exciting to know that this adventure to rewild the land and rewild ourselves is part of a global network of people and projects aligned toward a common, vibrant future.

Ways to Celebrate

Learn all about Animating the Carbon Cycle, through videos, recent articles and studies, or the Global Rewilding Alliance booklet.

Recent study: Large mammals can help climate change mitigation and adaptation

When it comes to helping mitigate the effects of climate change by absorbing carbon, flora rather than fauna usually comes to mind. A new study published in Current Biology now explores the role of large wild animals in restoring ecosystems and battling climate change. Read more.

Recent study: Bringing back large mammals boosts restoration of entire ecosystems
A new study that looks at global opportunities for the restoration, reintroduction and rewilding of large mammals across the world’s terrestrial ecoregions found that just 15% of the world’s land area supports intact large mammal assemblages. Read more.

Sign up to attend Northeast Wilderness Trust’s Spring Speaker Series events in April and May. Experts will share their knowledge and stories connected to NEWT’s 20th Anniversary theme, “We Are One of Many.” Join in to ignite your curiosity and wonder about the wild world all around us!

Can’t make it on the exact date? Register and you’ll receive a link to the recorded presentation within a week of the event.