Section 2.a. "Smaller-Scale Rewilding: A Practical Guide to Restoring Nature in Your Own Space"

Section 2.a. of the definitive guide to smaller-scale rewilding from the team at LettsSafari: 'Types of Smaller-Scale Rewilding'.

Types of Smaller-Scale Rewilding.

Smaller-scale rewilding is remarkably versatile - it can happen almost anywhere that nature is given a bit of space and time. In this section, we’ll survey the many types of spaces where rewilding can take root on a small scale. From tiny urban gardens to roadside shoulders and overlooked corners of farms, opportunities for rewilding abound. LettsSafari and others have developed practical models for rewilding a spectrum of sites, “from garden-scale rewilding through to 250-acre projects”.

Rewilded gardens come in all shapes and sizes - down to just a pot!

Below we break down some of the most common and promising contexts:

Garden-Scale Rewilding

Garden rewilding (also known as wildlife gardening) is the practice of turning private gardens - whether a spacious yard or a tiny patio - into mini nature reserves. Instead of the traditional manicured lawn, neat flowerbeds, and pesticides, a rewilded garden embraces a wilder aesthetic and ecological function. This might mean letting the lawn grow long to become a meadow patch, planting native wildflowers and shrubs that attract pollinators, adding a small pond or bog for amphibians, and generally allowing plants to complete their life cycles (blooming, seeding, and spreading naturally).