Poll reveals widespread support for ‘rewilding’

MORE than three-quarters of Scots are said to support rewilding in Scotland – the large-scale restoration of nature to the point it’s allowed to take care of itself – according to a poll conducted for a coalition of over 20 organisations, including the likes of RSPB Scotland and Woodland Trust Scotland.

The poll findings come as the coalition – the Scottish Rewilding Alliance – launches a campaign to have Scotland become a ‘Rewilding Nation’, arguably the world’s first.

Ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in Glasgow in November, the hope is that 30 per cent of Scotland’s land and sea is ‘rewilded’ within a decade.

It is understood the survey involved 1,000 people being asked their views on rewilding by market research agency, Survation.

The poll revealed 76 per cent of Scots support rewilding – with just seven per cent opposed.

Adds a media release (here) about the poll: “Only 1.5 per cent of Scotland’s land is national nature reserves and just four per cent native woodland, while 25 per cent is ‘severely nature depleted’ and does not support the nature-rich forests, peatlands and river systems it should.”

Picture credit: PlaceDesignScotland