Top Tips to Build a Career in Rewilding

Rewilding is a fascinating and growing job field that focuses on restoring ecosystems to their natural state and reintroducing species to enhance biodiversity.

Here’s our guide to pursuing a career in rewilding, key tips to secure a job role and the rewards of working in this incredible field.

The Value of a Rewilding Career

Image of wetland habitat that has benefited from rewilding.

Rewilding is more than just a conservation strategy, it’s a transformational approach to repairing ecosystems and fostering coexistence between human society and nature.

Its value extends across a sustainable future’s environmental, social, and economic dimensions:

1. Restoring Ecosystems and Biodiversity

Rewilding helps reverse biodiversity loss; restoring habitats and reintroducing the keystone species that play critical roles in maintaining ecological balance (e.g., wolves controlling deer populations or beavers creating wetland habitats).

In time, this restoration allows ecosystems to self-regulate and re-establishing natural processes like predation, seed dispersal, and nutrient cycling.

2. Mitigating Climate Change

Healthy ecosystems, such as forests, wetlands, and grasslands, act as carbon sinks, helping to absorb and store CO₂ from the atmosphere.

Rewilding degraded landscapes can reduce the risk of flooding, soil erosion, and desertification, which are exacerbated by climate change.

3. Improving Human Well-Being

Access to rewilded spaces can improve mental and physical health by providing opportunities for outdoor recreation and connection with nature.

Rewilding promotes environmental awareness and a sense of stewardship, encouraging communities to reconnect with their natural surroundings.

4. Strengthening Local Economies

Rewilding initiatives can create jobs in conservation, tourism, and ecosystem services.

Nature-based tourism, such as wildlife safaris and birdwatching, often flourishes in rewilded areas, benefiting local communities.

5. Inspiring Hope

Rewilding is an optimistic response to environmental degradation. It shows that ecosystems, when given space and time, can recover and thrive.

Key Tips to Secure a Rewilding Job Role

Digital art style image of people working to rewilding jobs.

1. Understand the Concept of Rewilding

Familiarise yourself with the principles of rewilding, such as restoring natural processes, reintroducing native species, and promoting ecosystem resilience.
Read great rewilding books like Wilding by Isabella Tree or Feral by George Monbiot, and explore resources from organisations like Rewilding Europe or Rewilding Britain.

2. Pursue Relevant Education

Consider gaining a degree in fields such as ecology, biology, environmental science, conservation, forestry, or wildlife management.
Short courses, certifications, or workshops in rewilding, habitat restoration, or conservation techniques can also be valuable.
If possible, focus on knowledge areas like ecosystem restoration, conservation biology, or wildlife ecology during your studies.

3. Gain Practical Experience

Volunteer or intern with organisations involved in rewilding or habitat restoration. Look for local projects, such as reforestation efforts, wetland restoration, or species reintroduction programs.
Participate in citizen science projects, like biodiversity surveys or wildlife monitoring.

4. Develop Valuable Key Skills

Ecological knowledge: Understanding species, ecosystems, and natural processes.
Project management: Coordinating restoration projects or managing teams.
Practical skills: Habitat creation, invasive species control, or plant propagation.
GIS and data analysis: Mapping and monitoring ecological changes.

5. Network Within the Field

Join professional organisations, such as the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) or join local wildlife trusts.
Attend conferences, webinars, or workshops related to rewilding and conservation.
Engage with online forums and social media channels focused on rewilding.

6. Specialise Based on Interests

Decide which aspect of rewilding excites you most. This could range from species reintroduction (e.g., wolves, lynx, or beavers) to landscape restoration or community engagement.
You could also focus on specific ecosystems, such as forests, grasslands, or wetlands.

7. Look for Job Opportunities

Search for positions with conservation organisations, government agencies, NGOs, or private companies working in rewilding or related fields.
Roles might include conservation officer, ecologist, habitat restoration specialist, or rewilding project manager.

8. Start Local

Many rewilding projects start at a local scale, such as transforming farmland into nature reserves or restoring degraded habitats. Volunteering or working with these smaller initiatives can be an excellent way to build experience.

9. Stay Up-to-Date

Rewilding is an evolving field. Keep up to date with new research, techniques, and projects by subscribing to journals, newsletters, or podcasts.

10. Consider Advocacy and Education

Raising awareness about rewilding is crucial. Educators, communicators, and advocates play a significant role in building public and political support for projects.

Rewards of Working in Rewilding

Sketch style image of rewilding education in a outdoor setting.

Pursuing a career in rewilding can be deeply fulfilling, offering both tangible and intangible benefits:

Meaningful Impact: Knowing that your work contributes to the restoration of nature and the survival of species offers a profound sense of purpose. This is both motivating and rewarding.

Immersion in Nature: Many rewilding roles involve outdoor work in some of the world’s most beautiful and remote landscapes, providing you direct experience with nature. You’ll develop a deep appreciation for ecological systems and their interconnectedness.

Opportunities for Innovation: Rewilding is an emerging and dynamic field, offering opportunities to explore new techniques and approaches. Recent examples include using drones for habitat monitoring or collaborating with AI to track wildlife.

Collaboration and Community: Rewilding projects often involve working with passionate, like-minded people, from ecologists and conservationists to local communities and policymakers.

Diverse Career Pathways: Rewilding offers a broad range of potential roles, from scientific research and fieldwork to education, policy, and advocacy. For example, you might consider specialising in species reintroduction, habitat restoration, or even community engagement and eco-tourism.

Personal Growth: Working in rewilding can teach resilience, adaptability, and problem-solving as you navigate the complexities of restoring ecosystems in a changing world. You’ll gain skills in ecology, communication, and project management that are transferable across the environmental sector.

Inspiring Future Generations: In a rewilding job, you have the opportunity to educate others about the importance of living in harmony with nature, fostering a cultural shift toward sustainability.

Working For a Wilder Future

The value of rewilding lies in its potential to heal the planet, empower communities, and provide hope in the face of environmental challenges.

Working in the rewilding field is not just a job or career, it’s a purpose that allows you to make a tangible difference while connecting deeply with nature.

To support you further, we recommend you check other these extra resources:

Rewilding Explained: Benefits, Challenges & Examples

What is Urban Rewilding: Overview & Examples

You could also make a start in your own garden, with help from our Simple Tips to Rewild Your Garden.

Plus, if your consider other potential avenues to work closer to nature and support a sustainable future, then consider checking out our other guidance resources:

Careers in Climate Change: Key Skills & Job Roles

Sustainability Career Trends in Focus

Key Skills For Sustainability Job Success

Any other questions or queries, then feel free to get in touch in the comments section below, via our Contact & Collaborate page, or at our social media channels linked at the bottom of this page.

Top Tips to Build a Career in Rewilding