Rewilding Europe: Let nature do the work

European ecosystems are threatened by urban sprawl, habitat defragmentation, pollution, and climate change. According to the EEA’s report State of Nature in the EU 2020, only 15% of Europe’s habitats and 27% protected species have a good conservation status.  

There are European policies, such as the Birds and Habitats Directives and the Natura2000 network, dedicated to species protection. To take nature protection and restoration one step further, the European Union has adopted the Nature Restoration Law in June 2024. The law aims to restore European ecosystems and to contribute to achieving the EU climate adaptation and mitigation objectives. Member States should develop national plans to restore at least 20% of EU land and sea by 2030 and all ecosystems that need restoration by 2050. 

To meet such objectives, nature-based solutions are essential as they play a key role in climate adaptation. Some estimates suggest they could provide 37% of the mitigation needed before 2030 to achieve the targets of the Paris Agreement. They have proven a cost-effective way to address climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation, as demonstrated in many Interreg Europe projects. Take a look at our collection on nature-based solutions. 

Working with nature to save money 

Restoring natural areas, such as forests, wetlands and peatlands brings enormous benefits. Carbon sequestration, increased biodiversity, flood mitigation, water retention, food security, and supply of various materials. Moreover, provided with time, space and the right conditions, nature can restore itself. 

An example comes from Czech Republic’s Brdy protected area. Since 2018, officials from the Czech Nature Conservation Agency were pushing for a project to build a dam, to restore a wetland and protect critically endangered species from sediment and acidic water, spilling over from two nearby ponds. 

While being stalled by bureaucracy and waiting for permits from all interested parties, nature took matters in its own hands. More accurately, in the meantime beavers took matters in their teeth and built a natural dam, saving the local authorities 1.2 million euros. The new wetland covers nearly five acres, making it twice as large as the one initially designed by humans. 

Beavers belong to a group of “ecosystem engineers”, animals that modify their environment and make available resources that would not be otherwise. European beavers were on the brink of extinction, but thanks to reintroduction programs in many countries, including the Czech Republic, they are once again interacting with local ecosystems.