Rewilding project links wildlife recovery with climate action

A large conservation reserve in South Africa is restoring native wildlife and increasing soil carbon storage through rewilding efforts designed to strengthen ecosystems and support long-term climate resilience.

“I think Tswalu shows how rewilding can mitigate climate change through soil carbon storage and improve land productivity,” said Duncan MacFadyen, head of research and conservation at Oppenheimer Generations.

The Tswalu Kalahari Reserve now covers 118,000 hectares after decades of restoring former livestock land and reintroducing species, including mountain zebras, wild dogs, cheetahs, rhinos, giraffes, and springbok. Researchers studying the reserve say carefully managed herbivores can help increase long-term soil carbon storage through natural grazing and nutrient cycling. Tswalu has already issued more than 34,000 carbon credits linked to wildlife conservation and expects to generate more than 275,000 in total, helping fund future conservation work while supporting biodiversity in one of southern Africa’s driest ecosystems.