Ambitious Rewilding Project: The Reintroduction of Bison

As part of a rewilding project to restore biodiversity in the United Kingdom, bison have been reintroduced in an ancient woodland. The large herbivores play a crucial role in boosting the local ecosystem, creating a thriving mosaic of habitats for wildlife.

“Bison do many jobs, they cut down trees and churn up the ground,” says Cristina Juan, the reserve manager for a project known as Wilder Blean. “They are a keystone species. That means where they go, other species go.”

In July 2022, three female European bison were released in the West Blean and Thornden Woods Nature Reserve in Kent, southeast England. In December 2022, a male bison joined them. Two and a half years later, the bison population doubled with the birth of four calves. The project run by Kent Wildlife Trust and the Wildwood Trust aims to reverse the biodiversity crisis in Britain by reintroducing bison to create a “thriving mosaic of habitats for wildlife.” Britain is among the most nature-depleted regions, and rewilding is sustainable and cost-effective for building resilient ecosystems. “We are already observing a tangible change to the ecosystem.”