Nature’s Comeback Is Happening Faster Than Expected

Scotland saw major biodiversity gains as rewilding efforts rapidly restored habitats, boosting wildlife populations and strengthening ecosystem resilience.

“The results are astonishingly clear,” said Dr Ross Macleod, ecologist at Liverpool John Moores University.

Across more than 100 sites in the Northwoods Rewilding Network, bird species increased by 261% and breeding territories by 546%, while bumblebees and butterflies rose more than tenfold. Surveys recorded over 1,000 breeding bird pairs and more than 3,000 pollinator sightings, with nectar-rich plant availability up around 250%. These restored landscapes now support an estimated 2.5 million pollinating insects and have generated £4.2 million in local investment since 2021, demonstrating that large-scale nature recovery can deliver both ecological and economic benefits.