For more wonder, rewild the world | George Monbiot

Adventures in the Tropics

The speaker reflects on their adventurous years as an investigative journalist in the tropics, highlighting the thrill and sense of being alive during that time.

Young and Reckless

• Spent six years as an investigative journalist in the tropics.

• Felt reckless and foolish but also more alive than ever before.

• Acknowledges that such recklessness can lead to wars.

Ecological Boredom

The speaker discusses how their existence gradually became mundane after returning home from their adventures, leading to a feeling of being trapped and yearning for something more.

Diminishing Existence

• Scope of existence diminished after returning home.

• Mundane tasks like loading the dishwasher became interesting challenges.

• Felt confined and longed for a wider space beyond everyday life.

Evolutionary Constraints

The speaker explains how humans evolved in challenging times but now have limited opportunities to exercise fear, courage, and aggression without harming others due to living in safe and crowded lands.

Challenging Times vs. Comfortable Life

• Humans evolved in a world with dangerous animals.

• Limited opportunities to exercise primal instincts without harming others.

• Constrained by safety measures in modern society.

Conquering Uncertainty

The speaker reflects on society's pursuit of certainty and safety, which has led to privileging safety over experience. However, this focus on certainty has left unmet needs and a longing for a richer life.

Pursuit of Certainty

• Industrialized societies prioritize conquering uncertainty.

• Safety is valued over experience.

• Unmet needs arise despite achieving a certain level of certainty.

The Losses and Gains

The speaker acknowledges the gains achieved through prioritizing safety but also highlights the losses incurred, emphasizing the need for a richer and more authentic life.

Safety vs. Authenticity

• Acknowledges the benefits gained from prioritizing safety.

• Believes something has been lost in the process.

• Rejects romanticizing evolutionary time or seeking authenticity.

The Search for Something More

The speaker shares their desire for a richer and rawer life than what is typically experienced in industrialized countries, leading them to discover the concept of "rewilding."

Seeking a Richer Life

• Desires a more fulfilling life than what is offered in industrialized countries.

• Stumbles upon the word "rewilding" and finds it intriguing.

• Decides to dedicate much of their life to exploring rewilding.

Definitions of Rewilding

The speaker introduces the concept of rewilding and its two fascinating definitions, particularly focusing on mass ecosystem restoration.

What is Rewilding?

• Rewilding refers to mass ecosystem restoration.

• Exciting scientific finding: trophic cascades.

• Shares an example of trophic cascades in Yellowstone National Park.

Trophic Cascades in Yellowstone National Park

The speaker explains how reintroducing wolves into Yellowstone National Park had remarkable effects on the ecosystem, highlighting the interconnectedness of species within an ecosystem.

Wolves' Impact on Ecosystem

• Wolves' reintroduction led to remarkable changes in Yellowstone National Park's ecosystem.

• Deer population decreased, vegetation regenerated.

• Ripple effects: increased bird population, beaver habitats, and more.

The Wolves' Influence

The speaker elaborates on the impact of wolves in Yellowstone National Park, including changes in deer behavior and the subsequent regeneration of forests and wildlife populations.

Wolves' Influence on Deer and Vegetation

• Wolves changed deer behavior by making them avoid certain areas.

• Regeneration of vegetation occurred in those areas.

• Increased bird population, beavers, and other species followed.

Transforming Rivers

The speaker explains how the presence of wolves not only affected land-based ecosystems but also had a significant impact on rivers and their stability.

Wolves' Impact on Rivers

• Wolves' presence led to changes in river behavior.

• Meandering decreased, erosion reduced.

• Regenerating forests stabilized river banks.

Conclusion

The speaker reflects on their adventurous past as an investigative journalist in the tropics. They discuss feeling trapped in a mundane existence upon returning home and yearning for a richer life. They highlight the constraints imposed by living in safe and crowded lands while acknowledging the gains achieved through prioritizing safety. However, they also emphasize the losses incurred and express a desire for a more authentic experience. The concept of rewilding is introduced as a means to restore ecosystems, with an example provided from Yellowstone National Park showcasing trophic cascades resulting from wolf reintroduction. The interconnectedness of species within an ecosystem is emphasized, along with the transformative impact wolves had on both land-based ecosystems and rivers.

The Role of Whales in Ecosystems

This section discusses the importance of whales in sustaining ecosystems and their impact on the growth of phytoplankton, zooplankton, fish, and krill populations.

Whales as Ecosystem Sustainers

• Whales feed at depth and produce large fecal plumes on the surface waters, which stimulate the growth of phytoplankton.

• Phytoplankton growth leads to the growth of zooplankton, fish, and krill populations.

• As whales move through the water column, they kick phytoplankton back up towards the surface where it can continue to survive and reproduce.

• When whales were at their historic populations, they sequestered tens of millions of tons of carbon every year from the atmosphere.

Implications for Ecosystem Balance

• The removal of large animals like whales can lead to a radically different ecosystem compared to one with intact populations.

• Trophic cascades demonstrate that the natural world is more complex than previously thought.

• The reintroduction of missing species through rewilding can help restore ecosystem balance.

Rewilding: Bringing Back Missing Species

This section explores the concept of rewilding and its potential benefits in restoring habitats by reintroducing missing plants and animals.

Rewilding Definition and Approach

• Rewilding involves bringing back missing plants and animals by removing barriers like fences and blocking drainage ditches.

• It allows nature to decide what a right ecosystem or species assemblage looks like.

Opportunities for Rewilding

• Large areas of land in the United States have become reforested as loggers and farmers retreat from cleared areas.

• In Europe, an estimated 30 million hectares of land will be vacated by farmers between 2000 and 2030.

• These opportunities call for considering the return of lost megafauna in addition to existing rewilding efforts.

The Lost Megafauna and Human Impact

This section discusses the disappearance of megafauna due to human hunting and habitat destruction, as well as the potential for their return through rewilding efforts.

Megafauna Extinction

• Human population pressure, hunting, and habitat destruction have led to the extinction of many megafauna species.

• Shadows of these extinct species can still be seen in current ecosystems.

Rewilding with Megafauna

• Consideration should be given to bringing back lost megafauna species like hippopotamus, rhinos, elephants, hyenas, and lions.

• Excavations in Trafalgar Square revealed the presence of these species during the last interglacial period.

Rewilding Human Life

This section explores the concept of rewilding human life and how it can coexist with advanced technology while providing access to a richer and wilder life.

Coexistence with Advanced Technology

• Rewilded habitats offer opportunities for a richer and wilder life alongside enjoying the benefits of advanced technology.

• Reforestation efforts in previously cleared areas provide potential rewilded habitats.

Expanding Perspectives on Rewilding

• Beyond reintroducing wolves, lynx, bears, beavers, bison, boar, moose, etc., consideration should also be given to bringing back some lost megafauna species.

• The return of missing plants and animals through rewilding can enhance the diversity and resilience of ecosystems.

The transcript is in English, so the notes are also provided in English.

New Section

The speaker discusses the spines of plants and their resistance to browsing by deer, possibly due to their evolution to resist browsing by rhinoceros. The concept of paleoecology is introduced as a portal into an enchanted kingdom.

Over-Engineered Spines

• Plants have spines that are over-engineered to resist browsing by deer, potentially because they evolved to resist browsing by rhinoceros.

• It is fascinating to think that when walking in parks or leafy streets, one can see the shadows of these great beasts.

Rewilding and Hope

• Rewilding offers the opportunity to reintroduce lost megafauna or closely related species into areas of land becoming available.

• Having a Serengeti-like environment on our doorsteps could be possible.

• The most important aspect rewilding offers is hope, which motivates people to love and protect the natural world.