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IUCN’s new Guidelines for Rewilding mark a global milestone, recognising rewilding as a core pathway for nature recovery and sustainable development.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has released its groundbreaking “Guidelines for Rewilding”, a landmark document offering guidance for implementing rewilding projects worldwide. Developed by the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM) and its Rewilding Thematic Group, this document represents a historic milestone for global conservation — one that places rewilding at the center of the world’s nature recovery agenda.
The guidance signals a key moment for the scaling of the global rewilding movement, since the IUCN is one of the pre-eminent global sources of expertise and advice for governments and others; these Guidelines will serve as a powerful catalyst for nature’s recovery.
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Rewilding: A Fundamental Shift in Humanity’s Relationship with Nature
The guidelines position rewilding as a paradigm shift in conservation, highlighting the need for a fundamental change in how humanity relates to nature. Moving beyond traditional approaches that often focus on hotspots or threatened species, rewilding addresses the urgent need to rebuild ecosystem functioning across our lands, freshwater ecosystems, and seas. The Guidelines acknowledge that rewilding emphasizes the intrinsic value of all species, the role of human communities in reinstating resilient ecosystems and the building of ecological integrity into our socio-cultural and political-economic systems. By linking ecological knowledge with political, cultural, and economic frameworks, rewilding offers a holistic pathway to restore Earth’s biosphere, as envisioned in the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, which established “ecological integrity” as a guiding principle for sustainable futures.
This approach acknowledges that humans are part of nature — not separate from it — and that restoring natural processes benefits both ecosystems and communities. As the Guidelines note, rewilding seeks to reinstate self-regulating, resilient ecosystems capable of adapting to change and supporting life in all its diversity.
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A Vision for the Future: Restoring Ecological Integrity
The guidelines explicitly link rewilding to global policy frameworks, including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and highlight its contributions to 8 Sustainable Development Goals. They also recognize rewilding’s potential to help humanity stay within the safe operating space for 6 of the 9 Planetary Boundaries.
Importantly, the document reinforces a principle the Global Rewilding Alliance has long advocated: the global objective of ecological integrity that underpins rewilding efforts, as articulated in the 1992 Rio Summit declaration. While the idea echoes international commitments made since Rio, its application through rewilding represents a transformative, systems-based approach that has been pioneered by the Global Rewilding Alliance.
Ecological integrity refers to the ability of an ecosystem to maintain its natural components, functions, and resilience over time, supporting a diverse community of native species. It means an ecosystem’s structure (like physical components and biodiversity) and processes (like natural cycles) are intact, functioning and are likely to persist.
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Turning theory into practice
The report provides practical guidance on how to implement rewilding projects through strategic planning, applying the theory-of-change concept, and adaptive management. It emphasises the need for participatory rewilding and offers a framework for communities and stakeholders.
The IUCN Guidelines are designed as a practical toolkit for policymakers, conservationists, and practitioners.
They provide:
- Five core guidelines and ten guiding principles for effective rewilding
- A framework for strategic planning, adaptive management, and participatory rewilding
- Recognition of Indigenous knowledge, multi-species justice, rights of nature, and rewilding law
- A detailed table of ten areas of rewilding interventions
- Approaches for evidence and monitoring, including the use of reference ecosystems (such as the Serengeti) and large-scale success stories like the Iberá Wetlands in Argentina
This comprehensive approach ensures that rewilding is not only visionary but also actionable and measurable.
New and forward-looking concepts are notably introduced, such as Rights of Nature, Multi Species Justice, and Rewilding Law, reflecting the recognition of ecological ethics in conservation.
Grounded in science, the report emphasises the need for strong evidence and monitoring. It introduces the concept of reference ecosystems illustrated through the Serengeti in Tanzania and Kenya, which could offer critical insights for rewilding practitioners worldwide. The Ibera Wetlands in Argentina are presented as an inspiring example of rewilding at scale, demonstrating how the inclusion of human communities can drive conservation success.
Credits: Wetlands in Nature Reserve Esteros del Ibera, Argentina View more by mathess from Getty Images
The team of the Global Rewilding Alliance are proud to have contributed to the editorial process alongside a host of credible contributors:
- Alister Scott, Executive Director of the Global Rewilding Alliance and Honorary Professor of Practice in the Bartlett School Institute for Sustainable Resources at University College London.
- Magnus Sylvén, Director Science-Policy-Practice and co-founder of the Global Rewilding Alliance and an ecologist with decades of experience in international conservation and rewilding policy.
- Alastair Driver, Senior Advisor for the Global Rewilding Alliance and formerly national Head of Conservation for the Environment Agency in the UK.
Credits: Serengeti National Park, Tanzania by pilesasmiles from Getty Images Pro
Scaling Rewilding Around the World
The IUCN CEM guidelines mark a historic moment for conservation, offering both vision and practical tools to implement rewilding at scale. The Global Rewilding Alliance warmly welcomes this publication and the bold ambition it represents to restore biospheric integrity and give space back to nature.
By positioning rewilding within broader social, economic, and ecological frameworks, the IUCN—one of the world’s preeminent conservation bodies—recognises rewilding as a significant, legitimate, and distinctive approach to nature protection and recovery. This signals a turning point: these Guidelines will undoubtedly catalyse greater recognition and engagement from governments, international institutions, and practitioners worldwide, as the global rewilding movement stands ready to scale up its impact.
Top 5 Insights from the IUCN Guidelines for Rewilding
- Rewilding Goes Mainstream – The IUCN formally recognises rewilding as a legitimate and distinctive approach to global nature protection and recovery.
- A Paradigm Shift – The Guidelines call for a fundamental change in how humanity relates to nature; from controlling to coexisting and restoring self-regulating ecosystems.
- Linked to Global Goals – Rewilding supports the Rio Declaration, the SDGs, and the Planetary Boundaries framework, uniting ecological restoration with sustainable development.
- Practical Guidance – Five core guidelines, ten principles, and detailed rewilding interventions offer clear, science-based steps for implementation at all scales.
- Scaling Up for the Future – With IUCN leadership, governments and organisations worldwide are now encouraged to integrate rewilding into policy and practice — as the global movement stands ready to scale.
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Join the Global Rewilding Movement
Rewilding offers hope — a way to restore ecosystems, revive biodiversity, and build resilient societies that thrive in harmony with nature. The new IUCN Guidelines provide the next step along the pathway. The global rewilding community is ready to act.
Learn more, get involved, and help give space back to nature.
Credits: Javan rhino in the wild 2020 by Tobias Nowlan from Getty Images