When the Haith’s team heard about a landmark report by ZSL showing how increased urban rewilding efforts could boost wildlife and buffer city dwellers from the worst impacts of climate change, we knew we had to find out more, and we’re grateful that lead author of the report, Dr Nathalie Pettorelli, agreed to a spot on the podcast.

In this revealing conversation, Nathalie shares a helpful metaphor (using a Cuban taxi!) to highlight the difference between restoration and rewilding and how urban rewilding adds to the conservation portfolio. “Our world is connected,” explains Nathalie, “it’s the wonder of nature.”

Nathalie reveals that rewilding is possible in our private gardens, which is important in terms of creating spaces for nature and connectivity – creating wildlife corridors and wild spaces - our collective gardens becoming steppingstones for nature to navigate to and from core habitat. "For example, by leaving part of your garden wild, and avoiding artificial turf and pesticides we can all do our bit to secure a future where wildlife and people survive."

This connectivity and space for nature are very much the bigger pictures Haith’s is investigating as it embarks on a relocation project and a commitment to hand over commercial space to nature in Louth, Lincolnshire. Feeding the birds is also one part of our efforts to buy wildlife time whilst the scientists make a case for nature, which – hopefully – inspires enough of us to make more space for nature. You can find out more about Haith's migrating to Louth here.

More about Dr Nathalie Pettorelli:

Nathalie is a senior scientist at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), where she carries out research to help secure a biodiverse future. She did her PhD on roe deer in France and then moved to Norway and Canada before taking a position in London over 15 years ago. Nathalie's work focuses on the relationship between nature and climate crises, and what solutions there may be to tackle these crises jointly. Her research has been carried out in a diversity of settings, from the plains of the Serengeti to tropical forests and arctic tundra. She got into science because she likes to feel useful and solve problems - and she got into conservation because she is fascinated by people, nature, and their interdependencies.

Topics:

• Space for nature
• Urban rewilding & habitat creation
• The difference between restoration and rewilding
• Biodiversity loss
• Ecology
• The impact of climate change on nature
• Nature recovery
• Private gardens and “Rewild my street” project
• Nesting boxes

Nathalie: https://www.zsl.org/science/users/nathalie-pettorelli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Pettorelli?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Books: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9781108460125?gC=5a105e8b&gclid=Cj0KCQjw48OaBhDWARIsAMd966AG7MLdbpbfSioJ6mY6jsa5ayINYC6lSehD4jukqtXA9rnfl0alkUAaAmWzEALw_wcB

As mentioned in the podcast: https://www.rewildmystreet.org/

Sponsor: https://haiths.com/ Prod. Ed King