130925-studie-wildlife-comeback-in-europe

of this reintroduction, which is something that
needs to be mitigated in order to maintain support
from the local community [10] .
The restoration of natural processes as a result
of wildlife comeback such as herbivory, carnivory
and scavenging can shape a landscape without
people actively managing it. A self-supporting
ecosystem can reduce land management costs.
In terrestrial ecosystems of Europe, large herbivores
such as the European bison (Bison bonasus),
Aurochs (Bos primigenius) and Wild horse (Equus
ferus) have historically performed key roles in
maintaining structural diversity; subsequently,
as populations became extirpated, agricultural
practices and ecosystem management regimes
became the primary replacement in the absence
of these species. Whilst extant herbivores might
not be able to exert a comparable influence on the
environment as these larger species have done in
the past, they still contribute to the functioning
of ecosystems through processes such as grazing,
browsing, defecation and trampling. This has
relevance for abandoned agricultural land where
succession would progress if unmanaged: by
allowing the recolonisation of grazers, afforestation
can be prevented and high species diversity of open
habitats can be maintained [11] without the provision
of grazing livestock. Furthermore, restoring
ungulate populations has been suggested as a
necessary intervention to maintain large predatory
mammal species in sufficient numbers [12] .
One important consideration is whether any
areas can be left entirely alone or whether active
management or some sort of human influence
is always needed. In some cases, the lack of large
herbivores in Europe means that a large perturbation
such as fire is still necessary to open up
habitat, thereby allowing the conditions for a
self-sustaining system by ungulates. In addition,
the fact that humans have shaped the landscape
over such a long time in Europe can make it hard
to determine the characteristics of natural conditions.
For example, afforestation and the reintroduction
of Red deer are management practices
carried out on the Isle of Rum in Scotland. This
focus on maintaining a single species in a forest
community is not thought to be replicating
historical natural conditions and has actually
created an artefact that is not self-sustaining and
that requires continuous human management
intervention. This serves as a caution that focussing
so narrowly can lose sight of the importance of
restoring ecosystem processes as a whole which is
of greater benefit to conservation in Europe [13] .
Lodge owner
Inga Sarri from
Nikkaluokta, in
Swedish Lapland. One
of many countryside
entrepreneurs who
are developing nature
tourism products.
Wildlife plays a key
role for many of
them.
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