In the 15th article in our Wilding for Conservation series, Adrian C. Newton explores whether the creation of wild woodland receives its due share of attention in current rewilding projects.
The wildwood is returning. Over the past century, the area of woodland in the UK has nearly tripled (Reid et al. 2021). While much of this increase is attributable to establishment of plantations, especially of conifers, some areas of the UK have also witnessed an expansion of self-sown woodland.