Rewilding was originally formulated around the three C’s of Carnivores, Cores and Corridors, which captured the ecological aim of rewilding to restore trophic interactions across large connected landscapes.
In a new joint publication by the Rewilding team, these three C’s are revisited from a social science perspective and found to be lacking. To complement them, the publication proposes, rewilders need to consider another letter. By introducing the three B’s of Bovines, Buffers and Barriers, the essay aims to shift the focus to areas around the wild “cores,” where cattle roam among carnivores, and where people may desire fences to protect themselves and their livelihoods from wildlife moving through corridors.
The publication draws on the Rewilding team’s fieldwork insights from the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area to demonstrate the importance of the three B’s. It also includes a number of concrete suggestions for rewilders to make their projects socially-acceptable and just.
The essay is published in Conservation Science and Practice, and is intended for both academics and practitioners. It can be read here (Open Access): https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/csp2.70384
