George Monbiot's "Feral" is a passionate call for rewilding our world and reconnecting with nature. Through personal anecdotes, scientific research, and philosophical reflections, Monbiot makes a compelling case for allowing nature to reclaim spaces and thrive without human intervention. He argues that this approach can enrich our lives, restore ecosystems, and help address environmental challenges.
Introduction
In our modern, urbanized world, many of us have lost touch with true wilderness. We may visit parks or gardens, but these are often carefully managed spaces that bear little resemblance to untamed nature. George Monbiot, an environmental journalist and activist, believes this disconnection from the wild has left us ecologically and psychologically impoverished. In "Feral," he explores the concept of rewilding - allowing nature to reassert itself with minimal human interference - and its potential benefits for both the environment and human well-being.
The Author's Journey
Monbiot's interest in rewilding stems from his own experiences in nature, particularly during his time as an environmental activist in Brazil. In 1989, he traveled to the Amazon rainforest to investigate the impact of gold mining on the environment and indigenous communities.
The author witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of deforestation and resource extraction. Vast swaths of rainforest had been cleared to access gold-rich river sediment, destroying habitats and displacing wildlife. The human cost was equally horrific - violence was rampant among miners, and indigenous Yanomami tribes were suffering greatly. Diseases brought by outsiders decimated their population, while many were killed or had their villages destroyed.
This experience left a deep impression on Monbiot. He spent time living with the Yanomami, helping them as best he could and participating in their rituals. The stark contrast between their way of life and Western society sparked a questioning of his own lifestyle and values.
A few years later, Monbiot had another transformative experience while living among the Maasai people in Kenya. He was struck by the spontaneity and connection to nature in their lives, which seemed to be lacking in his own Western existence. The author observed how decisions were made impulsively, guided by instinct and opportunity rather than rigid schedules.
These encounters with indigenous cultures made Monbiot increasingly aware of what modern society has lost in its separation from nature. However, he doesn't advocate for a complete return to primitive living. Instead, he proposes a middle ground - rewilding certain areas to create spaces where people can reconnect with true wilderness.
Understanding Rewilding
Rewilding is a conservation approach that aims to restore natural processes and wilderness areas, often through the reintroduction of species that have been driven out by human activity. Unlike traditional conservation, which often seeks to preserve landscapes in a fixed state, rewilding allows ecosystems to evolve and change with minimal human intervention.
Monbiot emphasizes that rewilding doesn't mean abandoning civilization or forcing people to live as hunter-gatherers. Such a lifestyle simply couldn't support current population levels. Instead, he suggests focusing rewilding efforts on areas with low agricultural productivity, such as highlands and mountainous regions that are only farmed due to subsidies.
The goal of rewilding is not to exclude humans entirely, but to create spaces where people can experience and interact with true wilderness. This might involve reintroducing species that once inhabited an area, such as wolves, wildcats, beavers, and wild boar in the United Kingdom. By doing so, we can create environments that challenge us physically and mentally, helping to develop new faculties and perspectives.
The Importance of Large Animals
One key aspect of rewilding that Monbiot emphasizes is the reintroduction of large animals, particularly predators. These creatures play crucial roles in shaping ecosystems and maintaining biodiversity.
For example, wild boars, which are facing extinction in Britain, are essential for maintaining healthy woodlands. They dig up the earth, creating pools of water and diverse micro-habitats where various plant species can thrive. Without them, many British forests have become dominated by a single plant species, creating a monotonous and less resilient ecosystem.
Similarly, predators like wolves can help control populations of herbivores, preventing overgrazing and allowing a more diverse range of plant life to flourish. This, in turn, provides habitats for a wider variety of animals, creating a more complex and stable ecosystem.
Monbiot argues that the presence of these large animals not only benefits the environment but also satisfies a deep human need for connection with wild nature. He points to the numerous reported sightings of large wildcats in Britain as evidence of this yearning for wilder times, even if many of these sightings are likely the product of imagination rather than reality.
Challenges to Rewilding
Despite the potential benefits of rewilding, there are significant obstacles to its implementation. One major challenge is the current approach to conservation, which Monbiot criticizes for being too rigid and interventionist.
Many conservationists, he argues, try to maintain landscapes in an artificial state, often preserving environments that were created by human activities like farming. They categorize species as "good" or "bad," preserving some while eliminating others deemed invasive. This approach fails to recognize the dynamic nature of ecosystems and can actually hinder the development of true wilderness.
Another challenge is resistance from landowners and farmers. In the UK, for example, the government has done little to protect reintroduced species like wild boar, leaving it up to individual landowners to decide their fate. Unsurprisingly, many choose to eliminate these animals to protect their property and crops.
Monbiot contends that addressing these challenges requires a fundamental shift in our approach to nature conservation. Instead of trying to control and manage every aspect of the environment, we should step back and allow nature to find its own balance.
The Sea: A Forgotten Wilderness
While much of "Feral" focuses on terrestrial rewilding, Monbiot also turns his attention to the oceans, which he sees as one of the last great wildernesses. However, even this vast expanse is under threat from human activity, particularly overfishing.
The author recounts his own experiences fishing in Cardigan Bay off the Welsh coast. Despite spending hours at sea, he caught only a handful of mackerel - a far cry from the massive shoals that once populated these waters. This decline is reflected in official statistics, which show dramatic reductions in fish populations over recent decades.
Yet Monbiot finds that even in its depleted state, the sea still offers thrilling encounters with wild nature. He describes a close call with a greater weever, a venomous fish that could have caused him serious harm if he had touched it. Such experiences, he argues, provide the kind of adrenaline-fueled excitement that many nature enthusiasts crave.
The author uses these personal anecdotes to illustrate the importance of protecting and restoring marine ecosystems. He suggests that creating more marine protected areas where fishing is prohibited could help fish populations recover and restore the ocean's wilderness character.
Lessons from the Past
To guide rewilding efforts, Monbiot turns to archaeology and paleoecology for insights into past ecosystems. He describes fascinating discoveries at the Severn Estuary in Wales, where excavations revealed 8,000-year-old footprints preserved in fossilized mud.
These ancient tracks tell stories of how our ancestors interacted with their environment. Footprints of children and teenagers suggest that young people were actively involved in foraging and hunting from an early age. But perhaps most intriguing were the tracks of cranes - large birds that were once common in Britain but became extinct in the 17th century.
This archaeological evidence has practical implications for rewilding. It helps identify species that were once native to an area and could potentially be reintroduced. In the case of cranes, this information has already been put to use. Since 2009, there have been successful efforts to reestablish crane populations in parts of Britain.
Monbiot argues that such findings should inform our rewilding efforts, helping us to recreate ecosystems that more closely resemble those that existed before intensive human intervention.
The Psychological Benefits of Wilderness
Throughout "Feral," Monbiot emphasizes that rewilding is not just about ecological restoration - it also has profound psychological benefits for humans. He argues that our disconnection from nature has left many of us feeling unfulfilled and yearning for wilder experiences.
This idea is supported by the phenomenon of "big cat" sightings in Britain. Every year, thousands of people report seeing large feline predators roaming the countryside, despite a lack of concrete evidence for their existence. Monbiot suggests that these sightings, whether real or imagined, reflect a deep-seated human desire for encounters with wild and potentially dangerous animals.
The author also draws on his own experiences to illustrate the transformative power of wilderness. He describes how his time in the Amazon and among the Maasai left him feeling more alive and connected to the world around him. These experiences contrasted sharply with the sense of "environmental boredom" he felt upon returning to his conventional life in Wales.
By creating more wild spaces through rewilding, Monbiot argues, we can provide opportunities for people to have these kinds of invigorating encounters with nature. This could help address what he sees as a widespread sense of disconnection and malaise in modern society.
Rethinking Conservation
One of the most provocative aspects of Monbiot's argument is his critique of traditional conservation practices. He contends that many conservationists are too focused on preserving specific landscapes or species assemblages, often at the expense of allowing natural processes to unfold.
For example, he points out that many of the landscapes we think of as "natural" in places like Britain are actually the result of human activities like sheep farming. Conservationists often work to maintain these artificial environments, preventing the regrowth of forests and other natural habitats.
Monbiot argues for a more hands-off approach to conservation. Instead of trying to freeze ecosystems in a particular state, he suggests we should allow them to evolve and change naturally. This might mean accepting that some species will decline while others thrive, or that landscapes will look different than what we're used to.
This approach requires a significant shift in mindset. Rather than seeing ourselves as managers or stewards of nature, we need to learn to step back and let natural processes take their course. While this can be challenging, Monbiot believes it's necessary if we want to create truly wild spaces.
Practical Steps Towards Rewilding
While much of "Feral" is devoted to making the case for rewilding, Monbiot also offers some practical suggestions for how it could be implemented. He proposes a two-step approach:
Rethink conservation: Instead of trying to maintain artificial landscapes, we should focus on restoring natural processes. This means moving away from the practice of categorizing species as "good" or "bad" and allowing ecosystems to find their own balance.
Let nature rewild itself: Once we've created the right conditions, we should step back and allow nature to take its course. This might involve reducing activities like sheep farming that prevent the regrowth of forests, and reintroducing key species like predators that can help regulate ecosystems.
Monbiot acknowledges that these changes won't happen overnight. Rewilding is a long-term process that requires patience and a willingness to accept uncertainty. However, he believes that over time, this approach could transform landscapes, creating richer and more diverse ecosystems.
The Challenges of Implementation
While the concept of rewilding is appealing, Monbiot recognizes that putting it into practice faces numerous challenges. One of the biggest obstacles is resistance from landowners and farmers who may see rewilding as a threat to their livelihoods or way of life.
For example, the reintroduction of predators like wolves is often met with fierce opposition from livestock farmers who fear for their animals. Similarly, allowing forests to regrow on land currently used for grazing could be seen as a threat to traditional farming practices.
There are also practical challenges to consider. Many of the species that would be key to rewilding efforts, such as large predators, have been absent from certain ecosystems for centuries. Reintroducing them requires careful planning and management to ensure they can establish viable populations without causing undue conflict with human activities.
Moreover, there are legal and policy barriers to overcome. Current conservation laws and land use regulations may not be well-suited to the kind of large-scale, hands-off approach that rewilding requires. Changing these frameworks would likely require significant political will and public support.
Despite these challenges, Monbiot remains optimistic about the potential for rewilding. He points to successful examples from around the world where ecosystems have been allowed to recover with minimal human intervention, often with surprising and positive results.
The Role of Government and Policy
Throughout "Feral," Monbiot emphasizes the need for government action to support rewilding efforts. He argues that leaving conservation entirely up to private landowners or market forces is insufficient, as these actors often have short-term interests that conflict with long-term ecological goals.
For example, he criticizes the UK government's hands-off approach to wild boar reintroduction, which has left these animals vulnerable to indiscriminate culling by landowners. Instead, he calls for stronger protections for reintroduced species and more robust policies to support rewilding initiatives.
Monbiot also suggests that governments could play a role in incentivizing rewilding. This might involve redirecting agricultural subsidies away from marginal farmland and towards rewilding projects, or creating financial incentives for landowners who allow their property to return to a more natural state.
At a broader level, the author argues for a shift in how we measure progress and success as a society. Instead of focusing solely on economic growth, he suggests we should also consider indicators of ecological health and biodiversity. This could help create a policy environment more conducive to rewilding and other environmental initiatives.
The Global Context
While much of "Feral" focuses on rewilding in the context of the United Kingdom, Monbiot is clear that the principles he discusses have global relevance. He draws on examples from around the world to illustrate both the challenges and possibilities of rewilding.
For instance, he discusses the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in the United States, which has had far-reaching positive effects on the park's ecosystem. This case study demonstrates how the return of a single species can trigger a cascade of changes that enhance biodiversity and ecosystem function.
Monbiot also touches on rewilding efforts in other parts of Europe, such as the creation of wildlife corridors to allow animals to move freely across national borders. These initiatives show how rewilding can transcend political boundaries and contribute to international conservation efforts.
At the same time, the author acknowledges that the specific approach to rewilding will need to vary depending on local conditions and cultural contexts. What works in sparsely populated areas of Scotland might not be appropriate for more densely populated regions of Southeast Asia, for example.
The Future of Rewilding
As "Feral" draws to a close, Monbiot offers his vision for the future of rewilding. He imagines a world where large tracts of land and sea have been allowed to return to a wild state, creating a network of wilderness areas that support thriving ecosystems and offer people opportunities for transformative encounters with nature.
In this vision, forests have reclaimed much of the land currently devoted to marginal agriculture. Large herbivores like elk and wild cattle roam freely, their populations kept in check by reintroduced predators such as wolves and lynx. Rivers flow unimpeded by dams, allowing fish populations to recover and riparian ecosystems to flourish.
Monbiot doesn't see this wild future as separate from human society, but rather as integrated with it. He envisions people living alongside these wilder landscapes, benefiting from the ecosystem services they provide and finding new ways to coexist with wild nature.
This future also includes a reimagining of our relationship with the sea. Monbiot hopes for vast marine protected areas where fish stocks can recover and marine ecosystems can regain their former diversity and abundance.
While acknowledging that this vision faces many obstacles, Monbiot remains hopeful. He points to growing public interest in environmental issues and increasing recognition of the need for more radical approaches to conservation as signs that rewilding could gain traction in the coming years.
Conclusion
"Feral" is both a critique of our current relationship with nature and a hopeful vision for a wilder future. Through his vivid descriptions of personal experiences and careful analysis of scientific evidence, George Monbiot makes a compelling case for rewilding as a way to address environmental challenges and enrich our lives.
The book challenges us to rethink our role in nature, moving away from the idea that we must control and manage every aspect of the environment. Instead, Monbiot argues for a more humble approach, one that recognizes the complexity of natural systems and allows them to function with minimal human interference.
At the same time, "Feral" is not a call for humans to remove themselves entirely from nature. On the contrary, Monbiot sees rewilding as a way for people to reconnect with the natural world, experiencing the kind of wild encounters that have become increasingly rare in our managed landscapes.
The author's vision of rewilding goes beyond ecological restoration. It's also about rewilding our own lives, breaking free from the constraints of modern society and rediscovering a sense of adventure and connection to the natural world.
While the path to this wilder future is not without obstacles, Monbiot's passion and optimism shine through. He presents rewilding not as a burden or sacrifice, but as an exciting opportunity to create a richer, more diverse, and ultimately more fulfilling world.
"Feral" challenges readers to see the world differently, to imagine what our landscapes could look like if we loosened our control and allowed nature to reassert itself. It's a provocative and inspiring work that has the potential to change how we think about conservation, wilderness, and our place in the natural world.