What is Rewilding?

Rewilding is an innovative approach to nature conservation that focuses on restoring ecological processes and reducing human influence to allow nature to take care of itself. This includes, for example, restoring natural river flows, reintroducing native species, and revitalising natural habitats. By enabling natural processes to reshape ecosystems on land and at sea, we encourage the recovery of degraded areas. These processes create more diverse and wilder habitats and contribute to increased biodiversity.

Why is Rewilding Important in Europe?

Rewilding is vital because it contributes to the restoration of nature that has been heavily impacted by human activity for centuries. This approach enables the recovery of endangered and degraded ecosystems, increases biodiversity, and re-establishes the natural processes that maintain ecological balance. By reintroducing keystone species, we strengthen ecosystem stability and their ability to provide essential services, such as water and air purification, carbon storage, and climate change resilience. Beyond ecological benefits, rewilding can stimulate local economic development, particularly through sustainable tourism and job creation. It also fosters a deeper connection between people and nature and develops long-term sustainable landscapes that benefit both nature and the community.

How Does Rewilding Differ from Traditional Conservation?

Rewilding and traditional conservation differ primarily in their approach to ecosystem management. Both play important roles and often complement each other, depending on management goals and specific regional characteristics. Traditional conservation often focuses on preserving the current state through active management, especially in areas of high natural or cultural value. Rewilding, meanwhile, emphasizes the restoration of natural processes and greater ecosystem autonomy with a reduced level of human intervention. In rewilding, the goal is not to maintain a fixed state but to allow nature to evolve dynamically and adapt to changes.

Who Are We and What is Our Mission?

The Rewilding Velebit Foundation is a non-profit organization and a partner of Rewilding Europe in Croatia. It was established to promote the return of sustainable wilderness and to raise awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation on Velebit and throughout Croatia. Our mission is to contribute to the restoration of natural processes in Europe and to increase the space for wild nature and biodiversity. Through the Foundation, a multidisciplinary team of experts is involved in the rewilding initiative, including biologists, ecologists, conservationists, forestry and veterinary experts, wildlife management and monitoring specialists, rangers, and experts in sustainable tourism and local economic development. In addition to our own team, Rewilding Velebit collaborates with the academic community, state institutions, nature parks, national parks, and local stakeholders to ensure rewilding is implemented professionally, in line with conservation goals and the interests of local communities.

What Do We Do?

Rewilding Velebit is already working on restoring natural processes and biodiversity in the Velebit area through a series of activities that contribute to natural landscape regeneration and local community prosperity.

Main activities include:

• Establishing Wildlife Corridor: We are creating a “green belt” between protected areas on Velebit (including national parks and reserves) so wildlife can migrate freely and restore their populations.
• Wildlife Management: In collaboration with local partners, we are developing wildlife management approaches that emphasize ecological processes and reduce intensive management, while gradually strengthening nature-based tourism.
• Promoting Natural Grazing: Through free-roaming grazing dynamics, we improve habitat structure, food web relationships, and species diversity. For this reason, we implement year-round natural grazing with semi-wild horses and Taurus bovines on Lika Plains in cooperation with local partners.
• Forest Protection and Affirmation: We advocate for the systematic conservation of biologically and ecologically valuable forest areas, as well as untouched and pristine forest ecosystems. We support designating high-value sites as special-purpose forests and reserves. These forests serve to protect water and soil, preserve biodiversity, protect the landscape, and offer space for recreation, health, scientific research, and education. We view forests as a shared natural wealth that must be managed responsibly and sustainably.
• Support for Nature-Based Management and Entrepreneurship: Through the Rewilding Velebit network, we encourage local producers and service providers to develop sustainable nature-related businesses to boost the rural economy. This opens new income opportunities for local entrepreneurs through sustainable practices and gives residents a chance to be part of a valuable, unique story.
• Developing Sustainable Nature-Based Tourism: We are building wildlife observation infrastructure and supporting unique experiences like photo safaris and educational hiking tours. This generates income while preserving nature, incentivizing local entrepreneurs to engage in similar activities. Wilderness processes increase the quality of natural resources, which are significant for rural economies.
• Cooperation with Local Communities and Partners: We actively involve hunters, scientific institutions, and public authorities managing protected areas to work together on preserving natural values and developing rewilding solutions with a long-term impact.

How Do We Fund Our Activities?

All our activities—restoration, protection, monitoring, and wildlife repopulation—are funded through income from nature tourism, regulated hunting, and donations from supporters of the initiative.

Why is the Velebit Area Particularly Significant for Rewilding?

The Velebit area is one of the most naturally valuable regions in Europe due to its size, preservation, and exceptional habitat diversity. Stretching 145 kilometers, this massif is home to two national parks, a biosphere reserve, several precious old-growth forests, and all three of Europe’s large carnivores: the grey wolf, brown bear, and Eurasian lynx. In 1978, it was included in UNESCO’s network of international biosphere reserves and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Velebit represents a unique opportunity to restore natural processes and establish large, connected spaces where nature can act freely without intensive human control.

In Which Areas of Velebit Do We Implement Rewilding?

Most activities are carried out across five rewilding areas covering nearly 30,000 hectares on Velebit and four islands in the Adriatic Sea. Through agreements with managers of neighboring areas, our impact extends to an additional 170,000 hectares across Velebit and Lika.

Why Does the Rewilding Velebit Foundation Manage Hunting Grounds?

In Croatia, according to the Law on Hunting, hunting grounds are managed through a system of leasing hunting rights. To fulfil its goals, the Foundation has engaged with companies holding hunting rights to contribute—within legal frameworks—to biodiversity conservation, the restoration of ecological balance, and the protection of habitats and wildlife. This allows the Foundation to strengthen wildlife populations and improve habitat conditions in accordance with rewilding goals.

Does the Foundation Conduct Hunting?

Companies managing hunting grounds associated with the Foundation conduct commercial hunting in accordance with legal regulations. All income from this activity is fully reinvested into the protection and restoration of species and habitats, population monitoring, anti-poaching measures, human-wildlife coexistence initiatives, nature-based tourism development, and local community engagement. Hunting is conducted strictly as a legally regulated management measure based on professional monitoring. Hunting quotas are defined by habitat capacity and sustainable management goals, approved by the relevant authorities. Furthermore, we educate hunters on the risks of lead ammunition and organize workshops for testing lead-free alternatives to encourage a transition to safer alternatives for the environment and health.

Which Animal Species Are We Helping to Return and Strengthen?

We promote the return and population growth of keystone species native to the Velebit landscape. This includes deer, roe deer, and chamois through habitat protection, repopulation, hunting moratoria, and natural grazing. We also support the return of predators like the wolf and lynx and maintain a stable brown bear population.

What Are Our Main Achievements?

Across an area of 30,000 hectares, we are creating the foundations for a network of key natural areas within a natural corridor for wildlife, and a gradual transition from traditional hunting toward a balanced model that also includes wildlife watching. To this end, 100 red deer have been released on Velebit so far to strengthen the population of this species, and approximately 200 large herbivores—semi-wild Taurus bovines and semi-wild horses—have been included in the natural grazing program. We assisted in the release and monitoring of five lynxes on Velebit as part of the LIFE Lynx project.

On 20 kilometers of roads on Velebit, we have installed road prisms to prevent traffic accidents involving wildlife and to mitigate habitat fragmentation. We have installed camera traps in rewilding areas to monitor the presence and behavior of wildlife. Additionally, 30 ponds, wells, and springs have been restored or newly installed to provide wildlife with access to drinking water during dry periods. A feeding center for griffon vultures has been built. The first phase of mapping old-growth forests has been completed, a project for the protection of bear dens has been implemented, and a project was carried out in cooperation with the Faculty of Forestry for the purpose of declaring the Ramino Korito old-growth forest a special forest reserve.

We have built six wildlife watching hides for unique experiences of observing the diversity of the Velebit landscape, while on Lika Plains, in cooperation with partners, a photo safari with semi-wild bovines and semi-wild horses has been launched, allowing visitors to observe these animals in their natural habitat.

We regularly conduct workshops, seminars and lectures for adults, students, and children about Velebit and rewilding, as well as volunteer garbage clean-up activities, and educational hiking tours with mountain guides. We have launched the Lika Bag platform for the promotion of local, sustainable products and support for small producers.

The Foundation has signed Memorandums of Understanding with 15 managers of neighboring hunting grounds, thereby extending the impact of rewilding to an additional 170,000 hectares in the areas of Velebit and Lika.

All these initiatives together contribute to the sustainable development of the region, promoting wildlife-based tourism and the conservation of biodiversity.

What experiences do we offer?

Rewilding Velebit offers nature-based experiences that allow visitors to truly encounter the wilderness of Velebit. These activities include stays in one our wildlife watching hides, photo safaris, guided educational hiking tours. The rewilding model opens numerous opportunities for the development of a nature-based economy, which benefits the entire community.

Is it safe to stay in the rewilding area and how should one behave in nature?

Staying in the rewilding area is safe, provided that basic rules of conduct in nature are respected. All organized activities are conducted with experienced guides who familiarize visitors with the rules of trekking, safety, and coexistence with wildlife. Special emphasis is placed on responsible behavior, respecting natural processes, and avoiding the disturbance of wild species.

What is the Rewilding Velebit Network?

It is a network that brings together local producers and service providers operating in the Velebit area, Lika-Senj County, and beyond. Its goal is to support small entrepreneurs who share a love for nature and biodiversity, developing sustainable businesses through mutual cooperation and promotion.

What are the benefits of rewilding for future generations?

Rewilding ensures the preservation of biodiversity, healthier and more resilient ecosystems, and the protection of natural resources such as water, soil, and air. It leaves a valuable natural heritage for future generations, providing opportunities for education and research, as well as sustainable economic opportunities through nature-based tourism, with a positive impact on quality of life and human health.

How Can I Get Involved?

You can get involved by following and sharing information about the initiative, providing financial support or donations, volunteering in field activities, or participating in our guided tours and wildlife watching on Velebit.

Booking and Contact

Experiences such as wildlife watching, photo safaris, and guided tours can be booked via our official website or by contacting our team directly at info@rewilding-velebit.com.. All activities are conducted under professional guidance to ensure minimal impact on wildlife.