Rewilding
Rewilding is the process of allowing ecosystems to return to a more natural state specifically with their original native plants, animals, microorganisms etc.
Grasslands
Forests
Wolves and Beavers
Bison
Letting Bison return to the grasslands of the Great Plains has been shown to be a highly effective way to restore depleted and devastated lands. A nearly three decade study[1] was conducted at the ‘Konza Prairie Biological’ (KPBS) in Central Kansas comparing vegetation among sites with Bison, Cattle, and a control group with neither animals present. The results indicate a substantial 86% to 103% increase of native plants species richness and cattle had modest increases around 30% to 41% increase. Sites with Bison were also more resilient to extreme drought, increasing species richness post-drought whereas Cattle sites resulted in no net change at the end of the study.
Western Rewilding Network
"The Western Rewilding Network currently includes 92 threatened and endangered species across nine taxonomic groups: five amphibians, five birds, two crustaceans, 22 fishes, 39 flowering plants, five insects, 11 mammals, one reptile, and two snail species. The reserves with the greatest numbers of threatened and endangered species were the Mogollon Plateau and the Southern Rockies. Overall, livestock grazing poses by far the most common threat, followed by mining, logging and oil and gas drilling. In 7 of the 11 potential reserves, at least half of the listed species are threatened by livestock grazing. In all of the 11 potential reserves, average stream densities exceed 50 meters per km2, suggesting significant opportunities for high density beaver restoration."[2]