GELIFES Seminars - Liesbeth Bakker

Liesbeth Bakker (NIOO-KNAW/WUR)

Rewilding human-dominated landscapes

Rewilding is an ecosystem restoration approach that is increasingly applied in practice. Rewilding aims to give more room to natural processes. By letting nature take care of itself, biodiverse systems may arise. However, in human-dominated landscape this means not so much to return to pristine wilderness, as this is simply not possible. Instead, rewilding can be seen as a progressive activity, that tries to re-wild by making current landscapes wilder following a step-wise approach. This may involve reintroduction of missing large animals in the landscape or allowing more room for natural water level dynamic, which can involve engineering before nature takes over. Since return to pristine conditions is not possible, rewilding rather results in novel ecosystems. What is the outcome of such rewilding projects? Does it benefit biodiversity? Where can we rewild in the future?

Biosketch
Liesbeth Bakker is a professor in the Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group at Wageningen University and senior researcher in the Department of Aquatic Ecology at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), both in Wageningen. She received a MSc degree in Biology/Ecology from the University of Groningen and a Ph.D. on the role of large and small herbivores as ecosystem engineers at Wageningen University. She completed post-docs at the University of Nebraska (USA) and University of Alberta (Canada) before joining the Netherlands Institute of Ecology in 2005.

Prof. Bakker studies the role of plant-animal interactions in the functioning of ecosystems and ecosystem restoration across a broad array of systems, including grasslands, wetlands, shallow lakes, seagrass beds and forests. Her work includes impacts on biodiversity, nutrient cycling and landscape formation. She was appointed as a special professor in Rewilding Ecology in 2020, a chair initiated and supported by Rewilding Europe. She develops ways to support rewilding practice with science. Furthermore, she performs outreach by means of talks, interviews and media activities to inform the public about the importance of nature conservation and restoration. She serves in expert panels and committees to advise policy on nature restoration. She edited the book Rewilding in Nederland that appeared in March this year.

Link to seminar