The European Rewilding Network of Rewilding Europe unites a growing number of initiatives that share a vision for a wild continent. With two new members from Turkey and Greece joining the community, the network continues to expand, strengthening collaboration and amplifying the positive impact on nature and people.
Mediterranean Conservation Society
An increasingly active community
The European Rewilding Network of Rewilding Europe continues to grow into a vibrant community of initiatives working to restore nature. The addition of two new members, CALLISTO from Greece and Marine Rewilding Türkiye from Turkey, expands the network to two new countries and strengthens collaboration and expertise across terrestrial and marine environments. Ocean Regeneration Türkiye is led by the Mediterranean Conservation Foundation, a Turkish NGO.
The European Rewilding Network brings together practitioners from a wide range of rewilding initiatives, connecting efforts to revitalize ecosystems, help wildlife return, and explore ways for nature and people to thrive together. By sharing knowledge, experience and inspiration, they support each other and help scale up rewilding across Europe.
Network members, now numbering well over 100 in total, work on a wide variety of species and habitats, from mountain landscapes and river systems to coastal and marine ecosystems. The addition of CALLISTO and Marine Rewilding Türkiye highlights this diversity, demonstrating how rewilding can take many forms while contributing to a common vision of a wilder Europe where both people and nature thrive.
Callisto
Sharing space with large carnivores in Greece
Founded in 2004, CALLISTO – Wildlife and Nature Conservation Association works across the mountains and forests of Greece, focusing on improving coexistence between people and large carnivores such as brown bears and gray wolves.
CALLISTO’s long-term vision is to protect biodiversity and strengthen natural health, connectivity and resilience across Greece and the wider region. By supporting protected areas and working with partners at national and international levels, the organization aims to create an environment where wildlife and people can thrive together. Its activities include research and monitoring, community engagement, education, and developing practical solutions to help people and wildlife share space. This includes preventive measures such as electric fencing and improved waste management.
Armin Rigler
Strengthen collaboration
Over the next 10 years, the CALLISTO team hopes to see brown bear and gray wolf populations become healthier in Greece and southern Europe. Helping communities and large carnivores to thrive together will play a key role in achieving this. By joining the European Rewilding Network, they aim to link their work with initiatives with a similar focus.
“Through our collaboration with the Rewilding Apennines team on the LIFE Bear Smart Corridors initiative, we have seen first-hand the value of working with organizations that share a strong commitment to the coexistence of people and wildlife,” says Spyridon Psaroudas, Executive Coordinator at CALLISTO. “Through the network, we hope to exchange knowledge and experience with other initiatives and strengthen our joint efforts to restore nature and support wildlife recovery across Europe.”
james shooter
Revitalizing marine ecosystems along the Turkish coast
Marine Rewilding Türkiye focuses on restoring Europe’s seascapes. The initiative strives to breathe new life into marine ecosystems along the Turkish coast through science-based conservation and close collaboration with coastal communities, especially small-scale fishermen.
Through marine protection, restoration and long-term monitoring, the plan aims to help marine life recover while supporting sustainable livelihoods. Community-based governance, where local fishermen and cooperatives actively participate in protecting and managing marine resources, is central to this approach.
Zafer Kizilkaya
Building partnerships for rougher seas
The initiative has developed practical tools to support ocean recovery, including locally rooted enforcement, through marine stewardship programs and partnerships with scientists, public authorities and international organizations. These efforts help strengthen marine protected areas and restore the health of the Mediterranean ecosystem.
By joining the European Rewilding Network, Marine Rewilding Türkiye hopes to strengthen cooperation with other rewilding practitioners across Europe and share lessons learned from seascape restoration work.
“This is a great opportunity to connect with organizations working to restore nature across the continent,” says Gizem Akdoğan, Secretary General of the Mediterranean Conservation Foundation. “We are looking forward to exchanging knowledge on how to scale up ecosystem restoration and develop nature-based economies, while also sharing our experience working with coastal communities and artisanal fishers to help marine life recover.”
Mediterranean Conservation Society
Strengthening a growing, revived community
The addition of CALLISTO and Marine Rewilding Türkiye marks an exciting milestone for the European Rewilding Network. With Greece and Turkiye now represented, the network continues to expand geographically, embracing a much broader range of rewilding approaches, from coexistence with large carnivores in forested environments to restoring ecosystems in coastal oceans.
By connecting initiatives across borders and ecosystems, the network is helping to accelerate learning, foster collaboration and encourage practical action to restore nature. As communities grow, so do the opportunities to expand the scale of rewilding that brings benefits to wildlife, landscapes, and communities.
james shooter
Let’s reenact together
Rewilding Europe warmly welcomes all European rewilding initiatives focused on practical, result-oriented rewilding initiatives and encourages them to apply for membership in the European Rewilding Network.
