Rewinding Lerryn? February's WI Speaker - Everyone Welcome

Wednesday 5th February 2025

Rewilding Lerryn? The science and practice of nature restoration in Cornwall 

Nature is in freefall and the UK now ranks in the bottom 10% of world nations globally for its biodiversity. The tragic decline of nature now threatens our national prosperity, our food security and our health. But it doesn't have to be this way. In this engaging and thought-provoking talk, Lerryn-raised environmental campaigner Joel Scott-Halkes will introduce and explore the incredible new science and practice of rewilding. The talk will dive into the devastating collapse of nature in Britain and the practical and pragmatic ways we can bring it back. From farmer-led reintroductions of beavers and bison, to "rewiggling" rivers, to fostering the natural regeneration of our Atlantic rainforests, Joel will paint a optimistic and uplifting picture of what rewilding could look like in the landscapes around our beloved Lerryn. 

Joel Scott-Halkes was raised in Lerryn before studying at Oxford University. He is the co-founder of the rewilding campaign group Wild Card (www.wildcard.land) which campaigns for the UK's biggest landholders to rewild their lands in response to the climate emergency. As a policy expert and consultant he has advised governments from the UK to the Maldives and worked with a wide range of international charities and broadcasters.