Can Rewilding Save the Planet? Wolves, Wildflowers & "Going Feral"?

Kia ora, I’m Brianne – and I’m the kind of irritating person who wants to talk about rewilding. Particularly wildflowers.

If you follow me on social media, you might be over this topic. And if you are… I’m sorry, but you’re probably in the wrong place today — because that’s exactly what this episode is about.

This one’s a little bit special. For one, Earth Day is basically right after this episode goes live, so it feels like a cosmic sign that we should talk about giving the planet some love.

But also, rewilding isn’t something I’ve just read about in glossy magazines. It’s something I’ve been doing — actively — for years. And I’m absolutely seeing the payoff in my own garden. It’s really quite remarkable how quickly the planet can regenerate if we just leave it alone… or better yet, give it a helping hand.

So I wanted to actually explain what rewilding is, how you can do it, and why it’s a bloody important thing to be doing.

Kia ora, kaitiaki, and welcome to Now That’s What I Call Green.
I’m your host, Brianne West—an environmentalist and entrepreneur trying to get you as excited about our planet as I am.

I’m all about taking a scientific approach to making the world better, without the judgement, and making it fun. And of course, we’ll be chatting about some of the most amazing creatures we share our planet with.

So if you’re looking to navigate through everything green—or not so green—you’ve come to the right place.

Transcript

Why Rewilding?

Kia ora, I’m Brianne, and I’m the kind of irritating person who wants to talk about rewilding—particularly wildflowers. If you follow me on social media, you’re probably over this topic. If you are... I’m sorry. You’re in the wrong place today, because that’s exactly what this episode is about.

This one’s a little special. For one, Earth Day is just after this goes live. So it feels like a cosmic sign to talk about giving the planet some love. But also, rewilding isn’t just something I’ve read about in glossy magazines. It’s something I’ve been doing for years. And I’m absolutely seeing the payoff in my own garden.

What Is Rewilding, Really?

Rewilding means bringing an ecosystem back to something closer to its original state—before we mowed everything into oblivion and planted pine trees all over the place.

It’s not just about “letting your garden go feral.” Someone said to me the other day, “It’s just an excuse not to mow your lawn.” Well—no. But also... if you don’t want to mow your lawn? Go for it. That’s better for the environment anyway.

Rewilding can be passive—letting nature do its thing—or active: removing weeds, planting natives, getting rid of invasive species and predators. The goal? A healthy, self-sustaining ecosystem. Like it used to be.

Real-World Rewilding Wins

Yellowstone National Park

This is probably the most famous example: Yellowstone’s wolves. After they were eradicated in the 1800s, elk populations exploded and decimated the landscape. In 1995, wolves were reintroduced. Elk behaviour changed. Vegetation rebounded. Beavers came back. Wetlands flourished. All from the return of one apex predator. Ecologists call it a trophic cascade—solve a big problem at the top, and lots of smaller problems fix themselves.

Scotland’s Beavers

Beavers, once extinct in Scotland, have been reintroduced—and they’re nature’s engineers. Slowing rivers, creating wetlands, supporting fish, birds, and invertebrates. There’s even a story of beavers saving Czech taxpayers $1.2 million by building a dam where a manmade one was planned.

They’re now considering bringing back lynx to manage deer populations. But understandably, farmers have concerns about “sheep-killing ninjas.”

Argentina’s Jaguars

In the Iberá wetlands, conservationists are reintroducing jaguars to control overabundant herbivores like peccaries and capybaras. It’s early days, and local ranchers are wary—but success depends on local buy-in. Always.

Back Home: Rewilding in Aotearoa

Zealandia (Wellington)

Zealandia is a fenced urban sanctuary restoring a valley to its pre-human state. And it’s working. Kākā are now being spotted around Wellington. This shows rewilding doesn’t need to be rural. City folk can—and should—get involved.

Tahi (Northland)

Tahi is a private rewilding reserve that started in the 1990s. It was pine and cattle country; now it’s rich in native birds, trees, wetlands, and lizards. Even better? It’s proof that private individuals can make a huge impact.

Fun fact: I visited Tahi while they were filming a David Attenborough documentary. No big deal. (Okay, very big deal.)

Why Apex Predators Matter

Wolves. Jaguars. Lynx. These charismatic megafauna have outsized influence on ecosystems. They manage herbivore populations, keep smaller predators in check, and ultimately affect everything down to the soil biome.

But not all solutions are toothy and clawed. Keystone species like beavers and bison also play critical roles. And yes, they’re easier to get public support for than, say, jaguars in your backyard.

The Debate: Leave It or Help It?

Whether to let nature fix itself or get involved depends on the damage. A slightly disturbed forest? Leave it. But chemically treated farmland with compacted, lifeless soil? Yeah, you’re going to have to dig in—literally.

I’ve tested both on my property. Where I’ve intervened, results have been much better. Active rewilding first—then stepping back—seems to be the sweet spot.

My Backyard Experiments

When I bought my lifestyle block, it was lawn. Acres and acres of dead, weed-matted lawn. So I created “insect islands” and “wildflower corridors,” added a beehive, planted natives, and even designed something called the Dino Dome—a lizard sanctuary made of rocks and rotten wood.

And yes, pest control is hard. I love hedgehogs and possums too. But here, they’re invasive and destructive. So I trap—humanely.

The transformation? Stunning. Birds, insects, lizards, rich soil... it’s loud, it’s messy, and it’s wonderful.

Do You Need a Lifestyle Block?

Absolutely not.

• Got a balcony? Plant herbs or flowers—skip the pesticides.
• Backyard? Mow less. Create wild patches.
• Keen? Start or join a community garden.
• No land? Volunteer at places like Zealandia or Ōrokonui.

Every bit counts, especially in urban biodiversity deserts.

Rewilding at Scale

Local councils can help too. In England, for example, councils let roadside verges grow wild. It’s beautiful, cost-effective, and a biodiversity haven.

Even the ocean’s getting involved—organisations like Coral Gardeners are replanting coral in Tahiti. But coral reefs... well, they’re in dire straits. If you’ve ever wanted to see one, get certified and go. Soon.

Final Thoughts (and Rants)

Earth Day is tomorrow. Don’t fall for the greenwashed nonsense from brands donating 15 cents with your tote bag purchase.

Rewilding is not the solution. But it’s a solution. A visible, tangible, hopeful, collective step forward.

Let’s stop debating and start doing. Whether you plant one wildflower or restore a whole valley—it matters.

Your Pep Talk

• Let a bit of your lawn grow.
• Put a bee-friendly water bowl on your balcony.
• Plant a native hedge.
• Volunteer locally.
• Talk about it. Climate solutions scale when we talk about them.

We live in an incredible place. Sometimes we just need reminding.

Mā te wā.
I hope you learned something, and remembered that being green isn’t about matching your pantry jars or living off-grid. It’s about using what you need—and making room for nature to thrive.

If you enjoyed this episode, please don’t keep it to yourself. Drop a rating, hit subscribe, and share it with someone who still mows their lawn every Sunday at 8am.

See you next week—when I’ll be talking nuclear power. (Spoiler: I love it. But probably not for the reason you think.)