ARK Nature is a non-governmental organization that has pioneered rewilding since its founding in 1989. Our main focus is rewilding via a bottom-up approach, based on natural processes and linked to regional economic and social development. ARK Nature is one of the founding partners of Rewilding Europe.
What is rewilding?
Rewilding is a progressive approach to ecological restoration. It’s about allowing the natural world to heal itself, enabling natural processes to shape landscapes. Rewilding re-connects fragmented areas to repair damaged ecosystems and restore degraded landscapes. Through rewilding, wildlife’s natural rhythms create wilder, more biodiverse habitats. For all wild life and us to have a brighter future.
Rewilding is a successful approach that has brought spectacular nature comebacks. ARK Rewilding Netherlands have been a leader and innovator in this now global movement for over 35 years.
ARK Rewilding Netherlands
We mainly work in the Netherlands, but also have a range of ongoing and completed projects in other European countries. These projects are highlighted here. Please visit our Dutch website for projects within the Netherlands.
Our expertise
ARK is a pioneering organisation that looks across borders, whether natural, geographical, organizational or cultural. We restore natural processes in the Netherlands and other European countries, where we share our vast experience and innovative ideas on rewilding and ecological restoration. We have specific expertise in the following fields:
- Re-meandering of rivers and brooks
- Reintroduction of migratory fish in riverine systems
- Reintroduction of large herbivores (horses, bovines, bison, deer) for natural grazing
- Restoring the circle of life (role of scavengers)
- Connecting nature areas (ecological corridors)
- Nature education and communication, including artist impressions of nature development
- Organizing training workshops on the abovementioned themes
- Writing successful project proposals for funding programs such as LIFE+ and Interreg.
We have extensive experience in working together with NGOs and governmental institutions in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Croatia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Latvia, Romania, England and France. Feel free to contact us if you are interested in collaborating with ARK or need advice on ecological restoration. For free brochures and PDF downloads of artist impressions by nature illustrator Jeroen Helmer, please visit our web shop.