Join us in our journey to uncover what it means to ‘rewild’ from the perspective of a placemaker.

For a while now, we’ve been hearing the term ‘rewilding’ being thrown about in conversation. A quick Google search defines rewilding as the process of restoring a land to its natural, uncultivated state but interestingly, we found that depending on the source, the term rewilding can take on vastly different forms and meanings.

That got us thinking — what exactly is rewilding? What does trophic cascade mean? More importantly, can we add “Urban Intervener” to our LinkedIn title if we place a couple of plants in the office?

You know, all the important questions.

But what does this have to do with placemakers?

For most part, rewilding initiatives fall under the purview of conservationists, biologists, and landscape architects. What does it have to do with us as placemakers? Well, we’re not entirely sure — yet. But what we are sure of is that just as everyone has a part to play in environmental conservation, everyone has a part to play in the process of rewilding as well.

Which is why we’re embarking on this exploration — to put ‘rewilding’ into context and turn this abstract term into something that we — people from all walks of life — can take action on.

For now, here’s what we’re thinking — while bringing the wilderness back into the urban fabric is all good and fulfilling, doing so without considering how we can enable humans to coexist alongside nature within these ‘rewilded’ spaces will only lead to these spaces eventually being reclaimed for human use in the long run.

Approaching rewilding from a placemakers’ perspective could potentially help add to the longevity and sustainability of rewilding projects conducted within the urban environment.

Well, you don’t have to take our word for it yet — after all, we are still only just beginning to delve into the topic. But stick with us as we deepen our understanding on rewilding.

Over the next 6 months, we’ll duly note down our thoughts and discoveries on Figma. In this process, we’ll approach the topic from a myriad of different perspectives to better understand:

1. The different modes of rewilding
2. How we can contribute at different levels — as individuals, organizations, placemakers, and beyond
3. How can rewilding be applied to placemaking projects?
4. How can one rewild the mind?
5. How can we align commercial interests with environmental interests?

If you’d like to head down this rabbit hole with us, check out our board here: https://www.figma.com/file/0O8m8pZ6gPxcakYpt2fonM/Explorations-in-Urban-Re-Wilding?type=whiteboard&node-id=0%3A1&t=XOhSdjunrWHKmFNh-1

If you have any thoughts or inputs, we’d love to hear from you! In this process, any guidance or advice from experts are most welcome (and needed!). Feel free to leave us a comment on our socials, or drop us an email at hello@theafternaut.com.

Hampstead Wetlands Park, Singapore