Rewilders

High School

Those who plan to work as scientists and conservationists should take environmental science, biology, chemistry, earth science, agriculture, and mathematics courses. An aspiring rewilding professional who wants to focus on legal or business issues should take science courses, but also classes in mathematics, business, psychology, and philosophy. Communication and computer skills are important for all types of rewilders, so English, speech, writing, and computer science classes are highly recommended.

Postsecondary Education

Degree requirements and one’s academic focus varies based on their rewilding target. For example, scientists, conservationists, and site managers need a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, but preferably a master’s degree, in biology, environmental conservation, environmental engineering, environmental planning, fisheries and aquatic sciences, land reclamation and restoration, natural resources management, restoration ecology, wildlife biology, or a related field. The Society for Ecological Restoration offers a list of academic institutions with degree programs or certificates related to restoration ecology at https://www.ser-rrc.org/directory/academic. An environmental technician will need at least an associate’s degree in one of the aforementioned fields. A business manager must have at least a bachelor’s degree in business management or a related field, while a lawyer will need a law degree and specialized environmental legal education. This is just a sampling of the many rewilding career paths and their educational requirements. Talk with your school counselor or a rewilder to learn about other occupational paths.    

Certification

Certificates are educational awards for those who complete coursework that typically lasts six months to a year. They are an excellent way to explore a field without having to make the financial and time commitment that is required to earn a bachelor’s degree. Certificates are available in biology, business management, environmental conservation, environmental engineering, environmental law, environmental planning, environmental policy, environmental technology, fisheries and aquatic sciences, land reclamation and restoration, marketing, natural resources management, restoration ecology, wildlife biology, and many other areas that will be helpful for aspiring and current rewilders.  

Other Education or Training

Colleges and universities, professional associations, environmental organizations, and for-profit, online learning platforms offer a wealth of in-person classes and webinars that will help rewilders build their knowledge, learn about emerging practices in the field, and qualify for re-certification. For example, the Rewilding Academy offers courses such as Ecosystem Restoration; Landscape Governance: Collaborating Across Sectors and Scales; Urban Rewilding: Restore Your Local Ecosystem; and Monitoring Forest and Landscape Restoration.