Conservationist Isabella Tree on the power of inviting nature back into your world as shown in the documentary Wilding

The Curb

Isabella Tree is a noted conservationist and the author of the acclaimed book Wilding, which tells the story of Isabella and her husband as they undertook the immense and impressive journey to rewild their failing four-hundred-year-old estate in England, bringing beavers and cranes back to the country for the first time in years.

Wilding, alongside the work of fellow conservationist Derek Gow, author of such books as Birds, Beasts, and Bedlam and Bringing Back the Beaver, have become foundational texts for me, having guided my perspective as a wannabe conservationist, albeit with a minimalist perspective as someone trapped in the midst of suburbia and rental life.

Wilding is a lovely film, green and grand with its ideas and vision. I was lucky to be able to speak with Isabella ahead of the films run in Australian cinemas from 22 May. The following interview kicks off with a nod to our respective stacked bookshelves which stood behind us in our Zoom windows to our lives and the importance of not just rewilding our environment, but also rewilding our minds too. Isabella then talks about reflecting on the years since her rewilding project kicked off, and how she has engaged with global rewilding, including nods to local conservationists and ecologists.

Wilding is out in Australian cinemas for a limited run from 22 May 2025. Check your local cinema for screening details. To find out more about Isabella's work, visit IsabellaTree.com.

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