Acclaimed Scottish actor Brian Cox CBE has joined the call for Scotland to become the first ‘Rewilding Nation’ in the world. With nature currently restored across only 4% of its land and seas, the Scottish Rewilding Alliance is urging the Scottish Government to commit to urgent action and support their Rewilding Nation Charter.
The Alliance, a coalition of over 20 organizations, will be presenting their vision for a Rewilding Nation to the Government at a reception in Edinburgh on Tuesday, December 3rd. The call for action comes just days before the event, with Cox adding his voice to the cause in a letter published in The Guardian on November 25th.
The Dundee-born actor, known for his roles in Succession and Shetland, expressed his concern about Scotland’s current state of nature loss. He stated, “Scotland is a beautiful country – but all is not what it seems. Scotland is one of the planet’s most nature-depleted countries. Centuries of over-exploiting the country’s natural resources have left us with somewhere that looks beautiful but is dwindling day-by-day.”
Cox, considered one of the world’s finest stage actors, also highlighted the growing movement for nature recovery in Scotland, stating, “Scots are modest, so shouting about our achievements doesn’t come naturally. But we should be proud of our rewilding progress. We now have more than 150 rewilding projects across the country. Hundreds of people working to put things right again. Thousands more who know that rewilding can transform Scotland’s future for the better.”
Encouraging readers to support the Rewilding Nation Charter, Cox stated, “My appeal to readers is to stand with your fellow Scots and support the Rewilding Nation Charter – urging the Scottish Government to declare Scotland the world’s first Rewilding Nation, together with urgent action to make it so.”
Steve Micklewight, Co-Convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance and Chief Executive of Trees for Life, expressed his gratitude for Cox’s support, saying, “We are hugely grateful to Brian Cox for adding his voice to this vision of hope. Rewilding 30% of Scotland can be achieved by restoring habitats including peatlands, native woodlands, wetlands, rivers, and seas, while maintaining and benefitting productive farmland. This would help tackle the nature and climate emergencies, while creating a wealth of benefits for people including jobs, health, sustainable food, clean air and water, re-peopling, and thriving communities.”
The Rewilding Nation campaign has received widespread support from people and organizations across Scotland, including Hollywood A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio, who publicly backed the cause in April of this year. The Scottish Rewilding Alliance is now calling on people from all walks of life to sign the Rewilding Nation Charter at rewild.scot/charter.
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