Scottish Sea Shanty Singer Nathan Evans Backs Rewilding Nation Campaign
Monday 16 December, 2024- Scottish sea shanty singer Nathan Evans has thrown his support behind a campaign to declare Scotland as the world’s first rewilding nation. The 28-year-old singer, known for his viral sea shanty performances on social media, is urging his 2.2 million combined followers on Instagram and TikTok to sign the Scottish Rewilding Alliance’s Rewilding Nation Charter.
In his message to fans, Evans shared his love for Scotland and the influence it has on his music. “I love this place with all my heart and it will forever be home, and it influences so much of what I do,” he said.
The Scottish Rewilding Alliance, a coalition of over 20 organizations, presented their “vision of hope” to Scotland’s climate action minister Alasdair Allan at a reception in Edinburgh two weeks ago. The Alliance is calling on the Scottish government to commit to rewilding 30% of the country’s land and seas.
Steve Micklewright, co-convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance and CEO of Trees for Life, expressed gratitude for Evans’ support. “We are extremely grateful to Nathan for adding his name to the Scottish Rewilding Nation Charter. We hope this inspires thousands more people to join us in calling on the Scottish government to commit to restoring nature across 30% of our land and seas,” he said.
According to the Alliance, rewilding 30% of Scotland can be achieved by restoring habitats such as peatlands, native woodlands, wetlands, rivers, and seas, while still maintaining productive farmland. They believe that declaring Scotland a Rewilding Nation would lead to meaningful action, with ministers committing to restoring the natural environment through legislation and funding.
The Alliance’s Rewilding Nation pathway, presented to the government on 3 December, includes proposals for making nature recovery the primary purpose of protected landscapes and seascapes, establishing wild zones around rivers and coastlines, doubling native woodland cover, restoring peatlands, and restricting dredging and bottom trawling across Marine Protected Areas.
The campaign has received widespread support from individuals and organizations across Scotland, including Scottish actor Brian Cox and Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio. The Scottish Rewilding Alliance is now calling on people from all walks of life to add their name to the Rewilding Nation Charter on their website rewild.scot/charter.
The Rewilding Nation campaign aims to not only address the nature and climate emergencies but also bring benefits to the people of Scotland, including job opportunities, improved health, and clean air and water. As Evans and the Scottish Rewilding Alliance continue to raise awareness and gain support for their cause, it is hoped that Scotland will become the first country in the world to be declared a rewilding nation.
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