Citizen Zoo announces speakers for 2025 Rewilding Conference in Cambridge
More than 60 speakers have been announced for the 2025 Rewilding Conference, taking place in Cambridge from 17-18 January.
The conference will bring together leading voices in rewilding to tackle key issues in the field, with presentations, expert panels, audience Q&As, networking opportunities and more, all taking place at the University of Cambridge’s David Attenborough Building.
It follows the 2019 Rewilding Symposium, since when the sector has expanded and transformed dramatically, with rewilding more widely recognised and gaining traction across the planet. With nature recovery entering a new era, the 2025 Rewilding Conference will look at what the future holds for rewilding in the coming decades.
Tickets are on sale now, with Rewilding Britain and Consano Earth sponsoring concession tickets for students, low income and unemployed individuals and disabled people.
The speakers - listed in full below - include the likes of Charles Clover, author co-founder of Blue Marine Foundation, Carolina Morgado, CEO of Rewilding Chile, Aurora Malene, president of Gorongosa Restoration Project, Craig Bennett, CEO of The Wildlife Trusts, Matt James, executive director of Colossol Foundation, Luigi Boitani, professor emeritus of zoology at University of Rome Sapienza, and Peter Cairns, executive director of SCOTLAND: The Big Picture.
More than 450 participants from around the globe are due to be involved, including industry professionals, academics, landowners, NGOs, government bodies, and the private sector, united by a passion for ecological restoration and conservation.
In addition to presentations, there will be opportunities to participate in networking events, workshops, panel discussions and more.
Citizen Zoo co-founder and CEO Lucas A Ruzo says: “This January, Citizen Zoo is proud to host a conference dedicated to advancing the rewilding movement. With global leaders in rewilding, science, and community action joining us, we will explore innovative ways to recover nature by restoring ecosystems, reintroducing species, and reconnecting people with nature. Rewilding represents hope for the future of our planet, and this event is a vital step in uniting efforts to create a wilder, more resilient world.”
The venue
The conference will be held at the David Attenborough Building (DAB) off Pembroke Street in Cambridge (CB2 3QZ), a world renowned hub for leading organisations of conservation practice and science. Day 1 of the conference will be held in the Babbage Lecture Theatre at the University of Cambridge, which sits adjacent to the DAB. Day two will be held in both the DAB and Babbage Lecture Theatre.
Tickets and sponsors
Rewilding Britain and the Consano Earth Fund are sponsors of the Rewilding Conference. Their support promotes wider inclusivity, allowing students, young people, people with disabilities and people on a low income to attend with discounted tickets.
Full price and concession tickets are on sale now.
Attendees are able to self-declare their eligibility for concession tickets and will not require proof of status.
Citizen Zoo relies on the integrity of participants to ensure that those who need these concessions can benefit from them. The aim of the concession tickets is to maintain a diverse and inclusive environment where all voices can be heard.
Citizen Zoo
Citizen Zoo is working to create a world filled with wildlife and realises this mission by restoring habitats back to their functional states, reintroducing species to their former ranges, and empowering people and communities to take action in protecting their local nature.
Dedicated to rewilding, it is made up of a passionate team and volunteers around the country working to restore nature and help species and habitats thrive.
Citizen Zoo are members of the Cambridge Conservation Forum, a network of nature conservation organisations that collectively form the Cambridge Conservation Initiative, which supports the conference.
Speakers at the 2025 Rewilding Conference
Carolina Morgado - CEO of Rewilding Chile
Charles Clover - Co-founder of Blue Marine Foundation
Aurora Malene - President of Gorongosa Restoration Project
Frans Schepers - CEO of Rewilding Europe
Roisin Palmer - Head of Restoration at Beaver Trust
Craig Bennett - CEO of The Wildlife Trusts
Sara King - Rewilding Manager at Rewilding Britain
Tony Juniper - Chair at Natural England
Catarina Prata - Rewilding Lawyer at The Lifescape Project
Charlie Burrell - Co-Owner of Knepp Wildland
Elena Pearce - Postdoctoral Researcher at Aarhus University
Luigi Boitani - Professor Emeritus of Zoology at University of Rome Sapienza
Gemma Harding - Senior Officer Species Recovery & Reintroduction at Natural England
Harvey Tweats - Director of Celtic Rewilding
Stefan Zeeman - Co-Founder and Director of Carbon Rewild
Chantal Lyons - Author at Mindfully Wired
Richard Howard - Co-Founder and Director of Carbon Rewild
Catherine Barlow - CEO of Restoring Upland Nature
Ted Theisinger - Recent Graduate from the University of St. Andrews
Anna Gilchrist - Senior Lecturer in Ecology and Environmental Management at University of Manchester
Dylan Walker - Director of Wilderlife
Carolina Soto-Navarro - Head of Wilder Nature at Rewilding Europe
Benedict Macdonald - Author and CEO of Restore
Brenda Zoderer - Researcher & Lecturer and BOKU University
David Brown - Land & Nature Programme Manager at National Trust
Manda Kalimian - Founder and President of Rewilding American Now
Gareth Browning - Area Forrester at Forestry England
Katherine Blatchford - Rewilding Lawyer at The Lifescape Project
Matt James - Executive Director at Colossol Foundation
Sophy Jones - Nature Fintech Developer at CreditNature
Peter Cooper - Species Restoration Ecologist at Restore
Jessica Fallon - Core Member at IUCN CEM Rewilding Thematic Group
Richard Scott - Director at Eden Project National Wildflower Centre
Ella Milne - Ecosystem Analyst at Ecosulis
Dan Bass - Rewilding Services Lead at CreditNature
Giulia Testa - Upscaling Manager at Rewilding Europe
Peter Cairns - Executive Director at SCOTLAND: The Big Picture
Amy Duthie - Head of Upscaling at Rewilding Europe
Stephen Carver - Professor of Rewilding and Science at University of Leeds
Karen Blackport - CEO at Bright Green Nature
Alister Scott - Director of Communications & Outreach at Global Rewilding Alliance
Andy Clements - Chair at England Species Reintroduction Taskforce
Rachel Gardner - Species Recovery Manager at Forestry England
Michael Nathanson - CEO Managing Director at Rewilding America Now
Lorienne Whittle - Boothby Wildland Site Manager at Natergal
Wouter Helmer - Science Director at Rewilding America Now
Sophie Monsarrat - Rewilding Landscapes Manager at Rewilding Europe
Dave Stricklan - Managing Director Birch Creek Valley Project
Amelia Holmes - Rewilding Economist at The Lifescape Project
Fergus Garret - Head Gardener and CEO at Greater Dixter
Sas Kraftowitz - Performance Artist, Creative producer and Facilitator
Andrew Osborne - PhD Student at Manchester Metropolitan University
Lizzy Crotty - Head of Development EMEA at Australian Wildlife Conservancy
Joe Glentworth - Lecturer in Environmental Management at Sheffield Hallam University
Ben Hart - Head of Operations at Nattergal
Jacinto Mathe - PhD Student with Gorongosa National Park
Paul Whitfield - Director General at Wildwood Trust
Bev Nichols - Forest Wilding Programme Manager at Forestry England
David Noble - Principal Ecologist at British Trust for Ornithology
Cain Scrimgeour - Co-Director at Wild Intrigue
Paul Silbernagel - Founder PS Ranch at Rewilding America Now
David Thomas - Director of Landscapes at Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Program
Martin Varley - Programme Manager at Cumbria Connect
John Little - Director at Grass Roof Company
Find out more and book your tickets now.
