Bison benefits
The Role of European Bison (Bison bonasus) as an Ecosystem Engineer and Their Value in Nature Recovery
From ecosystem engineering and biodiversity to climate resilience, conservation genetics and the future of bison in UK landscapes, the full report brings together the evidence behind the return of this remarkable species.
Download Bison benefits report
The European bison (Bison bonasus) is Europe’s largest terrestrial mammal and a powerful symbol of nature recovery.
Introducing bison through well-designed UK conservation grazing and rewilding projects can help restore ecological processes that have been absent for centuries.
This offers a practical, nature-based contribution to addressing biodiversity loss, habitat degradation, and the growing need for climate resilience.
Ecological benefits of rewilding with European bison
Bison shape the landscapes they inhabit. Grazing, browsing, trampling, debarking and dustbathing create a changing mosaic of open ground, scrub and woodland, providing different conditions for plants, fungi, insects, birds and other wildlife.
The report explores how these behaviours influence biodiversity, habitat structure, soil function, nutrient cycling and ecological interactions — and how the effects can be seen in the Blean woodland.
The Blean Bison Project is an award winning partnership between Wildwood Trust and Kent Wildlife Trust.
Climate change mitigation and adaptation
The ways bison alter vegetation and soils can have implications beyond biodiversity. Their activity can influence carbon cycling, redistribute nutrients and reduce vegetation fuel loads, while the varied habitats they create may provide refuges and opportunities for recovery during periods of environmental stress.
People, conservation and the return of a wild species
The return of European bison is also a story about people and conservation. Their recovery from extinction in the wild has involved generations of conservation breeding and careful genetic management.
Their presence can also create opportunities for education, research, volunteering, nature-based tourism and local engagement.
The report explores the cultural significance of bison, their conservation history, their genetic diversity and the ecological differences between wild bison and domestic livestock.
