WarWildings’ are unpredictable beasts but if the strategic motives are creative and not destructive then ‘warWildings’ present great opportunities for saving large tracts of wilderness whilst creating buffer-zones in conflict areas as well as seeding long-term peace.
US conservation biologist and author, Thor Hanson, says the new term of ‘warWilding’ sounds ‘catchy’: “it’s not my term to define, nonetheless it could be useful in explaining certain environmental consequences of warfare,” says the co-author of the seminal 2008 paper, Warfare Ecology.
“There are also significant ‘wilding’ trends that can occur during the preparations and post-conflict phases of warfare, particularly on the large areas of land set aside for training troops and testing armaments. These are not necessarily intentional impacts; they have to do with the suspension of most human activities over large swathes of land.
“It is less clear to me whether the term ‘warWilding’ would be useful in such situations, which can occur very far removed from the context of the wars themselves. From the warfare ecology perspective, I see that term as relevant for the re-wilding of habitat that can occur as a consequence of war. That could be tactical, such as the deliberate flooding of the Irpin river in Ukraine, but more often it is inadvertent, a product of dramatic changes in human behaviour and land use brought about by conflict. Regeneration of abandoned farmland, for example, or interruptions to extractive activities like commercial fishing, forestry, or hunting.”
The Ukrainian army’s flooding of the river Irpin has created the ideal conditions for a successful ‘warWilding’ legacy: the deliberate flooding was a tactical ‘warWilding’ of momentous proportions as it saved the Ukrainian state, but in post-war Ukraine it could also become a unique biodiversity ‘hotspot’ with the revival of a once mighty river and tens of thousands of hectares of long-lost wetlands.
The Gorongosa Park in post-civil-war Mozambique is an example of successful ‘warWilding’: ninety per cent of its wildlife was decimated through civil war and wilderness was destroyed to flush out militants in the park; however, thanks to coordinated efforts and investments at multiple levels, decimated populations of elephants, lions and other species bounced back, highlighting the principle of using nature to prevent conflict through creating buffer-zones rich in biodiversity as well as the ‘peace park’ ethos.
A restored Irpin riverine ecosystem would not only be a monument to one of the most legendary ‘warWildings’ in history but also a biodiversity hotspot with safaris for tourists as well as a wilderness barrier protecting Kyiv from invaders.
Hanson suggests at least some of the re-flooded areas of former Irpin wetland should be preserved to promote “environmental peace-building” in post-war Ukraine: “disputed border areas often become buffer zones that can help reduce conflict by lowering contact between aggressors,” he says.
“Reduced human activity in such areas in turn can lead to recovery of habitat and associated wildlife. The classic modern example of this is the DMZ between North and South Korea, but there are many other instances throughout history. In terms of promoting peace and security, including environmental considerations in peacebuilding efforts can provide both sides of a conflict with tangible benefits (water quality, wildlife reservoirs, flood control, etc.) while also reducing tensions by removing conflict over contested ground.
“I do not know all of the specifics of the Irpin situation, but it is conceivable that leaving at least some of that flooded land as permanent wetlands could achieve these goals. Strategically, permanent, impassable wetlands can also alter potential avenues for future attacks, an example of where military and environmental planning considerations overlap.”
There are strong links between climate-change and conflict, says Hanson: “there is a strong historical pattern of increased conflict during periods of climate stress, so we do expect to see increasing tensions as the climate crisis unfolds. That will certainly create the context for ‘warWilding’ events, both tactical and incidental.
“Policymakers, scientists, and conservationists should be alert for opportunities where ‘wilding’ can promote peace and security, through the creation of trans-border peace-parks and buffer-zones, as well as the long term social and political stability associated with a healthy environment.”
Jasper Humphreys
The Marjan Research Group 