Cross-cultural communication （126）　

126) Wilding
Wilding originally means “to return to the wild,” but it can also mean “to become violent,” and it describes the behavior of some young people today. It has even been used as the title of movies and books. Interestingly, in 2018, I read a non-fiction book titled “Wilding,” which uses the term in its original sense of returning something to its natural state. The book details the process of transforming a 1,400-hectare estate, which had been passed down through generations of British nobility, into a wild landscape. The author is Isabella Tree, the wife of the nobleman who conceived and executed this project. The name “Tree” itself is quite symbolic. On this vast estate, they first restored the vegetation to its original British state. Then, they released wild boars, European bison (buffalo), and European-bred small horses to roam freely. Over time, migratory birds and butterflies that had never visited before began to arrive.

Even 1,400 hectares is a vast area, but the Netherlands has a natural reserve spanning an astonishing 6,000 hectares, where various wild animals live in their natural state. The name “Oostvaardersplassen” is quite a mouthful. The Netherlands is a country where much of the land is at sea level, consisting of dikes and reclaimed land. In French, the Netherlands is called “Pays bas” (the low-lying country). The Oost... area was reclaimed for industrial development but failed, leaving the land unused. It was then converted into a nature reserve. The author of “Wilding,” Tree, also visited this area multiple times for research. If you search for “Oost...” or “Wilding” online, you'll find plenty of photos to enjoy. I highly recommend it.

Now, while the scale is much smaller compared to these examples, what I find intriguing is “Kagaku no Sato; Science Village” featured on George Tokoro's TV program “Me ga ten; be stunned”.
This is a small rural area in Ibaraki Prefecture where, as part of a TV program, experts from various fields of rural development have been collaborating for several years to conduct experimental initiatives such as thinning overgrown forests, creating fields and ponds, and building nest boxes to attract wild birds like owls. What sets “Kagaku no Sato” apart is its use of high-tech methods, such as observing artificial ponds with underwater cameras and continuously monitoring nest boxes with cameras capable of nighttime filming. Thanks to the involvement of reputable experts, they have successfully bred Japanese eels and established owl nesting sites. In a sense, it is an ultra-modern version of “Wilding.”

Once the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, I would very much like to visit wildlife reserves in the UK and the Netherlands.

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