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TED Talks Daily

3 tips to make your world beautifully wild | Isabella Tree

with Isabella Tree

Published November 6, 2025
View Show Notes

About This Episode

Host Elise Hu introduces environmentalist and conservationist Isabella Tree, who shares how rewilding-allowing nature and animals to restore ecosystems-can be done not only on large estates but also in ordinary gardens and urban spaces. Tree describes the transformation of her family's debt-ridden, intensively farmed land into a thriving, biodiverse rewilding project through free-roaming animals and habitat change. She then offers three practical tips for rewilding any green space and concludes with examples of urban rewilding and the mindset shift required to embrace messier, less controlled landscapes.

Topics Covered

Environmental restoration Wildlife conservation Biodiversity loss Climate change and agriculture Sustainability Urban design and culture Perspective shift Systems thinking Personal Development Food systems

Disclaimer: We provide independent summaries of podcasts and are not affiliated with or endorsed in any way by any podcast or creator. All podcast names and content are the property of their respective owners. The views and opinions expressed within the podcasts belong solely to the original hosts and guests and do not reflect the views or positions of Summapod.

Quick Takeaways

  • Rewilding is not limited to vast wilderness areas; it can be done in backyards, schoolyards, and urban parks on very small scales.
  • On Isabella Tree's 3,500-acre estate in southeast England, stopping intensive farming and introducing free-roaming animals rapidly restored biodiversity and soil health within five years.
  • Free-roaming animals like cattle, ponies, pigs, and deer act as ecosystem engineers, creating diverse habitats that support a wide range of wildlife.
  • Rewilded land can sequester significant amounts of carbon compared to ploughed, intensively farmed fields that release carbon.
  • Effective rewilding requires balancing grazing pressure; in the absence of large predators, humans may need to act as the apex predator to manage animal numbers.
  • Lawns function as "green deserts" with high carbon and maintenance costs, and rewilding even a small garden can greatly increase biodiversity in a few years.
  • Tree's three garden rewilding tips are: create varied topography, think and act like a herbivore to prevent plant domination, and embrace dead material as a source of life.
  • Urban features such as balconies, window boxes, bus shelters, cemeteries, and public monuments can all be turned into mini nature reserves.
  • Rewilding demands a change in aesthetic values, moving away from control and neatness toward accepting messiness, unpredictability, and shared agency with other species.
  • Gardeners and city dwellers can see themselves as keystone species whose choices significantly shape local ecosystems.

Podcast Notes

Podcast introduction and framing of the talk

Host introduces TED Talks Daily and the episode theme

TED Talks Daily described as bringing new ideas to spark curiosity every day[2:21]
Host Elise Hu introduces guest Isabella Tree and the concept of rewilding[2:23]
• Elise identifies Isabella Tree as an environmentalist and conservationist
• Rewilding is defined as the process of restoring an area of land to its natural, uncultivated state
Rewilding is framed as something not limited to large parks or remote areas[2:29]
• Host emphasizes that rewilding can and should happen in gardens as well
Summary of Isabella Tree's talk content[2:25]
• Elise previews that Isabella will tell how letting animals roam free on her farmland revived ecosystems
• The rewilding on her land boosted biodiversity and captured carbon in just a few years
• Elise notes that the talk will share practical tips for rewilding at home and emphasize impact starting in our own backyards

Opening of Isabella Tree's talk and big-picture view of rewilding

Rewilding as a global concept and its perceived scale

Common imagery associated with rewilding[3:02]
• Tree says people may imagine vast landscapes, wolves, and great herds of bison when they hear "rewilding"
Core message of rewilding[3:26]
• She calls it the most important message we can hear at the moment: that nature can restore itself if given the chance
Rewilding can be done at small scale and in everyday places[3:26]
• Tree emphasizes it does not have to be at vast scale or in the middle of nowhere
• She lists backyards and urban parks as places where rewilding can happen
• Any tiny patch of space can be a site for rewilding
Speed and impact of rewilding[3:26]
• She notes rewilding can happen really fast
• Rewilding is described as transformative for nature, the climate, and for humans themselves

Isabella Tree's experience with rewilding projects

Her involvement in rewilding at different scales[4:13]
• For the past couple of decades, she has been helping to rewild both big and small projects

Story of the NEP estate and large-scale farmland rewilding

Background of the inherited farmland and its challenges

Inheritance of the estate and its initial condition[4:03]
• When her husband was 21, he inherited 3,500 acres of farmland
• The land is located in the busy southeast of England
• Nepa State is described as being on the worst possible land for intensive agriculture
• The estate was already losing money when her husband inherited it
Attempt to run it as an intensive farm[4:03]
• Her husband, Charlie, had trained as a farmer
• For 17 years, he tried to turn the failing intensive farm around
Financial crisis and decision to change direction[4:37]
• By 1999, they were £1.5 million in debt
• They realized they had to do something radically different
• They wanted to work with nature instead of constantly battling against it
• This led them to begin rewilding the estate

Ecological rationale: role of large animals in shaping landscapes

Historical presence and loss of free-roaming animals[5:33]
• Tree explains that Europe, like Africa and other continents, once had vast numbers of free-roaming animals
• Humans hunted many of these animals to extinction or near extinction
How these animals shaped ecosystems[5:33]
• Their disturbances shaped the land by clearing forests
• They opened wetlands and created grasslands
• They stimulated the soil and spread seeds
Inspiration from European rewilding projects[4:45]
• Tree and her husband were excited by large-scale rewilding projects in Europe
• These projects showed that reintroducing animals back into the landscape allowed nature to recover
• They observed that biodiversity could "rocket" under such rewilding regimes
Key questions about rewilding on degraded farmland[4:45]
• They wondered if rapid recovery could also happen at a smaller scale
• They questioned whether it could work on a farm that had been ploughed and treated with chemicals for decades
• They asked if they could bring their own land back to life

Initial rewilding interventions on the estate

Physical changes to water and field structure[5:21]
• First steps are described as "so much fun"
• They pulled up all the internal fences on the farm
• They smashed up Victorian drains to stop artificially channeling water
• They allowed water to sit where it had always wanted to sit
• As a result, fields began to scrub up with thorny bushes
• Soon, trees began to recolonize the land naturally
Introduction of free-roaming animals as ecological proxies[5:33]
• They ring-fenced the whole area to contain free-roaming animals
• They introduced Old English longhorn cattle as proxies for the extinct aurochs
• They brought in Exmoor ponies to stand in for the extinct tarpan
• They used Tamworth pigs as stand-ins for wild boar
• They also introduced red and fallow deer
• Eventually, they reintroduced beavers as well

Ecological and climate outcomes of the estate rewilding

Rapid and surprising biodiversity gains[6:55]
• Tree says the results were beyond their wildest dreams
• Everywhere the animals went, life surfaced in their wake
• The land became a kaleidoscope of complex, shifting habitats
• She notes that wildlife loves messy margins like those that emerged
• Nightingales and turtle doves, birds on the verge of extinction in Britain, began to be heard on their land
• They also saw bats, owls, dung beetles, and butterflies arriving "as if out of nowhere"
Soil restoration and carbon sequestration[8:12]
• Their soil began restoring as part of the rewilding process
• Suddenly they were pulling down vast amounts of carbon into the soil
• Previously, under the plough, the land had been releasing carbon instead of storing it
Timescale and emotional impact of transformation[7:49]
• All of this ecological recovery happened in five years
• They looked at their land in amazement, feeling as though it was breathing a sigh of relief
• Tree adds that they too were breathing a sigh of relief
• She describes the feeling of being able to sit back and watch the Earth restore itself

Managing animal populations and creating an economic model

Need for population control in a small rewilding project[8:31]
• Tree notes they could not just let animal numbers grow indefinitely in their small project
• She explains that biodiversity flourishes only when grazing animal numbers are neither too many nor too few
• In vast wilderness areas, nature naturally regulates population levels
• In the southeast of England, there are no wolves, lynx, or bears to play the apex predator role
• They therefore had to become the apex predator themselves
Creation of a revenue stream from rewilding[8:31]
• Managing animal numbers meant they suddenly had an income stream they had not expected
• They began producing wild-range meat
• Along with wildlife and wildlife tourism, this income has become one way to finance the rewilding project
• Tree says this has turned the estate's fortunes around

Influence of NEP and spread of rewilding on unsuitable farmland

NEP as a model for other UK landowners[9:13]
• Tree says that inspired by NEP, hundreds of thousands of acres are now rewilding in the UK
• These rewilding efforts are on land that is not suitable for intensive modern agriculture
Recognition that not everyone has large tracts of land[9:24]
• Tree notes that not everybody has hundreds of acres to work with
• They began receiving messages from people inspired by NEP who wanted to rewild back gardens, schoolyards, and urban parks
• Her clear answer to whether this is possible is: "Yes, you can."

Rewilding a Victorian walled garden and lessons for small spaces

Transformation of their own walled garden

Description of the garden and its former state[9:45]
• Their house has a Victorian walled garden about an acre in size
• For years, the garden was dominated by a monoculture lawn
Critique of lawns as a global obsession[9:55]
• Tree says lawns have become an obsession worldwide
• She traces this obsession back to the 1950s when artificial fertilizer, weed killers, and mowing machines became widely available
• They came to see their lawn as a high-carbon, high-maintenance green desert
• They questioned why they had maintained such a lawn
Decision to rewild the garden and its outcomes[10:40]
• Three years prior to the talk, they decided to rewild their walled garden
• The garden has become a wildlife haven
• In just three years, biodiversity in the garden has increased by 35%

Introduction to three top tips for rewilding green spaces

Rewilding a garden as an intentional process[10:40]
• Tree clarifies that rewilding a garden does not mean simply closing the gate and abandoning it
• It requires intentional interventions to create the right balance of plants
• The goal is to create the kinds of habitats that wildlife favors
Overview of the three top tips[10:40]
• Tree presents these as their three top tips for making green spaces and gardens wilder

Three practical tips for rewilding gardens and small spaces

Tip 1: The earth is not flat - creating topographic diversity

Natural landscape features that support biodiversity[10:16]
• In nature, there are mounds from anthills and molehills
• Pits made by pigs and wallows made by rolling bison also create varied terrain
Benefits of lumps and bumps in a garden[11:13]
• Creating lumps and bumps makes patches of sun and shade, damp and dry areas
• These varied microconditions support a much wider spectrum of plants
• More plant diversity, in turn, creates many more opportunities for wildlife
How they created topographic diversity using rubble[11:12]
• They had old farm buildings being demolished near the garden
• They asked the diggers to dump hundreds of tonnes of crushed brick and concrete on their formerly "perfected" lawn
Creating a dry garden from existing hard surfaces[11:42]
• Tree suggests that if you have a patio, concrete, or tarmac, you can pull it up
• Crushing that material and mixing it with sand creates a free-draining medium for a dry garden
• In a dry garden, you can grow plants like wildflowers that thrive in poor soil conditions
• Because such gardens do not require watering or fertilizing, they save time and money
• Reducing water and fertilizer use also helps the planet
Plant selection and attitude toward "weeds"[11:49]
• They have planted 1,100 different plants, mostly from arid parts of the world
• Tree notes that you do not need that many to have a big impact
• She advises choosing plants that insects love and extending the season for pollination and nectar
• She emphasizes supporting forgotten creatures like night-flying moths, which she calls some of our greatest pollinators
• In their garden, all these plants coexist with native, self-seeding wildflowers
• They have vowed never to use the word "weed" again
• She suggests learning to love plants like dandelions and clover

Tip 2: Think like a herbivore - managing dominant plants

Role of the gardener in maintaining species richness[12:31]
• Tree says the gardener's job is never to allow a single plant to dominate
• If one plant dominates, you lose many species that contribute to richness in the garden
Adopting the mindset of herbivores and other animals[12:40]
• She advises that when pulling out aggressive plants ("thugs"), think of yourself as a wild boar
• As a wild boar, you are rootling out docks and thistles
• When pruning roses or climbers, imagine yourself as the nibbling teeth of a deer
• Thinking of yourself as an animal in an ecosystem is described as incredibly freeing
• This mindset allows you to become more holistic and organic in your approach
• It permits you to accept and encourage more messiness in the garden
Rethinking lawns within a wilder garden[12:13]
• Tree says there is still room for a lawn in a wilder garden
• However, she urges gardeners to think of lawn as just one part of a mosaic
• She suggests considering a wildflower or chamomile lawn instead of conventional grass
• When mowing, she advises you to "be the cow"
• This means mowing very tightly in some areas while allowing others to stay long
• Longer areas can provide protection for small mammals and birds
• She encourages mixing it up, even suggesting growing a "Mohican" strip

Tip 3: Find life in death - valuing dead material

Death as a driver of life in nature versus in gardens[13:28]
• Tree states that in nature, death is a primary source of life
• In contrast, gardeners typically remove anything that dies
Practical steps: leaving dead wood, leaves, and seed heads[13:37]
• Leaving dead wood and piles of leaves is presented as fantastic for wildlife
• Such materials also create natural fertilizer for the next year's growth
• Instead of obsessively deadheading, leaving seed heads provides important food for birds over winter

Scaling rewilding across private gardens and urban spaces

Potential impact of private gardens in the UK

Scale of garden space compared to nature reserves[14:02]
• Tree notes the UK has 23 million private gardens
• These gardens cover an area four and a half times the land designated as national nature reserves
• She points out that most of these gardens are dominated by green desert lawns
Vision for gardeners as keystone species[14:19]
• She asks listeners to imagine all those gardeners thinking differently
• She calls for gardeners to put away artificial fertilizer and herbicides
• She suggests gardeners begin to think of themselves as a keystone species, like a mole, ant, or earthworm

Example of a city gardener obsessed with bees

Range of bees this gardener supports[14:27]
• Tree describes an "amazing city gardener" who has become obsessed with bees
• The gardener focuses on bumblebees, sharptail bees, leafcutter bees, and masonry bees
Changing perception of bees[14:38]
• Tree says we often think of bees as aggressive and scary
• If you watch them, she notes, they are gentle, sensitive creatures going about their business
• She asserts that you can fall in love with bees by observing them

Rewilding in dense urban contexts and unconventional spaces

Balconies, window boxes, and small features as nature reserves[12:58]
• Tree says we can rewild balconies in cities, including in high-rise blocks
• Even a window box can become a nature reserve
Rewilding public and communal urban spaces[13:09]
• She notes that cemeteries, churchyards, bus shelters, and entire streets can be rewilded
Transforming major public monuments and institutions[13:09]
• She says we can rewild public monuments
• She gives the example of the Tower of London, now a wildflower meadow full of bees
• She mentions the Field Museum in Chicago, formerly a green desert and now a vital food stop for migrating birds
Benefits of plant-covered buildings and urban greenery[13:24]
• She envisions whole tower blocks erupting in plants
• These plants bring life to windowsills and capture carbon
• They produce oxygen and clean the air
• They insulate buildings in winter and cool them in summer

Rewilding as an aesthetic and psychological shift

Challenging traditional notions of beauty and control

Changing aesthetics around landscapes[13:37]
• Tree states that much of rewilding is about changing the aesthetic
• It involves questioning what we have always been taught to see as beautiful, normal, and stable
Letting go of obsessions and control[14:00]
• She talks about shedding our obsessions, especially the desire to be in absolute control
• Rewilding is described as embracing the messy and the unpredictable
• It is about letting go, including letting go of strict control over our environments
Rewilding ourselves[14:02]
• Tree concludes that rewilding is also about rewilding ourselves
• She ends her talk with a brief "Thank you"

Talk context, credits, and podcast outro

Context of the recorded talk

TED Countdown Summit in Nairobi, Kenya[14:07]
• Host notes that the talk was given by Isabella Tree at the TED Countdown Summit in Nairobi, Kenya
• She specifies the year of the summit as 2025
Reference to TED's curation guidelines[14:22]
• Listeners curious about TED's curation are directed to TED.com slash curation guidelines

Credits for TED Talks Daily production

TED Talks Daily as part of TED Audio Collective[14:27]
• Elise says TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective
Fact-checking and production team[14:30]
• She notes the talk was fact-checked by the TED Research Team
• Production and editing credits are given to Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong
• Mixing credit goes to Christopher Fasey-Bogan
• Additional support came from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo

Host sign-off

Elise Hu's closing remarks[14:47]
• Elise identifies herself again and says she will be back with a fresh idea tomorrow
• She thanks listeners for listening

Lessons Learned

Actionable insights and wisdom you can apply to your business, career, and personal life.

1

Working with nature instead of against it can transform failing systems into resilient ones by harnessing natural processes like animal disturbance, plant succession, and soil restoration.

Reflection Questions:

  • • Where in your work or home life are you currently fighting against a system instead of aligning with how it naturally operates?
  • • How could you redesign one struggling project so that existing dynamics and "natural" tendencies do more of the work for you?
  • • What small experiment could you run this month to let an existing process self-correct rather than tightly controlling every variable?
2

Diversity and structural complexity-whether in ecosystems, teams, or ideas-create more opportunities for life, resilience, and innovation than flat, uniform "monocultures."

Reflection Questions:

  • • What "monocultures" (of people, ideas, or routines) exist in your environment that may be limiting creativity or resilience?
  • • How might you intentionally create more "lumps and bumps"-variations and experiments-in your projects or relationships?
  • • What is one space you influence (a team, a schedule, a room) where you could add more diversity or structural variety this week?
3

Seeing yourself as part of an ecosystem-a keystone species rather than a detached controller-leads to more holistic, sustainable decisions and a healthier relationship with your surroundings.

Reflection Questions:

  • • In which contexts do you currently behave as if you are outside or above the system rather than embedded within it?
  • • How would your decisions change if you viewed yourself as a "keystone species" whose habits ripple through a broader community or environment?
  • • What one daily habit could you adjust to better support the people, systems, or environments that depend on you?
4

Allowing a certain amount of mess, unpredictability, and "death" (of old habits, structures, or aesthetics) is often necessary for new growth and richer outcomes.

Reflection Questions:

  • • What are you currently over-controlling or constantly tidying-physically or metaphorically-that might benefit from more looseness?
  • • How could you reframe the end of a project, role, or relationship as fertile ground for something new rather than just a loss?
  • • What is one area of your life where you could intentionally leave more "dead wood"-space, leftovers, or unfinished edges-to see what positive emerges?
5

Small, distributed actions-like rewilding a single garden, balcony, or window box-can compound into large-scale change when many people participate.

Reflection Questions:

  • • Which small patch of your influence (a corner of your home, a process at work, a relationship) could you transform as a proof of concept?
  • • How might your mindset shift if you saw modest actions not as insignificant but as part of a much larger collective pattern?
  • • What is one tangible change you can commit to this week that, if copied by thousands of others, would meaningfully improve your community or environment?

Episode Summary - Notes by Morgan

3 tips to make your world beautifully wild | Isabella Tree
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