Harmonizing human-wildlife coexistence: the WildlifeNL research program

Wild and free-ranging large mammals are increasingly found across parts of the Netherlands. With both positive and negative encounters with the public, society views the return of this wildlife in different ways. In collaboration with 17 other diverse organisations, Utrecht University is part of WildlifeNL (2023-2030), a research programme in which scientists and societal partners are together investigating how humans and wildlife can learn to live together more harmoniously.

WildlifeNL research programme

Existing populations of wild boar and deer are increasing, large grazers have been introduced as part of wider nature management strategies, and some species such as the beaver and otter have been actively reintroduced. Other species such as the wolf, wildcat and golden jackal are coming back to the Netherlands on their own. With wild animals returning to the Dutch landscape, WildlifeNL is a research programme dedicated to finding forms of wildlife management that promote harmonious human-wildlife coexistence.

“The benefits of the return of this rich diversity of wildlife are many and diverse, ranging from the positive contributions of wildlife to people’s experience of nature and their well-being and health, to the different roles that wildlife play in the functioning of ecosystems, maintenance of habitats and seed dispersal,” explains Dr. Ine Dorresteijn, WildlifeNL core team member at Utrecht University. “In addition, the wild animals themselves are also an important part of biodiversity”.

The benefits of the return of this rich diversity of wildlife are many and diverse, ranging from the positive contributions of wildlife to people’s experience of nature and their well-being and health, to the different roles that wildlife play in the functioning of ecosystems, maintenance of habitats and seed dispersal

However, these developments also lead to tensions, calling for a critical analysis of how we share the landscape with wild and free-ranging mammals. In a densely populated country like the Netherlands, people and animals constantly come into contact—consciously and more often unconsciously. However, wildlife management often focuses on managing numbers and less on the interactions and communication between wildlife and people.

“This raises an important question,” says Joris Cromsigt, WildlifeNL core team member based at both Utrecht University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). “If we encourage and accept the current wildlife comeback, how can we design our landscape and our society accordingly? Central to this is how we view the relationship between wildlife and people in the Netherlands”.

New approach to dealing wildlife and wild animals 

WildlifeNL sees humans as an integral part of nature and recognises that communication between wildlife and people determines how they interact. From this perspective, the programme will critically analyse the current wildlife management system and look at opportunities for a new approach to wildlife management. “We are investigating how we can arrive at wildlife management that is better suited to the ongoing and wide-reaching changes in our landscapes and our society, as well as the desire for a more nature-inclusive society,” says Cromsigt.

If we encourage and accept the current wildlife comeback, how can we design our landscape and our society accordingly? Central to this is how we view the relationship between wildlife and people in the Netherlands.

The programme will combine the latest insights from social science, philosophy, ecology and technology. Together with societal partners, WildlifeNL will develop and test new technologies, forms of cooperation and communication strategies. The idea is to influence the behaviour of wild animals and humans in such a way that low-conflict coexistence of humans and wildlife becomes possible.

Living labs reflecting the Dutch landscape and society

Many of WildlifeNL's questions are relevant throughout the Netherlands, but the project will test and evaluate interventions in two so-called "living labs" or experimental gardens: the Nationaal Park Zuid-Kennemerland in North Holland and the Grenspark Kempen~Broek on the Dutch-Belgian border in Limburg.

The Kempen~Broek consists of a mixture of farmland and nature reserves, thus representing the countryside, with many different land users and average recreational pressure. The Kennemerland dunes, on the other hand, consist of a busy nature area near several large cities, and thus represents a model for areas in the highly urbanised Randstad region with extremely high recreational pressure. In addition, wildlife in both regions are diverse and many species—fallow, red deer and wild boar to name a few—are increasing in numbers and distribution. “Both parks are excellent testing grounds because they deal with all kinds of interactions, positive and negative, between humans and animals. They also each represent a different but important part of the Dutch landscape and society,” explains Dorresteijn.

Both living labs will look in detail at how wildlife management is set up, what the challenges are, and where the opportunities for improvement lie. “Importantly, the exact questions will be determined together with our social partners, who each play an important role in these landscapes”.