Rewilding for human health: exploring the connections between zoonotic diseases, human health and well-being, ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss

Had we been meeting at Feanedock for this year’s Timber Festival as planned, it is likely that the COVID-19 pandemic would have been a recurring topic of conversation. The pandemic has reminded us of the complex interactions between humans and the environment, and in particular how the emergence of zoonotic diseases such as COVID-19 can be linked to habitat encroachment, loss of biodiversity, climate change, urbanization, the legal/illegal wildlife trade, and other forms of ecosystem degradation.