A new report from one of our Environmental Advocacy interns, Alexis Evripidou, takes a bold examination at what re-wilding could mean for Point Reyes National Seashore, “Review of Seven Mammalian Species for Potential Reintroduction to Point Reyes National Seashore”. Focusing on the potential reintroduction of locally eliminated and functionally absent mammalian species, the report explores how carefully planned restoration efforts could help return the landscape to a more resilient, historically rooted ecosystem.
From keystone species like the sea otter to “ecosystem engineers” such as the North American beaver, the analysis considers how strategic reintroductions might restore trophic cascades, strengthen biodiversity, and build on past successes – like the 1980 return of the Tule Elk to the Seashore. Designed as a starting point for informed, multi-stakeholder dialogue, this report invites readers to think critically and collaboratively about the future of restoration at Point Reyes.
Thank you to Richard Lanman MD of the Institute for Historical Ecology in Los Altos, California – for co-authoring this report.
