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Today, we're on the beautiful island
of Kalamos, Greece,

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to learn more about rewilding.

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We meet Ted Kafa'kis,

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who runs the organization
Terra Sylvestris.

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He shown us a video about rewilding,

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which refers to the reintroduction
of animal and plant species

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in areas where they originally occured.

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A chain reaction was set in motion,

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increasing biodiversity
and bringing the ecosystem

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back into balance.

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Since 90% of Kalamos population

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left the island in the last century
and now only 200 people live here,

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Ted believes that the island
where he grew up

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is an excellent place for rewilding.

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Large parts of the island
are covered in dense forests,

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and nature has reclaimed former
olive groves and abandoned properties.

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Posodonia grows in the waters
around the island.

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The sea grass keeps the water clean

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and fosh like to hide and breed in it.

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The fish, in turn, attract marine mammals.

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More high quality nature would benefit
the island's inhabitants, too.

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They could get income from ecotourism.

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And they could adopt more
sustainable ways of living

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by growing their own food,
using agroforestry

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and permaculture techniques, as Ted does.

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His garden functions as a model.

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Terra Sylvestria
is collecting data to prove

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that various rare species
of animals and plants

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are found on the island.

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We join field research with volunteers

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to record bird songs

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and sail to an unhabited island nearby

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to help monitor a beach

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for evidence of the presence
of endangered marine species.

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The data is used to convince
the Greek government

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to protect the area better.

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Ted is trying to show
that when people retreat

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and nature gets space again,

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biodiversity can recover,

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more CO2 is stored in forests and soils

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and ecotourism can generate income.

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This way, a new balance can be found

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between nature conservation
and human needs.

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We wonder, which area
will be the next to be rewilded?