In the Central Apennines rewilding landscape in Italy, innovative artistic initiatives are engaging a broader local audience in critical issues such as wildlife poisoning and human-wildlife coexistence. Changing mindsets and inspiring action will support the scaling up of rewilding and the positive impact it delivers.
Creativity that gives back to nature
People have drawn creative inspiration from nature for millennia. A pioneering artistic programme in the Central Apennines rewilding landscape in Italy is now seeing the Rewilding Apennines team give something back. The programme – which includes a literary competition, theatre production, and short film – is educating and inspiring new audiences by portraying the challenges and aspirations of rewilding in the landscape using fresh and imaginative media. Each of these media has been carefully chosen to appeal to new audiences and convey messages in an entertaining but informative way.
“There are several topics that we want to get across to a broader audience, such as our anti-wildlife poisoning campaign, river restoration, wildlife comeback, and human-wildlife coexistence,” says Angela Tavone, Communications Manager for Rewilding Apennines. “Because the creative arts are personal, direct and immediate, it’s easier to convey messages that touch people’s hearts before their minds. We believe this has longer-lasting impact.”
Daniela Gentile
A short film: Giro di Vite – Crackdown
Written by Rewilding Apennines team leader Mario Cipollone and directed by Polish independent filmmaker Michał Stenzel, “Giro di Vite – Crackdown” is a fictional short film that tells the story of a young biologist combatting crimes against nature in a Central Apennine mountain village. The aim of the film, which has been produced by Rewilding Apennines, is not only to educate more people about the perils of wildlife poisoning, but also show how culturally we have become indifferent towards nature. It’s a concept and theme that people can relate to across Italy and Europe.
In December, sixty people attended the film premiere, which took place in the town of Pettorano sul Gizio, where the film was made. This was followed by a panel discussion, led by the Rewilding Apennines team. The talk gave greater insight into the #LetsNotPoisonOurselves campaign, through which Rewilding Apennines have been educating people about the dangers and illegality of wildlife poisoning since 2022. Other topics touched upon included efforts to enhance human-wildlife co-existence and the protection of keystone species such as the griffon vulture, which is often an indicator and victim of poisoning incidents.
“By communicating in an original way, we felt we could really prompt the audience to reflect on the consequences of illegal practices that can harm nature, coexistence between people, and even the people who engage in such practices,” said Mario Cipollone after the screening.
In 2025, the film will tour several Italian and international film festivals and competitions to spread this message further.
A literature contest: Wild Tales
In 2024, Rewilding Apennines launched its first international literature competition, called “Wild Tales“. The competition invites writers from anywhere in the world to submit short, fictional stories on a specific theme each year.
In keeping with the #LetsNotPoisonOurselves campaign, last year’s theme called for stories focused on combating the illegal use of toxic substances intended for animals. Three winners were announced at a ceremony in August, which included readings of the winning entries and a visit to the Bear’s Den Interpretive Centre – an exhibition space dedicated to the Marsican brown bear in Pettorano sul Gizio. All of the stories entered into last year’s competition will be published on the Rewilding Apennines website this year, while the theme of this year’s competition will be announced in the coming months.
Daniela Gentile
A theatrical performance: Wild Condominium
Throughout time and across the world, humans have used folklore and theatre to pass on knowledge about human-wildlife coexistence. The Rewilding Apennines team have now followed suit, launching a play called “Wild Condominium“. In collaboration with the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park and local NGO Salviamo l’Orso, the production was created and staged by local theatre company Aedo Studio, under the framework of the LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors initiative. Performed by five young actors, the story follows themes around living with wildlife, inviting the audience to think more deeply about the bond between wild animals and humans.
Wild Condominium, which premiered in the Bear-Smart Community of Campoli Appennino in November 2024, will be presented in the landscape’s remaining Bear-Smart Communities this year. Such communities are being established by the Rewilding Apennines team to encourage and enable residents to live peacefully alongside bears and other animals, employing measures ranging from the installation of electric fences and distribution of bear-proof bins, to the restoration of abandoned orchards and support for the development of nature-based businesses.
“Wild Condominium is an important educational tool to reach those people in local communities who might not participate in our workshops and public meetings about human-bear coexistence,” says Angela. “It’s equally important that those not primarily engaged with rewilding topics understand how to live alongside bears.”
Successful new ways to engage
There is a common thread linking all the artistic initiatives carried out by the Rewilding Apennines team: that creativity can help a broader group of people connect with nature and rewilding on a more emotional level. The team is now looking forward to seeing this emotional connection translate into changed mindsets and decision-making, as well as practical action.
“Every form of art is a reminder that nature and creativity are inextricably linked,” says Angela. “Through art, we can raise awareness, evoke emotions, and above all, inspire profound change in the relationships people have with the natural world around them.”
Filippo Castellucci
Invaluable support
Rewilding Europe’s work in our rewilding landscapes is supported by a wide range of highly valued partners. We would particularly like to acknowledge those providing core funding – notably the Ecological Restoration Fund, the Dutch Postcode Lottery, WWF-Netherlands, and Arcadia. Their longstanding support plays a critical role in enabling us to deliver and scale up rewilding impact.
