Often, we hunted or fished on underused farm or ranch land owned by one of my Dad’s clients — usually with a field lying fallow or a lightly grazed prairie. There would be old buildings we could peer into, watching for snakes and other nasty critters. Hand-dug wells, dangerously covered by rotting boards, offered an eerie glimpse of dark depths. Half-collapsed root cellars enticed us to imagine what might lie buried there. It was interesting to see what nature had done to what had once been someone’s home, garden, barn or corral – rewilding in action.

It made me think of lost dreams and interrupted lives. These areas were home to lots of different plants and animals; sometimes native plants, but also unwanted invasive species. Persistent irises might bloom, fruit trees that went unpruned and unpicked were reminiscent of a farmwife’s homemaking efforts and flowering vines draped her house. Old barbed wire fencing and barely passable rutted roads bounded what was once someone’s hopes and dreams.

Science writer Fred Pearce discusses the issue of abandoned lands, “Abandoned farmland has been increasing, with a billion acres — an area half the size of Australia — lost globally … Land abandonment has also been linked to soil erosion, desertification, and an increased risk of wildfires … Ecologists are increasingly pointing to the potential of these lands and of degraded forests as neglected resources for rewilding and for capturing carbon … This vast land bank is ripe for rewilding, they say, with huge potential to improve biodiversity and capture atmospheric carbon dioxide.”

“Left to its own devices, nature will usually reclaim abandoned places, with benefits for biodiversity and climate … The unanswered questions are about what kind of nature returns.”

Pearce notes that while most ecologists prefer to study pristine places, some researchers are focusing on the previously neglected ecology of abandoned land, believing these neglected and often despised new wildernesses could be a crucial part of the planet’s salvation.

Science journalist Jonathan Moens observes, “… conservationists agree that the health of aboveground vegetation is inextricably linked to that of below-ground biodiversity. As such, mycorrhizal fungi may play an important role in shaping the steppe’s future.”

“Across much of the planet, thin, wildly interconnected filamentous structures — known as ‘mycelium’ — hold the earth together. When these underground fungi come together, they form sophisticated systems known as ‘mycorrhizal networks’ … Mycorrhizal fungi often form mutually beneficial relationships with plants. They trade essential nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen in exchange for carbon, and act as an extended root system, allowing plants to access water they can’t reach … and help ecosystems capture more carbon dioxide and restore soil health — as well as the trees, plants and animal life that rely on it.”

“What’s clear is that fungi play countless ecological roles underground — many of which help aboveground life to thrive.”

We seem to have an unending appetite for conquering new land, but we should put the same level of effort into restoring no-longer used spaces. As we recover unused land we need to address the diversity of the natural biome. Healthy vegetation appropriate to the local ecology can significantly affect the health of the planet.

Additional information:

Jonathan Moens, How A Few Bags of Dirt Could Help Make The Planet More Resilient To Climate Change, October 8, 2023, The Washington Post

Fred Pearce, Abandoned Lands: A Hidden Resource for Restoring Biodiversity, October 3, 2023, YaleEnvironment360