The world's biggest rewilding conference comes to Copenhagen in 2027

In April 2027, Copenhagen will become an international meeting point for rewilding as it hosts Rewilding Futures 2027. Organised by Citizen Zoo in partnership with the Hempel Foundation, the conference is expected to welcome around 600 participants from five continents, including leading researchers, policymakers, foundation representatives and practitioners from around the world.

Taking place on 29–30 April 2027, this will be the first Rewilding Futures conference held outside the UK. It comes as the international rewilding movement grows and the need for new approaches to global nature and climate challenges becomes increasingly urgent.

Restoring wild nature as part of the solution to global challenges

How can restoring wild nature help reverse biodiversity loss and make landscapes more resilient to climate change? These are among the central questions at Rewilding Futures 2027.

The conference will explore how rewilding can help restore ecosystems, return species to their natural habitats, restore wetlands and improve soil health. These efforts can strengthen biodiversity while also making landscapes more resilient to drought, flooding and other pressures.

Bringing together experience and perspectives from across countries and disciplines, the conference will examine how existing knowledge can be translated into practical action, how policy decisions and new funding opportunities can strengthen efforts to restore nature, and how more effective frameworks for nature management can be developed.

The conference will also explore how local communities can be involved in rewilding, and how Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge of nature, passed down through generations, can contribute to restoring and managing ecosystems.

International conservation organisations on the programme

Rewilding Futures 2027 will bring together organisations and practitioners working to restore wild nature across widely differing landscapes and communities around the world.

Organisations already announced on the programme include STEP in Tanzania, Re:wild, ReShark, Rewilding Chile, Rewilding Argentina, Jaguar Rivers Initiative, the Global Rewilding Alliance, Rewilding Britain, Rewilding Europe, The Wildlife Trusts and Island Conservation.

Further programme details will be announced over the coming months. Across two days at CPH Conference Centre, participants will join workshops, hear talks and take part in discussions exploring different approaches to rewilding.

Bringing Danish experience into the international exchange

The 2027 event will be the third Rewilding Futures conference. The previous conference took place in 2025 at the David Attenborough Building at the University of Cambridge, featuring more than 70 international speakers from Europe, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, and North and South America.

The 2027 conference is expected to have an even wider international reach, while providing an opportunity to share Danish rewilding experience as part of an international exchange of knowledge.

Lucas Ruzo, CEO of Citizen Zoo:

“I’ve had the privilege of watching rewilding grow from a fringe idea into one of the most hopeful movements of our time. Rewilding Futures 2027 is our most ambitious conference yet. We want it to be a place for bold ideas and honest conversations, where people leave not just inspired, but ready to act. Copenhagen, with the Hempel Foundation’s incredible work on our doorstep, is the perfect place to do that.”

Anders Holm, CEO of the Hempel Foundation:

“We are delighted to work with Citizen Zoo to bring Rewilding Futures to Denmark. Through our international engagement in conservation and biodiversity, we are part of a strong global network of partners, researchers and practitioners whose experience continually informs our work. With our flagship programme ‘The Wilderness’, we want to contribute to this exchange by sharing lessons from nature restoration in Denmark and learning from others. This conference brings together people with different perspectives and expertise to strengthen partnerships and turn shared knowledge into action. We look forward to welcoming the international rewilding community to Copenhagen and exploring what we can achieve together for nature.”

Practical information

Rewilding Futures 2027

Dates: 29–30 April 2027

Venue: CPH Conference Centre, Tietgensgade 65, 1704 Copenhagen, Denmark

Organiser: Citizen Zoo in partnership with the Hempel Foundation

Participants: Around 600 researchers, rewilding practitioners, policymakers, foundation representatives and practitioners from five continents

Tickets and further information

Press enquiries

Hempel Foundation
Cecilie Weiholt-Ludvigsen, Head of Communications
cew@hempel.com | +45 20 86 20 99

Citizen Zoo
Joe Nash
joe@citizenzoo.org

About Citizen Zoo

Citizen Zoo works towards a world rich in wildlife, with greater diversity, beauty and abundance in nature.

The organisation restores habitats so that ecosystems can function again, reintroduces species to their former ranges, and engages people and communities in protecting local nature. Focused on rewilding, Citizen Zoo is powered by a dedicated team and volunteers working to restore nature and create better conditions for species and habitats.