Rewilding strategies, such as natural reforestation on marginal lands or renaturalization of forests where human action has been interrupted, provide opportunities to increase the amount of carbon stored by forest ecosystems. On the other hand, rewilding may also increase fire hazard and loss of Carbon through wildfire emissions.

The REWILD-FIRE Research Project aims to assess trade-offs between increased biomass carbon and potential carbon losses from wildfire emissions and compare choices regarding the spatial planning of reforestation and proforestation throughout the Italian Alps. Combining field observations, remote sensing, and vegetation modelling with policy strategies scenarios, the project will inform policy makers of the contribution of forest nature-based solutions to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 in mountain regions. The project will also investigate the effect of alternative planning choices to rewilding and identify which ones can better support carbon dioxide removal.