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Rewilding is gaining momentum as a new approach to restore and conserve biodiversity and 30 ecosystem services, despite being imprecisely defined, controversial, and with limited 31 explicit empirical supporting evidence (Lorimer et al. 2015; Svenning et al. 2016; Pettorelli 32 et al. 2018). In a case study region (the English uplands), we discuss what rewilding means to 33 practitioners and policy makers; the risks, opportunities and barriers to implementation 34 rewilding is thought to present, and potential paths for policy and practice. 35

Rewilding has had strong uptake in Europe, including the UK (Svenning et al. 2016; Sandom 36 & Wynne-Jones in press). A UK case study is particularly interesting for two reasons. First, 37 many species have been lost through centuries of increasingly intensive land use and with 38 little opportunity for natural re-colonisation species translocations are likely required for 39 successful rewilding. Second, debate around rewilding is particularly intense with the UK’s 40 impending departure from the European Union and associated potential for considerable 41 change of key policies, such as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the Habitats and 42 Birds Directives. Here we highlight perceptions, concerns and possible ways forward for 43 rewilding in post-Brexit upland England in which the 25-Year Environment Plan (25YEP; 44 DEFRA 2018a) will frame policy. We also identify general lessons for those considering 45 applying rewilding in other locations. 46