Wild: Showcasing nature’s comeback

An exhibition in 5 photographs with Curator Dr David Gelsthorpe

Manchester Museum’s current exhibition, Wild, explores one of the defining challenges of our time: the delicate interplay between biodiversity, climate change, and humanity’s evolving relationship with nature. This ambitious exhibition showcases the remarkable efforts reshaping landscapes, restoring species, and reimagining what the future could look like—a hopeful one where people and the planet thrive together.

David Gelsthorpe has been Curator of Earth Sciences at Manchester Museum for the past 18 years. He is one of the curators of Wild, and he believes that this exhibition has the potential to be the museum’s most impactful endeavour yet.

David has selected five photographs that bring to life some of the extraordinary stories that are featured in Wild.

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More than an exhibition

Wild is not just an exhibition—it’s a call to action. The stories featured are intended to inspire and empower visitors to see the possibilities for renewal, whether in their backyards or across the world. From rewilding initiatives in the UK to cultural restoration projects in Australia, Wild is a celebration of ingenuity, resilience, and hope.

1. Tamworth pigs at Knepp: nature’s gardeners

The Knepp Rewilding Project in Sussex is one of the UK’s most famous rewilding projects. Once struggling farmland, the estate has been transformed into a haven for biodiversity thanks to an unconventional approach. Instead of farming for crops, Knepp focuses on restoring lost natural processes by reintroducing large grazing animals like Tamworth pigs. These pigs are essential soil engineers, turning over the land as they forage, promoting seed dispersal and aeration. This hands-off management strategy has seen species like the elusive Purple Emperor butterfly return in abundance. The photo of Knepp’s Tamworth pigs symbolises how a simple shift in perspective can yield astounding results for both wildlife and the land.

2. Lamlash Bay: a marine miracle

Off the coast of the Isle of Arran lies Scotland’s first community-led Marine No Take Zone at Lamlash Bay. Overfishing and bottom trawling had devastated the marine ecosystem here, but local efforts have turned the tide. In just a decade, there has been recovery of seabed biodiversity, with the size and abundance of commercial species also increasing. One striking image from Lamlash shows velvet swimming crabs traversing across the restored maerl beds—a rare habitat made of calcified or ‘coralline’ algae that forms intricate underwater structures. These maerl beds are vital for marine life, offering both shelter and a nursery for species. Lamlash Bay is a beacon of hope, showing how collective and community action can regenerate blue spaces for generations to come.

3. Yellowstone’s wolves: a keystone comeback

This photograph of a wolf in Yellowstone National Park tells a powerful story. This huge National Park in the western United States played a pivotal role in ‘fortress conservation’ that saw the forced removal of Indigenous people from the land in preference for creating and protecting an area of wilderness. In 1926, the last wolf pack was systematically killed in the park. This devastating decision that sent shockwaves through the park’s ecosystem. Without this predator, for example, elk populations exploded, leading to overgrazing and the collapse of vegetation and habitats. In the 1990s, a decision was made at government-level for the reintroduction of wolves. This impacted local communities and their relationships with wildlife. Today the reintroduction of wolves is contributing to the restoration of ecological balance to the area.

4. Nowanup: healing Country, healing people

In Western Australia, the Noongar people are revitalising their ancestral lands. This is a photo of Nowanup, which is a meeting, learning and healing space set on 760 hectares of previously farmed land. Led by Uncle Eugene Eades, alongside other Elders, the Noongar people are practicing cultural revegetation. This is ecological restoration that recognises the continued connection and custodianship the Noongar people have held for 45,000 years or more of living on the land. Nowanup is described as ‘Healing Country, Healing People’; this project is about more than planting trees—it’s about restoring cultural practices, reconnecting people with the land, and healing. The work on Nowanup is revitalising ancestral lands and practices, and the revegetation of bushland is already resulting in the return of threatened species.

5. Manchester: urban nature's revival

Much of Wild focuses on vast open landscapes, however, it also delves into urban environments where ‘wild’ takes on a different dimension. Cities like Manchester are embracing green corridors and rooftop gardens and creating spaces where nature can flourish amidst the concrete. Cities can be places bursting with bugs and birds. Yet, living alongside nature sparks questions: How wild is too wild? Some view weeds as messy, while others see them as vital greenery. Balancing people-friendly design with wildlife needs is key for shaping sustainable, harmonious urban futures.

A vision for the future

The stories featured in Wild highlight a common thread: the determination to rewrite the rules and embrace creative solutions. From the Tamworth pigs of Knepp to the wolves of Yellowstone and the cultural revegetation at Nowanup, these projects are united by a shared vision of hope and possibility.

As we grapple with biodiversity loss and climate change, Wild reminds us that nature’s capacity for recovery is extraordinary—if we give it a chance. We hope visitors leave the exhibition inspired to take part in this journey, whether by supporting conservation efforts, rethinking their own relationships with nature, or simply finding joy in the wild places around them.

Wild is a free exhibition at Manchester Museum.
It runs until 1 June 2025
Find out more and book your free ticket.

Photography:

Tamworth pigs courtesy Knepp Estate

Velvet crab courtesy of COAST & Howard Wood

Wolf in Yellowstone photo credit Jim Peaco

Nowanup landscape courtesy of Esme Ward

Dandelions in Salford