Revisiting winners and losers in the rewilding of a marginal mountain landscape: two decades of change and the role of fire

Rewilding is increasingly promoted as a nature-based solution to biodiversity loss and climate change, yet its long-term ecological outcomes remain poorly understood—particularly in fire-prone Mediterranean landscapes. Building on a previous study that analysed post-abandonment dynamics between 2000 and 2010 (Regos et al. 2016. Reg. Env. Change . (16): 199–211), we revisit the ‘Baixa Limia–Serra do Xurés’ Natural Park (NW Iberia) to assess two decades of land cover change and bird community responses. Using generalised linear mixed models, co-inertia analysis and census plot data from 2000, 2010, and 2020, we demonstrate a strong and consistent covariation between bird assemblages and land-cover transitions, shaped by both natural successional processes and fire disturbance. While the first decade was characterized by forest expansion and increasing bird occurrences—particularly among forest- and shrubland-associated species—the following decade revealed a partial reversal, marked by the re-expansion of early successional habitats such as rocky areas and shrublands, largely driven by increased wildfire activity (> 20,000 ha burned). Species linked to mature forest cover experienced the strongest declines, especially in burnt areas, where co-inertia trajectories diverged sharply from those of unburnt plots. Our findings underscore the dual role of fire as both a threat and a potential management tool in rewilded landscapes. We advocate for a more nuanced vision of rewilding incorporating ‘fire-smart’ strategies that integrate prescribed burning, biodiversity goals, and landscape resilience to address the growing challenges of land abandonment and climate-driven fire regimes in Southern Europe.