Influential Species Review

The Forest Wilding Programme looks to restore fully functioning ecosystems in the nation's forests.In the current nature crisis Forestry England is looking to direct resources most effectively, forexample to those ecosystem engineers or keystone species (from here termed influential species)that disproportionately expedite wider recovery of our forests and woodlands. Nature restorationin the UK usually defaults to large herbivores, beavers, and predators as the archetypal influentialspecies. However, Romero et al also identifies leafroller moths, ants and rabbits as highlyinfluential.