Social–Ecological Ecosystems in Rewilding Urban Environment: Multidisciplinary Approaches for Multifaceted Wild Natures

Changes in society, such as deindustrialization processes, the dismantlement of military sites and the cessation of peri-urban cultivations, have led in recent decades to the abandonment of many urban areas. A complex natural rewilding process has significantly reconfigured abandoned urban spaces, which are now acquiring great importance in response to the implementation of urban regeneration initiatives. These sites are viewed with very different perspectives, from being seen as an urban void to a redevelopment opportunity in capital terms, from a place of degradation to, by contrast, an unusual wild green area. Many works have highlighted how wild urban ecosystems provide several ecosystem services to citizens, in addition to those provided by conventional urban green areas (such as gardens and parks). These services vary widely on qualitative and quantitative levels, based on each site’s specific features. More recent studies have focused on their role in connecting people with nature, as well as their controversial and conflicting character within the framework of urban planning policies. A multi-disciplinary approach is, then, now required to jointly analyze the ecological and socio-cultural sides of this complex type of green area, with the overall goal of maximizing ecosystem services and improving the quality of life in cities. This Special Issue aims to present the current state of socio-ecological research on wild urban nature, focusing on the concept of the social–ecological system, where human and biophysical systems are closely linked. Submissions may include original research articles or comprehensive reviews. Articles can present methodological frameworks or single case studies. Suggested themes and article types include, but are not limited to: Cultural and ecological services (and eventually disservices) of rewilded urban areas; Processes and approaches that lead to wild nature implementation in urban plans; Proposals for the construction of socio-ecological indicators to characterize rewilded sites; Approaches to combine sociological and ecological indicators in data analysis; Biodiversity and socio-political dynamics within the framework of cities’ land use change processes; Monitoring schemes of urban rewilding sites, including remote sensing techniques and field data collection; Difficulties and potentiality in the management and enhancement of wild urban sites; Bottom-up participatory case studies (e.g., citizen science initiatives) that can be considered lead experiences; Links between biodiversity characteristics of wild areas and social perceptions.