The New Wilderness(2013)

Nature reborn 20 miles from Amsterdam

The New Wilderness is a documentary that explores the Oostvaardersplassen, a radical nature experiment in the heart of densely populated Europe. On reclaimed Dutch polder land, 6,000 hectares have transformed into one of Europe's most dynamic wetlands in just four decades. The reserve has become a sanctuary for rare birds, including the white-tailed eagle—absent from the Netherlands since medieval times. The film captures how this unique wetland ecosystem thrives in a country where every square meter has been carefully controlled by human hands, revealing what happens when nature is finally allowed to flourish on its own terms.