I take the opportunity of the article referenced below (in Yale 360 dated 16 Sep 10) to suggest this subject of wildness in Scotland (this location because that is the article's focus - wildess may be explored at any location on earth).

While the article is close enough to the subject of wildness, it does not exactly focus on it. However it provides a few pieces of information that are relevant and interesting. First, the denuded landscape that is associated with Scotland, especially "wild Scotland", is in fact the result of human deforestation. Originally Scotland was covered in forest. Second, quite a number of animal species, large mammals in this case, have become extinct in Scotland directly through human action (deliberate or not).

Thus, people in Scotland have deeply affected their natural environment. However there may not be a direct correlation with the effect on wildness. Also, a modified landscape, even if not reverting to its original state, may well return to a state of wildness.

To further document the current status of wildness in Scotland, the following basic themes may provide good starting points:

- survey of land occupation and use, landscapes, and potential for wildness there,

- identification of places that may be seen as wild, partly or totally (incl. location, extent, actual degree of human presence, etc),

- this includes of course the special case of places with un-developed landscapes, absence of artificial noise ("natural quiet"), but by no means only those,

- wildlife (flora and fauna) seen from the point of view of its ability to maintain itself, to co-exist with people and in the various "landscapes" that are available to it,

- current projects or actions that may impact future wildness in Scotland, either positively (re-introductions, restoration), or negatively (various developments).