How nature reclaims the places humans leave behind

Available for over a year

When people leave a place, either suddenly because of a disaster or conflict, or over a longer period of time as economic changes occur, nature can start to retake control in various and surprising ways. Author Cal Flyn has visited many different sites around the world - such as Chernobyl, a site closed off to people since the nuclear reactor incident in 1986, Detroit, where many people left following its economic downturn, and the site of a retired oil refinery in Essex in the UK. She notes that wolves and bears made a comeback in Chernobyl, people have reclaimed land in Detroit to create urban 'prairies', and bug life is thriving in Essex. "I found a lot of hope in how fast places that seem hopeless, begin to recover." Photo: Ghost town of Pripyat, near the Chernobyl nuclear reactor Credit: Getty Images