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Journal of the Australian Rangeland Society
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Challenges, solutions and research priorities for sustainable rangelands

Uffe N. Nielsen https://orcid.org//0000-0003-2400-7453 A U , Mark Stafford-Smith B , Graciela I. Metternicht https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6168-5387 C , Andrew Ash D , Alex Baumber E , Matthias M. Boer A , Sandy Booth F , Don Burnside G , Amber C. Churchill https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9136-8131 A , Marwan El Hassan H , Margaret H. Friedel I , Cecile M. Godde J , Dana Kelly K , Mick Kelly L , John F. Leys H M , Sarah E. McDonald N , Yiheyis T. Maru B , David G. Phelps O , Malcolm Ridges https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8075-2779 P Q , Geoff Simpson R , Barry Traill S , Brian Walker https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9136-3055 B , Cathleen M. Waters N and Angus W. Whyte T
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.

B CSIRO Land and Water, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia.

C PANGEA Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.

D A.J. Ash and Associates, The Gap, QLD 4061, Australia.

E Faculty of Transdisciplinary Innovation, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.

F Previously Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

G D.G. Burnside and Associates, Mount Lawley, WA 6050, Australia.

H Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

I Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Alice Springs, NT 0870, Australia; formerly CSIRO Land and Water.

J CSIRO Agriculture and Food, St Lucia, Qld 4067, Australia.

K Dana Kelly Consulting, Toowoomba, Qld 4350; formerly International Water Centre, Brisbane, Qld 4000, Australia.

L NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Buronga, NSW 2739, Australia.

M NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Gunnedah, NSW 2380, Australia.

N Trangie Agricultural Research Centre, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Trangie, NSW 2823, Australia.

O Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Longreach, Qld 4730, Australia.

P NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia.

Q University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia.

R NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, Australia.

S Outback to Oceans Program, Pew Charitable Trusts, Brisbane, Qld 4000, Australia.

T Wyndham Station, Via Wentworth, NSW 2648, Australia.

U Corresponding author. Email: U.Nielsen@westernsydney.edu.au

The Rangeland Journal 42(5) 359-373 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ20059
Submitted: 17 June 2020  Accepted: 8 September 2020   Published: 12 November 2020

Journal Compilation © Australian Rangeland Society 2020 Open Access CC BY-NC

Abstract

Australia’s rangeland communities, industries, and environment are under increasing pressures from anthropogenic activities and global changes more broadly. We conducted a horizon scan to identify and prioritise key challenges facing Australian rangelands and their communities, and outline possible avenues to address these challenges, with a particular focus on research priorities. We surveyed participants of the Australian Rangeland Society 20th Biennial Conference, held in Canberra in September 2019, before the conference and in interactive workshops during the conference, in order to identify key challenges, potential solutions, and research priorities. The feedback was broadly grouped into six themes associated with supporting local communities, managing natural capital, climate variability and change, traditional knowledge, governance, and research and development. Each theme had several sub-themes and potential solutions to ensure positive, long-term outcomes for the rangelands. The survey responses made it clear that supporting ‘resilient and sustainable rangelands that provide cultural, societal, environmental and economic outcomes simultaneously’ is of great value to stakeholders. The synthesis of survey responses combined with expert knowledge highlighted that sustaining local communities in the long term will require that the inherent social, cultural and natural capital of rangelands are managed sustainably, particularly in light of current and projected variability in climate. Establishment of guidelines and approaches to address these challenges will benefit from: (i) an increased recognition of the value and contributions of traditional knowledge and practices; (ii) development of better governance that is guided by and benefits local stakeholders; and (iii) more funding to conduct and implement strong research and development activities, with research focused on addressing critical knowledge gaps as identified by the local stakeholders. This requires strong governance with legislation and policies that work for the rangelands. We provide a framework that indicates the key knowledge gaps and how innovations may be implemented and scaled out, up and deep to achieve the resilience of Australia’s rangelands. The same principles could be adapted to address challenges in rangelands on other continents, with similar beneficial outcomes.

Keywords: dryland, horizon scan, legislation, natural capital, resilience, social capital.


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