Across Southern Africa, communally governed rangelands and grasslands support wildlife, vast informal economies and millions of people.

There has been international interest in rangelands as spaces for landscape restoration and ecosystems management associated with ‘nature-based solutions’ (NbS).

But these dynamic landscapes are often misunderstood. Much of the evidence about NbS comes from very different settings in the Global North, with assumptions that are a mismatch to the histories and changing social, ecological and political contexts of Southern African rangelands.

Beginning in 2024, REPAiR is a research project that critically explores whether and how equitable, contextual, community-led approaches to NbS can support adaptability and resilience in Southern Africa’s rangelands.