Across Southern Africa, communally governed rangelands 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. This leads to assumptions and practices that do not take account of the histories of Southern African rangelands, and their changing social, ecological and political contexts.
REPAiR critically explores whether and how equitable, contextual, community-led approaches to NbS can support adaptability and resilience in Southern Africa’s rangelands.
Latest posts
2 June 2026 Simphiwe Tsawu & Tafadzwa Dzingwe
Whose rangelands are they? Historical messiness in South Africa
The crucial question of who ‘owns’ rangelands in South Africa is shaped by overlapping forces – traditional authorities, colonial legacies and more recently-formed grazing associations.
1 June 2026 Jeremy Allouche & Linda Pappagallo
Myth: ‘Healthy ecosystems are green’
The idea that ‘green’ ecosystems are automatically more healthy is based on a long history of assumptions about nature.
HIGHLIGHTS
Understanding rangelands and grasslands
Rangelands are complex and productive landscapes, but have been neglected and misunderstood in agricultural policy.
Who we are
The REPAiR team brings together disciplinary and thematic research expertise spanning the social sciences, natural sciences and humanities, with partners based in the UK and South Africa. The team also includes people with practical experience in working with rangeland communities on conservation and market access.
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