As the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists calls attention to the global diversity, importance, and governance of the world’s rangelands, the myth of the tragedy of the commons is particularly relevant and illustrative of the power and dangers of universalising and reductive myths.

In this introductory blog on ‘rangeland myths’ we emphasise the need to rethink what we think we know about rangelands and pastoralism in ways that are open to diverse perspectives, experience and knowledges.

Through 2026, the REPAiR is hosting a series of activities that explore ‘rangeland myths’ in global perspective. We offer an open invitation to get involved, share your experiences and stories, and help us to rethink what we think we know about rangelands and pastoralism.

In the second episode of our podcast, Kevin Kirkman discusses the complex world beneath our feet, how a grassland ecologist works, and the need to bring scientific knowledge together with the social contexts of livestock farming in South Africa.

Can poetry and comics help us think differently about rangelands?

In the first episode of our podcast, Ruan de Wet discusses misunderstandings about rangelands, and explains how Meat Naturally works with farmers in Southern Africa.

The logic of ‘Payments for Ecosystem Services’ is to give farmers incentives for ‘good’ ecological practices. But where do we draw the line between a ‘good’ and ‘bad’ practice?

To understand the challenges of landscape stewardship in South Africa, we need to appreciate how rangelands have been shaped by history, and how this continues to affect the way rangelands are governed today.

Across Southern Africa, rangelands support a large amount of small-scale, communal livestock farming. The REPAiR project explores the potential and challenges of context-sensitive and community-led approaches for stewardship of these rangelands.