Cited by 191Rangeland Management and Livestock EcologyConservation, Biodiversity, and Resource ManagementLand Use and Ecosystem Services

Reorienting land degradation towards sustainable land management: Linking sustainable livelihoods with ecosystem services in rangeland systems

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Reed, M.S., Stringer, L.C., Dougill, A.J., Perkins, J.S., Atlhopheng, J.R., Mulale, K., Favretto, N.·2015·Journal of Environmental Management

Abstract

This paper identifies new ways of moving from land degradation towards sustainable land management through the development of economic mechanisms. It identifies new mechanisms to tackle land degradation based on retaining critical levels of natural capital whilst basing livelihoods on a wider range of ecosystem services. This is achieved through a case study analysis of the Kalahari rangelands in southwest Botswana. The paper first describes the socio-economic and ecological characteristics of the Kalahari rangelands and the types of land degradation taking place. It then focuses on bush encroachment as a way of exploring new economic instruments (e.g. Payments for Ecosystem Services) designed to enhance the flow of ecosystem services that support livelihoods in rangeland systems. It does this by evaluating the likely impacts of bush encroachment, one of the key forms of rangeland degradation, on a range of ecosystem services in three land tenure types (private fenced ranches, communal grazing areas and Wildlife Management Areas), before considering options for more sustainable land management in these systems. We argue that with adequate policy support, economic mechanisms could help reorient degraded rangelands towards more sustainable land management.

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  • Establishing financial mechanisms for compensating land users for SLM and improved delivery of ecosystem services, e.g., through payments for ecosystem services, could provide a much-needed incentive for increased investment into land restoration and rehabilitation.

    “Establishing financial mechanisms for compensating land users for SLM and improved delivery of ecosystem services, e.g., through payments for ecosystem services, could provide a much-needed incentive for increased investment into land restoration and rehabilitation (111, 127, 128).”

    From Restoring Degraded Lands (2021) · cites this paper as [128]

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

  • Restoring Degraded Lands

    Arneth, A., Olsson, L., Cowie, A., Erb, K.-H., Hurlbert, M., Kurz, W. A., Mirzabaev, A., & Rounsevell, M. D. A. (2021) · Annual Review of Environment and Resources · doi:10.1146/annurev-environ-012320-054809 · Cited by 106 · see citing works

    “, through payments for ecosystem services, could provide a much-needed incentive for increased investment into land restoration and rehabilitation (111, 127, 128).”
    Background

Authors
Reed, M. S., Stringer, L. C., Dougill, A. J., Perkins, J. S., Atlhopheng, J. R., Mulale, K., & Favretto, N.
Affiliations
  • Birmingham City University (GB)
  • University of Leeds (GB)
  • University of Botswana (BW)
Corresponding author
Reed, M.S.
Venue
Journal of Environmental Management
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-03
Volume
151
Pages
472-485
ISSN
0301-4797 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2138189674
Cited by
191
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 6
FWCI
44.27
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Environmental Management (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (acceptedVersion)
  • BCU Open Access Repository (Birmingham City University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Economics of Land Degradation (ELD) (81163498)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Land Use and Ecosystem Services
Keywords
land degradation, sustainable land management, ecosystem services, sustainable livelihoods, payments for ecosystem services, shrub encroachment, rangeland, Kalahari, land tenure, natural capital, economic instruments, wildlife management areas, ranches
MeSH terms
Agriculture, Animals, Botswana, Conservation of Natural Resources, Humans, Ecosystem

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