Historical data and monitoring can provide important information on how landscapes respond to environmental and human-induced change. We re-assessed plants, soils and livestock carrying capacity at a research station in eastern Australia after 42 years. We detected significant declines in the densities of key perennial shrubs (Atriplex vesicaria, Maireana astrotricha, Maireana pyramidata, -78%), an index of groundstorey plant quality (-8%), and the cover of erosion (-43%) between 1980 and 2022. Assessed ‘safe carrying capacity’ declined from 14.5 to 12.4 dry sheep equivalents per 100 ha over that period (-14.6%). These declines were evident in ranges and footslopes, but not on the plains. Shrubs declined by a similar percentage when assessed at a small spatial scale in one paddock. There was no clear indication that sheep stocking rates were driving temporal trends in plants. Rather, we attribute changes over more than 40 years to fluctuations in rainfall, and potentially, greater density of kangaroos and feral goats. Our study provides insights into moderately long-term changes in the biophysical attributes of rangelands and reinforces the importance of using historic data to assess environmental change as large areas of Earth become hotter and drier.

Land degradation in China’s dryland regions presents a significant challenge to ecological sustainability and socio-economic development. Despite existing frameworks such as the Land Administration Law and the Regulation on Land Reclamation, implementation is impeded by fragmented legal provisions, unclear responsibilities, weak enforcement and limited public participation. Addressing these issues requires comprehensive legal reforms, capitalizing on the opportunity provided by the drafting of the Ecological Environment Code. Key reforms include introducing criminal sanctions for non-compliance, clarifying stakeholder responsibilities and enhancing inter-agency coordination. Promoting increased involvement from both the public and private sectors is essential. Strengthening the legal framework will improve reclamation outcomes, support sustainable land management and facilitate ecological restoration, offering valuable lessons for global land reclamation efforts facing similar degradation challenges.

The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2026 the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP), to be formally implemented by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. This perspective introduces the IYRP and associated Global Alliance by describing their origins, goals and activities. Motivation for the IYRP emerged from the need to transform misguided myths portraying rangelands as having marginal value and pastoralism as backward and inefficient. The IYRP Global Alliance is an all-volunteer network comprising more than 1000 individuals and more than 400 organizations established to promote the IYRP. The Alliance is organized into 11 regional support groups that provide global representation of rangelands and pastoralists. It developed a framework of 12 monthly themes to highlight the critical global challenges confronting rangelands and pastoralists. Pastoralist groups are organizing events to enhance awareness of their cultures and ways of life and to increase awareness and leverage with national and global policymakers. The Alliance seeks to accomplish its goals through participation in global, regional and national events and by promoting strategic investment and policy. Policy recommendations will be presented to international and national governing bodies and at major global conferences in 2026 and beyond.