Hope Springs: Stories of Resilience in Drylands
A rocky, sun-baked expanse dotted by cacti and sagebrush. Wind-blown dunes seemingly devoid of life besides the passing camelback caravan of nomads. These are the classic images many people envision when thinking of drylands.
The reality is far more complex: over 40% of the Earth's surface is classified as drylands, encompassing arid and semi-arid regions defined by low average precipitation and limited water availability. Two-thirds of Africa's lands are dry, with limited water available to grow crops and nourish ecosystems. In Australia, where the outback ranges across much of the country, that proportion rises to 75%.
Drylands are home to more than a third of global biodiversity hotspots. These regions, where a quarter of Earth's forests grow, support many plant and animal species. Many are uniquely adapted to arid conditions. Notably, drylands provide critical bird migration points and are essential habitats for numerous endemic species. They are also home to some 3 billion people.
Indeed, many communities and wildlife have evolved to live in areas with scarce water, but a convergence of events makes that existence more precarious. Livestock overgrazing, deforestation and unsustainable agriculture erode soil and rob it of fertility. Urban sprawl and broken food systems draw down groundwater supplies, carve up critical habitats and release pollution into the land, water and atmosphere. Climate change compounds these challenges, altering weather patterns and pushing places with naturally low precipitation and high evaporation into long-term drought. The cumulative impact leads to desertification—the process by which fertile land loses its productivity.
Desertification presents a convergence and interlinking of crises culminating in a many-headed threat: land degradation, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, food and livelihood insecurity, migration from impacted areas, and others.
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The Power of Collaborative Action
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Dr. Brandon Bestelmeyer, a US Department of Agriculture ecologist specializing in drylands, says desertification is a complex kind of land degradation that involves not only soil deterioration but also significant changes in vegetation. Understanding desertification requires a broader perspective that considers ecological shifts at the landscape level over time rather than allowing individual snapshots of the environment to dictate perception.
Bestelmeyer said the reason is that desertification is more than desert expansion. It can also involve shifts in vegetation that accompany soil and climate changes. Many locations, including the New Mexico desert where he lives, see shrubs encroaching on grasslands. In these places, the desertification phenomenon of landscape greening caused by invading shrubs may mask or even accelerate the devastating impact on wildlife and people when grassy areas grow barren.
"Crossing ecological thresholds, where an ecosystem becomes unable to recover even when favorable conditions return, is a key indicator of desertification," Bestelmeyer said. "The world is not stable anymore; conditions are changing rapidly due to climate change."
He cautioned against a one-size-fits-all approach to addressing land degradation and desertification. People and nature need the nuance necessary to address complexity on the ground. “You've got different land users,” he said. “You've got different perceptions of what good and bad change is, what is and isn’t land degradation. If you're not dealing with the landscape level as a key focus, you won't ever solve the problem.”
Addressing land degradation and desertification is imperative not only for securing vital water supplies and agricultural production but also for combating biodiversity loss and climate change. Landscapes affected by desertification can potentially store more carbon—if restored effectively—and help mitigate global emissions while fostering environments conducive to plant, wildlife and human communities.
Amidst the escalating specter of desertification, drought, and the accompanying perils of food and water scarcity, a ray of hope emerges in the form of innovative landscape approaches, serving as a beacon of resilience against the relentless challenges of climate change. Once perceived as desolate and unforgiving, the world's arid and semi-arid regions are being recast as landscapes brimming with potential for regeneration and sustainable prosperity. This shift in perspective, driven by the understanding of the interconnectedness between ecological and human systems, is forging a path toward a future where these vital ecosystems can thrive while nurturing the well-being of communities that call them home.
Hope Springs: A Documentary
Cultivating Resilience: Collaborative Action Combats Desertification in Spain's Iberian Peninsula
Dry limestone gravel crunches under Silvia Quarta’s boots as she walks back uphill to the farm outbuildings located on a rocky hill in southern Spain’s Murcia region, one of the area’s most hard-hit by desertification. The dogs wrestle happily and stomp through the wetland plants surrounding the farm’s spring before realizing she has left and trot in a disorganized squad to follow her home.
She is worried about the small spring she has just left behind. And because she worries about it, she also worries about La Junquera regenerative farm, where she manages a regenerative farming and education program. That worry extends to others downstream who rely on the surface and groundwater they desperately need in this semi-arid region.
Farmers like those tending La Junquera find it increasingly challenging to grow the crops that sustain so many people near and far. Crops have failed year after year. Wells are being dug deeper and deeper to tap the groundwater farms need. Many call this region the front line of climate change, and desertification isn’t an abstract concept; it’s part of the daily struggle to make a life and a living here.
“The past four years have been changing radically,” Quarta says. “The usual rainfall pattern has been completely disrupted. This farm's biggest challenge is that the water will be gone at some point.”
La Junquera and other regional stakeholders have begun connecting individual efforts to meet the challenges of desertification. They are pursuing landscape approaches to develop a shared vision for a more sustainable future in which people balance what they take and give to the land, reviving and safeguarding resources they need in perpetuity.
Gum Arabic Goldmine: Revitalizing the Sahel One Acacia at a Time
The Sahara desert has expanded by more than 10% in the last century, amounting to an increase of around 7,600 kilometers every year. Scientists attribute this rise to a combination of natural variability and human-caused changes resulting from climate change and land use. The threat is existential in countries that abut the southern part of the Sahara, a region called the Sahel. The entire Sahel has joined together to reverse the desert’s march with a well-known project called the Great Green Wall.
On the ground, that effort looks very much like what’s happening with a landscape restoration and economic development project in Niger to replant acacia trees. These modest trees produce a sought-after product—gum Arabic, the sticky resin employed in manufacturing food and cosmetics.
Adamou Ali Zoubeirou, the founder of a company called Addax that is shepherding the acacia restoration project, said reestablishing the native tree in its historic range would benefit people and nature. “We’ve seen a lot of tree felling in the area,” he said. “Nowadays, there’s almost nothing left in these areas; there are almost no gum trees anymore, almost no acacias that produce gum arabic.”
Addax is leading communities in establishing nurseries and undertaking acacia planting campaigns. Farmers, villagers, gum processors, and exporters hope to fortify their portion of the Great Green Wall and sustainably revitalize a lucrative industry by collaborating.
Ecological Restoration meets Community Resilience in South Africa's Baviaanskloof
Nestled in the semi-arid Eastern Cape, the Baviaanskloof Valley is a testament to the power of community-driven landscape restoration. This place, where seven of South Africa’s eight ecosystems meet, was once scarred by overgrazing and severe erosion. Locals have toiled to transform it into a model for how collaborative approaches can restore degraded ecosystems and improve livelihoods.
In the heart of the Baviaanskloof landscape, the organization Living Lands is uniting local farmers, conservation organizations, companies, and government agencies in the fight against desertification. This organization also works closely with 1000 Landscapes for 1 Billion People initiative partner Commonland. Together, they have implemented innovative solutions such as reintroducing native vegetation, managing soil erosion, and restoring river systems to their natural flows. These efforts are complemented by sustainable grazing practices that balance livestock needs with ecological recovery.
One notable achievement has been the improvement of water security. By rehabilitating wetlands and reducing sedimentation in waterways, communities are addressing immediate water shortages and building resilience against prolonged droughts. Farmers in the region have embraced these changes, reporting better soil fertility and stable crop yields despite a warming climate.
The success of Baviaanskloof lies in its integration of ecological restoration with socio-economic benefits. As ecosystems recover, tourism and agricultural opportunities have flourished, creating sustainable livelihoods and reducing poverty. This initiative highlights how holistic landscape approaches can combat desertification while fostering hope and resilience in water-scarce regions.
Safeguarding Soil and Securing Livelihoods in Mt. Kenya
Land degradation and climate change pose significant challenges on the fertile slopes of Mt. Kenya, a vital water source for millions of urban and rural Kenyans. Deforestation, unsustainable farming, and changing weather patterns have disrupted the delicate balance of this ecosystem, threatening water supplies and agricultural productivity. Rich in water and arable soil, the region is critical for neighboring drylands, which rely on water and food coming from it. The Mt. Kenya Sustainable Landscape and Livelihoods program offers a glimmer of hope to safeguard and improve the entire region by integrating ecological restoration with economic resilience.
Launched in 2020 by Rainforest Alliance, this initiative partners with government agencies, local communities, and private sector stakeholders to promote regenerative agriculture. Techniques like agroforestry, soil conservation, and water management have already transformed farming practices for over 50,000 tea and coffee farmers. By improving soil fertility and enhancing water retention, these practices are helping to mitigate the effects of drought while increasing productivity.
“We manage this forest to serve the local community, far and wide, locally and abroad,” says Miriam Kamau, a county forest conservation officer involved in the project. ”Forestry is the backbone of the whole development of the country. Without the forest, nothing else can go on.”
Central to the program’s success is the Mt. Kenya Landscape Management Board, which fosters collaboration among grassroots organizations and policymakers. This platform ensures that local knowledge and needs are at the forefront of decision-making, creating a sense of community ownership and commitment.
Beyond ecological benefits, the program is also unlocking economic opportunities. Strengthening market access for sustainably grown tea and coffee provides farmers with better income security and encourages the adoption of regenerative practices. The Mt. Kenya initiative exemplifies how landscape approaches can address environmental challenges while supporting livelihoods, turning a threatened ecosystem into a beacon of resilience.
Indigenous knowledge Sparks Innovation in Western Australia
Western Australia’s vast arid and semi-arid landscapes, spanning iconic regions like the interior deserts and Mediterranean climate of the southwestern coast, are on the front lines of climate change. Increasing droughts and land degradation from overgrazing and unsustainable farming have left soils eroded, water resources depleted, and biodiversity threatened. Yet, amidst these challenges, collaborative landscape restoration efforts like those spearheaded by the diverse landscape partnership Gondwana Link are forging a path toward sustainability. The group has a growing relationship with an ecosystem of partners, including Commonland, to develop a long-term vision that safeguards the region’s fragile ecosystems, communities, and economy.
Indigenous communities are at the heart of these initiatives, bringing traditional ecological knowledge to the forefront. Techniques like cool burning, a controlled burning method that reduces wildfire risks and promotes soil regeneration, are being combined with modern science to rehabilitate degraded lands. Rainwater harvesting systems and sustainable grazing practices are also being implemented to conserve water and allow ecosystems to recover.
One standout example is the restoration of native vegetation, including saltbush and spinifex grass, which stabilizes soil and provides wildlife habitat. These efforts are coupled with programs to reduce livestock density and monitor grazing patterns, ensuring land use aligns with the region’s fragile ecological limits.
In addition to ecological gains, these projects foster cultural preservation and economic opportunities. Indigenous-led ecotourism initiatives and carbon farming projects are helping communities derive sustainable livelihoods from restored landscapes. Western Australia’s efforts exemplify how blending traditional practices with innovative techniques can address desertification, enhance resilience to climate change, and secure a future for people and nature.