Wild Rangelands

Johan T. du Toit is a professor at Utah State University, where he is the Head of the Department of Wildland Resources. He is especially interested in the ecology of large mammals and the conservation of terrestrial ecosystems through the fusion of science and management.

Rangelands, which include unimproved grasslands, shrublands, savannas and semi-deserts, and represent almost half of the terrestrial surface of the Earth, are defined by their use by people as grazing lands for extensive livestock production. However, these ecosystems also constitute a major share of global biodiversity, include some of the most charismatic landscapes and species on our planet, and supply essential ecosystem goods and services to many millions of people who live outside of the global economy. Reconciling livestock production with wildlife conservation is thus a key requirement of sustainable development, but the obstacles are immense. The contributors to this book include leading experts who have pooled their experiences from all continents to cover the ecological, sociological, political, veterinary, and economic aspects of the situation as it exists today. This is to provide practitioners, and students of rangeland management and wildland conservation with a diversity of perspectives on a central question: can rangelands be wildlands?

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