Interpretive Summary: 2026: The International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists

By: Barbara Hutchinson

The road towards the declaration of an International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP2026) by the United Nations (UN) was a long one. The idea was first discussed at the International Rangeland and Grassland Congress held in Hohhot, China in 2008. Facilitated by the Rangelands Partnership and the Society for Range Management, the creation of an International Support Group in 2015 helped provide a stronger global focus as well as the integration of social and cultural dimensions. This led to a growing voluntary partnership of national, regional, and international organizations. Numerous events were conducted at international meetings between 2015 and 2021 to solicit support. In 2019, the UN Environment Program published a Gap Analysis of knowledge about rangelands and pastoralism that helped further highlight the significant neglect of these issues in academia, international development sectors, and land policy circles. Under the leadership of the Government of Mongolia, the proposal for a designation of an IYRP was officially presented to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Following key approvals by FAO, the proposal was forwarded to the UN General Assembly where it was approved on 15 March 2022 with the co-sponsorship of 102 countries. In addition, more than 300 organizations from around the world, including 54 from the United States, provided backing for the effort through letters of support, including Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.  Currently, there are 11 regions globally that each have their own Support Group, including North America (https://iyrp.info).  The focus now is on planning and implementing educational and outreach activities to celebrate the IYRP around the world.

Rangelands occupy 54% of all land on Earth, at least 30% of land in the United States (NRCS, 2024) and are home to more than 200 million people. Yet, people in urban centers are often disconnected from rangelands and their importance to climate change, conservation practices, ecosystem services, and economic well-being. IYRP’s mission is to promote an understanding and appreciation of rangelands around the world, the people who use them, and the contributions they make to the health of all communities. Specifically, an International Year provides new opportunities to: 

• increase awareness of the importance of rangelands and pastoralists as climate solutions at local, national, regional, and global levels. 
• mobilize people worldwide to address today’s most difficult challenges with new understandings regarding such issues as drought/water availability, soil health, renewable energy, wildfire control, wildlife conservation, and invasive species.
• boost efforts for creating new knowledge and sharing experiences and practices. 
• inform decision-making at all levels for enlightened, science-based policies that dispel misconceptions and that will benefit current and future generations. 
  

The IYRP2026 presents an opportunity to highlight the incredible value of rangelands to the people and communities that rely on them while at the same time helping to focus attention on the challenges and potential consequences if these vital ecosystems and pastoralist communities are lost. The effort will bring much-needed attention to conserving rangeland ecosystems across America as well as globally, protecting pastoralist communities and culture, and increasing investment for research, community outreach, and agency collaboration and training.