The book explores changes in the science and management of arid lands over the past 50 years within their historical contexts. It highlights the effects of changes in science on land use management policy and speculates on what role arid lands might play in the future and how policy must adapt to their changing nature.
Reflecting the shift in drylands thinking from a piecemeal or a ‘magic bullet’ approach to a systems-based approach that considers people as integral to solving problems, this volume will appeal not just to land managers, but to everyone involved in environmental issues who wishes to gain a better understanding of the state of arid lands science today.