Basis for a law of rangelands from arid and semiarid regions of Argentina

Abstract

Rangelands provide multiple ecosystem services of high value to society, both locally and globally, but are threatened by degradation processes, the impact of climate change and land-use change, affecting their conservation. Despite this, the preservation of rangelands has received little attention from governmental and non-governmental organizations in Argentina. This article aims to propose some concepts and principles associated with rangelands from arid and semiarid regions, using as an example the Patagonian context, as preliminary bases to discuss the design of a law of minimum budgets for the environmental protection of rangelands in these regions of Argentina. To do this, some background information on the approach to desertification, characterization of rangelands and pastoral territories in Patagonia are briefly reviewed. From a comprehensive perspective, it is suggested that the development of a public policy tool such as the one proposed requires a biocultural approach to the conservation of pastoral territories. In this sense, some principles that govern this approach are used to define zoning criteria. As a conclusion, some general premises are highlighted to seek agreements between the objectives of preserving biodiversity and promoting cultural diversity, which characterize these kind of regions.