Rangelands are complex and globally important social-ecological systems, but are threatened by a range of social, economic and environmental issues.Traditional rangeland management systems such as Al-Hima may offer locally specific solutions to many problems facing rangelands, but are understudied and at risk of disappearance.Al-Hima has a long history in the Arabian desert region and a high relevance to global modern land management discussions, while facing the same threats as many traditional systems.This study consists of a literature review of traditional rangeland management practices globally and a documentation of Al-Hima as it is currently practiced in Jordan and from Bedouin Arab societies in the North Arabian desert, through published literature and recent semi-structured interviews with herding practitioners.It then discusses how lessons can be drawn from Al-Hima and applied to global rangeland management more broadly, for example through the evolution of local traditions to suit contemporary contexts and a focus on sustainable, longterm yield rather than short-term production maximization.These and other lessons drawn from Al-Hima and traditional rangeland management in general offer lessons that are highly pertinent to rangeland managers today.
Al-Tabini et al. (Thu,) studied this question.