Climate change mitigation as a co-benefit of regenerative ranching: Insights from Australia and the United States ⋆ Savory Institute

Science Article

Climate change mitigation as a co-benefit of regenerative ranching: Insights from Australia and the United States

Gosnell Hannah, Susan Charnley and Paige Stanley. 2020. “Climate change mitigation as a co-benefit of regenerative ranching: Insights from Australia and the United States.” Interface Focus 10: 20200027. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsfs.2020.0027

Key Takeaways

This paper argues that the infusion of holistic decision-making into the practice of planned grazing, or “regenerative ranching,” results in a suite of ecological, economic and social benefits that are the main factors keep adherents on the regenerative path. Climate change mitigation is only a ‘co-benefit’ or after-thought.
Regenerative ranching, say the authors, is generally associated with holistic management, holistic decision-making, and holistic planned grazing and, as their results suggest, these aspects are what make managing in a way that promotes soil carbon sequestration attractive and sustainable for ranchers. Regenerative ranching is challenging, however, because it requires a deep understanding of ecological processes along with a set of skills related to monitoring and moving livestock and feeding the soil microbiome. Additionally, practitioners must navigate a variety of social constraints.
While generic ‘managed grazing’ has the potential to sequester carbon, it does not, by itself, manifest the features that make people want to do it. The use of holistic decision-making in the implementation of managed grazing amplifies its effects and increases regenerative potential, and, by extension, climate change mitigation potential.
It is the rewarding feed-backs that come from practicing and thinking holistically that make people want to stay on the path.

Summary

‘Managed grazing’ is gaining attention for its potential to contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing bare ground and promoting perennialization, thereby enhancing soil carbon sequestration (SCS). Understanding why ranchers adopt managed grazing is key to developing the right incentives. In this paper, we explore principles and practices associated with the larger enterprise of ‘regenerative ranching’ (RR), which includes managed grazing but infuses the practice with holistic decision-making. We argue that this broader approach is appealing due to a suite of ecological, economic and social benefits, making climate change mitigation an afterthought, or ‘co-benefit’. RR is challenging, however, because it requires a deep understanding of ecological processes along with a set of skills related to monitoring and moving livestock and feeding the soil microbiome. We review the literature regarding links between RR and SCS, then present results of qualitative research focused on motivators, enablers and constraints associated with RR, drawing on interviews with 52 practitioners in New South Wales, Australia and the western United States. Our analysis is guided by a conceptual model of the social–ecological system associated with RR that identifies determinants of regenerative potential. We discuss implications for rancher engagement and conclude with a consideration of leverage points for global scalability.