Towards Sustainable Rangeland Management in Saudi Arabia

The rangelands in Saudi Arabia are facing multiple drivers that have accelerated their degradation rates. Addressing these drivers requires integrated science-based management and effective policies to enhance the long-term ecological sustainability and productivity of rangelands. This review aimed to identify the challenges affecting rangeland management in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and establish measures and policies designed to mitigate these challenges while promoting the long-term sustainability of rangeland resources. The review offers an extensive review of rangeland management, particularly focusing on KSA, and places Saudi rangelands in a global context, highlighting the primary factors contributing to rangeland deterioration. The primary drivers of rangeland deterioration across Saudi Arabia include overgrazing, conversion of rangelands to agricultural land, urban expansion, climate change, and the spread of invasive plant species. It determined that the rangeland ecosystems in Saudi Arabia are very sensitive to climate factors’ fluctuations and human activities that negatively affect their natural resources. To achieve sustainable rangeland management, it is necessary to establish comprehensive monitoring indicators to measure rangeland health and identify the primary drivers of rangeland degradation, as well as to upscale rehabilitation programs to restore the degraded fragile areas of rangeland in Saudi Arabia.