Fjölrit RALA - 05.12.1999, Page 10

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INTRODUCTION
continues in much of Iceland, yet there have been significant scientifíc and social ad-
vances in combating desertification. Thus, there is both cause for concem and reason
for optimism. In this context, Iceland provided an appropriate, and somewhat extraor-
dinary setting for this workshop.
The experts attending the workshop represented many disciplines and geographical
regions and shared a common interest in severe land degradation. During the work-
shop, principles of land degradation were discussed and illustrated by a diverse array
of case studies from all regions of the world (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Geographical distribution of degradation research reviewed at
the 1997 Rangeland Desertifícation Workshop in Iceland and summarized
in these proceedings and in Amalds and Archer (2000).
The wealth of information introduced at the workshop could not be presented in a
single publieation. We, as editors assisted by inputs from an organizational committee,
were therefore faced with the task of dividing the papers into two volumes. The vol-
ume presented here contains a compilation of case studies of rangeland desertifícation
in the world. The other volume, titled Rangeland Desertifícation, and published by
Kluwer (Arnalds and Archer 2000), focuses on concepts and principles. It provides an
evaluation of thresholds, and non-linear change with respect to vegetation, hydrology,
nutrients and erosion. Socio-economic constraints and approaches for preventing and
reversing degradation are also examined.
This volume provides a current and unique documentation of rangeland desertifica-
tion in many countries and regions of the world. The preface by Ms. Vigdís Finnboga-
dóttir, former President of Iceland, conveys the urgency and importance of progres-
sive resource management. Thad Box’s chapter is a retrospective, yet forward-looking
examination of the world’s rangelands from a perspective that is uniquely philosophi-
cal, pragmatic, scientific and artistic. The outlook on desertification provided by the
ensuing case-study chapters is sobering, but many practical and potential solutions are
discussed. The world’s rangeland ecosystems have clearly changed. In some in-
stances, these transformations occurred long ago, as exemplified by China and the
Mediterranean Basin. In other instances, change has been more recent, as in Argentina
and New Zealand. A common thread throughout the case studies is the ever-increasing