Two leading women from Western Australia’s Southern Rangelands, Debbie Dowden and Alys McKeough, recently attended the XII International Rangeland Congress in Adelaide (2–6 June 2025), supported by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub. Through an expression of interest process, the Hub provided sponsored tickets to pastoral leaders committed to advancing climate and drought resilience in rangeland systems.
Held every four years, the Congress brings together global leaders in rangeland science, policy and practice. This year’s event welcomed over 700 delegates from 48 countries, offering an unparalleled opportunity to learn from and connect with the global rangelands community.
Debbie Dowden, Chair of the WA organising committee for the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026, described the Congress as “an inspiring pool of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm”. She coordinated the Women in Rangelands session, working with pastoralists from around the world to showcase women’s vital roles in sustainable land stewardship: “We share many common concerns, from health and education to the challenges of climate change. Empowering women leads to healthier, more resilient rangelands globally.” Debbie also joined the Australian Pastoralists Panel, sharing insights on WA’s vast outback landscapes, carbon projects and Indigenous Ranger programs, and emphasised that while rangelands cover half the world’s land surface, they still struggle for recognition in global policy: “After decades of working in isolation, it was comforting to see we are not alone, and that global advocacy is growing.”
Alys McKeough, Chair of Southern Rangelands Pastoral Alliance (SRPA) and a 2023/2024 Nuffield Scholar, said the Congress highlighted how deeply connected rangeland communities are despite vast distances: “It was incredible to meet likeminded people from across the world who share a genuine love for rangelands. We might come from different production systems, but we face similar challenges.” Alys returned with practical ideas, from grazing as a rehabilitation tool to new global monitoring and digital tools for managing land and carbon. She’s already exploring how these learnings can be applied on WA’s pastoral properties.
Both women agreed the Congress strengthened WA’s national and global networks and reinforced the need to keep rangelands firmly on the climate and sustainability agenda.
