Islands of hope in the Sahel: farmer-managed grazing exclusions restore biodiversity and boost livelihoods

Abstract

Global restoration initiatives to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation often remain fragmented, limiting opportunities for synergistic outcomes. Cost-effective bottom-up approaches, such as participatory community-led natural regeneration, have substantial potential but are often overlooked, hindering their wider implementation. In drylands such as the Sahel, where more than half of rangelands are degraded, restoration is urgently needed yet remains understudied. We evaluated a participatory model based on farmer-managed grazing exclusions ({approx}3 ha each) established by local communities in Burkina Faso. Using paired comparisons of 54 exclusions and adjacent controls, we combined vegetation and bird surveys with socioeconomic interviews to quantify ecological recovery and livelihood impacts. Grazing exclusions substantially enhanced biodiversity, with tree richness and abundance 122% and 362% higher, respectively, and bird richness 20% higher than controls. Carbon sequestration increased by 18%, vegetation productivity by 43.9% and ecosystem services multifunctionality by 282%. Farming households managing exclusions reported more than double the annual income of those without (+115.2%), with 28.5% of economic gains directly attributable to harvested natural products derived from ecosystem services provided by restored vegetation. Grazing exclusions increased household income both directly and indirectly through their effects on tree richness and ecosystem services multifunctionality. These findings demonstrate that community-led natural regeneration through small-scale grazing exclusions is a cost-effective, multifunctional nature-based solution that simultaneously restores biodiversity, enhances ecosystem services, and supports livelihoods. Scaling this approach could substantially advance global biodiversity, climate, and sustainable development goals, but will require governance and financing mechanisms that recognize the value of bottom-up initiatives. Significance StatementDryland ecosystems such as the Sahel are among the most extensive and degraded landscapes on Earth, yet they remain underrepresented in global restoration efforts. We show that farmer-managed grazing exclusions - small areas where livestock are excluded to allow natural regeneration of the vegetation - can simultaneously restore biodiversity, enhance ecosystem services, and double household income. This bottom-up, community-led approach delivers synergistic outcomes, highlighting the power of natural regeneration as a cost-effective restoration strategy. By linking ecological recovery with tangible livelihood benefits, grazing exclusions offer a scalable model that advances global biodiversity, climate, and development goals. Supporting such locally grounded initiatives will be essential for building resilient and equitable landscapes worldwide.