Changing Community Attitudes

This paper argues the case for participative ecodesign as a means of conducting future rangeland research and development in Australia. To embark on this path it will be necessary for the rangeland science community to critically question traditions and myths which shape current practices. These include current concepts of extension, technology transfer, community and human communication. Research has shown that attitudes of rangeland decisions makers are rarely a constraint to dealing with issues of land degradation and management and technology adoption. Attempts to change attitudes are likely to be of little value. A recognition of the unequal power relations implicit in traditional practice is a necessary precondition for the emergence of participative processes which reverse the history of subjection of grazier knowledge and values by institutionalised authority. [Author's abstract].