Myth: 'Healthy ecosystems are green'

This episode of the REPAiR Podcast is the sixth in a series that explores myths about rangelands and the ideas behind them, and what alternative stories and ideas can be found. This time, we’re talking about the myth that ‘Healthy ecosystems are green’.This episode includes part of a recorded online discussion that took place on 17 June 2026. The event is introduced by Linda Pappagallo, coordinator of the Rangeland Myths initiative. Our guest speakers were Igshaan Samuels, Brahim El Guabli and Mmoto Masubelele, and the discussion was co-chaired by Jeremy Allouche and Linda Pappagallo.Igshaan Samuels is co-chair of the Global Coordinating Group of the UN-designated International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists in 2026. He is a specialist researcher on Rangeland Ecology and Pastoralism for the Agricultural Research Council in South Africa. Brahim El Guabli is Associate Professor of Arabic Studies and Comparative Literature at Williams College, USA, and author of the book ‘Desert Imaginations: A History of Saharanism and Its Radical Consequences’. Mmoto Masubelele (South Africa National Parks) is a plant ecologist and sustainability strategist dedicated to landscape restoration, climate resilience, and biodiversity monitoring.LinksRangeland Myths (REPAiR Project series)Myth: ‘Healthy ecosystems are green’ - think piece by Jeremy Allouche and Linda Pappagallo Podcast: Deserts, Saharanism and ‘green’ landscape myths - podcast episode with Brahim El Guabli and Linda Pappagallo International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit repairproject.substack.com