Australia may need to retire farmland to avoid ecological collapse: study

CANBERRA, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Australia may need to overhaul its rural landscape, including retiring farmland and restoring vegetation, to avoid ecological collapse, a new study suggests.

The study argues that restoring at least 30 percent of landscapes to functioning natural systems is the bare minimum needed to stabilize biodiversity, according to a release of Australia's Adelaide University on Wednesday.

Researchers found that parts of the state of South Australia (SA) fall well short of an internationally agreed goal to return 30 percent of land to nature, a benchmark endorsed globally in 2022 and considered critical to preventing ecosystem collapse.

Native vegetation has been reduced to minimal levels in some areas, with SA's Copper Coast retaining only 3.6 percent, the study found, meaning large areas, including some productive farmland, would need to be returned to native ecosystems to reach the target.

Peter Martin, a recent Adelaide University environmental science graduate, said achieving this would require "major land use change at a district scale," shifting from traditional "wheat-sheep" farming systems to more diverse landscapes incorporating native ecosystems.

"The region might generate slightly less agricultural produce, but social and health science suggests that a more natural and diverse landscape can significantly improve human health and mental wellbeing," said Martin, who conducted the study in 2025.

Martin identified community acceptance as the main barrier, noting changes would need to occur over decades with "sustained government and community support."

Climate change is expected to intensify the challenge, with rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns likely to render some current farming areas unviable, strengthening the case for alternative land uses. Enditem