It’s time to assign nonforested, nonagricultural lands a global designation

Earth’s land cover consists of forests, agricultural land, urban settlements, and a large, heterogeneous category that includes deserts, grasslands, savannas, shrublands and tundra. This heterogeneous category has eluded a collective designation comparable to that of forests, which has contributed to its omission from multilateral programs and critical global initiatives. Potential designations for this land category—drylands, grasslands, grassy biomes, open ecosystems and rangelands—were evaluated for their relative advantages and disadvantages. Grassy biome is recommended as the most appropriate designation because it conveys a meaning that is distinct from forests, emphasizes that grasses often coexist with other plant growth forms. We respectfully urge multilateral organizations and partner nations to adopt ‘grassy biomes’ as a formal designation for this land category. The grassy biome designation would provide a more ecologically accurate distinction from forests than the one which is currently utilized.