The people who live in Australia’s rangelands are vital for maintaining natural systems, agricultural production, infrastructure for tourism and many services and products which benefit the nation. However, the number of people living within many rangeland regions is declining, services are being withdrawn and resilience undermined. Social capital is an important concept within the resilience literature. Bonding social capital is based strong ties within relatively homogenous local groups, bridging social capital is based on ties between more diverse local groups and linking social capital is based on ties between local and external groups. Within the rangelands, there are often strong bonding and bridging social capitals based on internal social and formal connections, but gaps in linking social capital due to weak or imbalanced connections with external groups and organisations. There is evidence that all three social capitals are needed for regional resilience, and the gap in linking is thus a key issue. People who live outside the rangelands can help rebuild this resilience by linking their skills, knowledge and expertise with local groups and communities. Many city-based scientists, policy makers, influencers and other professionals work in and have empathy for the rangelands. By connecting meaningfully with local groups such as Landcare, service clubs, philanthropic groups or Indigenous Rangers, they would find many benefits to their own endeavours through improved policies, knowledge and service delivery. Central-western Queensland is provided as an example where many such mutual benefits and networks already exist, offering pathways for linking local residents with external experts. Current platforms offer opportunities for a greater range of external academic institutions and organisations to engage with locals, with everyone standing to gain.

居住在澳大利亚牧场中的人们对于维护自然系统，农业生产，旅游业的基础设施以及许多有益于国家的服务和产品至关重要。但是，生活在许多牧场地区的人数正在减少，服务被撤消，抵御力下降。社会资本是弹性文献中的重要概念。结合社会资本是在相对同质的本地群体之间建立牢固的联系，桥接社会资本是基于更多样化的本地群体之间的联系，而将社会资本联系起来则是基于本地和外部群体之间的联系。在牧场中，基于内部的社会和正式联系，社会资本之间经常存在牢固的联系和桥梁，但是由于与外部团体和组织之间的联系薄弱或不平衡，在连接社会资本方面存在差距。有证据表明，所有三个社会资本都需要区域复原力，因此，联系方面的差距是一个关键问题。通过将他们的技能，知识和专长与当地团体和社区联系起来，居住在牧场以外的人们可以帮助重建这种抵御能力。许多以城市为基地的科学家，政策制定者，影响者和其他专业人士在牧场工作，并对牧场感到同情。通过与诸如Landcare，服务俱乐部，慈善团体或土著护林员等本地团体建立有意义的联系，他们将通过改进政策，知识和服务提供而从自己的努力中受益。昆士兰州中西部地区就是一个例子，说明已经有许多这样的互惠互利和人际网络，为联系当地居民和外部专家提供了途径。当前的平台为更多的外部学术机构和组织提供了与当地人互动的机会，每个人都有所收获。