Recent political changes in South Africa have required a new approach to project management, one that includes community involvement at all levels of project planning, decision-making and execution. This paper describes the challenges encountered and the lessons learned during the development and execution of a project addressing rangeland degradation and rehabilitation in the Mier Rural Area, South Africa. Keywords: Mier rural area, Kalahari, South Africa, desertification, community involvement, rangeland degradation, rangeland rehabilitation.