Rangelands worldwide are being transformed by the encroachment of woody plants. This encroachment, which is fundamentally altering landscapes, can be traced to a variety of factors including historic overgrazing, reduction in the extent and frequency of fires, and increases in CO2. On one hand, woody plant encroachment poses a serious problem for society by threatening the agricultural productivity of rangelands and the ecosystem services they provide. On the other hand, we know that woody plants have a greater capacity than grasses to store carbon, thereby making them a potentially important vehicle for carbon sequestration and the mitigation of climate change. In the Southern Great Plains of the United States, these conflicting aspects present a dilemma regarding the future use and management of rangelands, with far-reaching consequences for society and the global environment. The dilemma potentially divides those for whom agricultural productivity is paramount from those whose priority is to diminish global warming. Other transformational social and ecological challenges are also exerting pressure on these landscapes, ranging from land fragmentation and invasive species to the economic values of wildlife and carbon sequestration that may compete with traditional agricultural livestock production. It will be critically important for landowners and agricultural producers to understand the full range of options for optimal rangeland management within the context of a changing climate. It is likely that producers will soon face new choices between reclaiming rangelands where woody plants have already overrun the landscape (i.e., restoration), inhibiting encroachment in those regions where it is less advanced (i.e., persistence), and allowing encroachment as part of a carbon credit program (i.e., transformation). Adaptive capacity will be enhanced by helping producers and other landowners understand the potential consequences of each trajectory. This session will bring together the expertise of ecologists, social scientists, and economists from throughout the region to provide broad and integrative perspectives on ecological, economic, socio-political, as well as extension, outreach and education issues pertinent to rangeland sustainability in the context of climate change.