For 20 years, the Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (JEET) has been advancing the field of ethnobiological sciences through groundbreaking articles that shed light on the inextricable links between human societies and nature, food, and health. While pioneering a diverse, innovative forum for global research on local and indigenous ecological knowledge, the JEET has amplified the role of ethnobiology in advancing research that supports global themes and trends, such as ecological transition, sustainability, urban transformations, and citizen science.
To celebrate all of this, the JEET Editors have launched an anniversary article collection and created an infographic, which is available here and also below. While the selection of research and key facts in the collection and infographic is only a limited sample of the many JEET highlights, these new assets aim to celebrate and thank the outstanding community of scientists and experts who have been building this journal tirelessly over the past 20 years, and to demonstrate the lasting impact of their work on developments in the field.
How an emerging field ‘at the fringe’ 20 years ago is influencing science and society today
Ethnobiology, Ethnomedicine and Ethnoecology used to be niche research fields 20+ years ago. Back in 2005, BMC believed in the pioneering and innovative project aimed at filling a gap in the field. Fast forward 20 years, and this research field is now influencing profoundly several arenas in research, society, and policy. Indigenous/Traditional Knowledge (IK/TK) is nowadays a pillar of the:
- Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
- UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
- International Labour Organization (ILO)
- UNESCO Intangible Heritage Convention
Furthermore, the European Research Council has funded 6 large research projects around Community-centred management of natural resources (ethnoecology), over the past few years.
Other ways ethno-bio-medical sciences influence global science and society include:
- Indigenous/Traditional Knowledge (IK/TK) informs small-scale entrepreneurial initiatives focusing on the sustainability of food chains and local handicrafts
- Citizen science frameworks and projects are largely based on frameworks developed in ethnobiology and ethnomedicine
- Strategies devoted to integrating traditional medicine into complementary and alternative medicine.
Journal key facts
92 Editorial Board Members, one third from the Global South
- 1st quartile for Biodiversity Conservation in Clarivate Journal Citation Reports
- 1st quartile for Plant Sciences in Scopus
- 108 articles published in 2024
- Submission to acceptance (median) in 2023: 60 days
- Downloads 2024: 1,370,000+
Stay tuned for more exciting blog posts published throughout 2025 on the Springer Nature Communities website, celebrating this great milestone for the journal.