As the global community prepares to mark World Nature Conservation Day (and World Hepatitis Day too) on July 28, a forward-looking editorial by Andrea Pieroni, Mousaab Alrhmoun, and Naji Sulaiman offers a timely and critical reflection on the future of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine. Titled “Plural and Commoning? Forecasting Four Scenarios for Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine by 2035”, the piece explores how local ecological knowledge systems—long central to both environmental stewardship and community health—may evolve amid accelerating global change. The editorial’s insights are particularly resonant on a day that celebrates both biodiversity and human health.
Four Scenarios for the Evolution of Ethnobiology
Indigenous Ecologies and Agroecology
In select regions of the Global South, local ecological knowledge will remain integral to domestic healthcare strategies, food sovereignty, and ecological resilience. Ethnobiologists are called to act as co-creators in transdisciplinary platforms, supporting grassroots revitalization efforts. However, these systems face mounting threats from climate change, land degradation, and youth outmigration.
Digital Documentation and Memory Ethnosciences
As local ecological knowledge becomes increasingly fragmented in post-traditional societies, ethnobiology may pivot toward digital archiving and the study of cultural memory. This scenario emphasizes the affective dimensions of knowledge loss and the emergence of “local ecological knowledge nostalgia” as a research focus.
Post-Traditional, Cosmopolitan Hybridities
Urban ethnobiology will expand through migrant-led practices, DIY herbalism, and digital wellness cultures. While these hybrid forms offer new avenues for engagement, they also raise concerns about epistemic dilution and the commodification of traditional knowledge.
Big Data and Molecular Techno-Ethnobiology
AI and omics technologies will enable large-scale analysis of ethnobotanical data, integrating LEK into pharmacological and nutraceutical R&D pipelines. This scenario highlights both the promise of innovation and the ethical challenges of data sovereignty, benefit-sharing, and digital bio-neocolonialism.
A Call for Reflexivity and Reconnection
The authors conclude with a call to regenerate embodied, experiential learning with nature—a foundational step toward revitalizing ethnobiology as a discipline that is not only scientifically rigorous but also socially and ecologically grounded.