Impacts of Industrialization on Foraging in Peri-Urban Areas : Insights from Padua, NE Italy
Souviney, Micol Masiero (University of Gastronomic Sciences)
Mattalia, Giulia (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals)
Pieroni, Andrea (University of Gastronomic Sciences)

Date:	2024
Abstract:	Western European societies, ecologies, and economies were significantly impacted by industrialization after WWII. Steadily increasing urbanization and the abandonment of traditional agricultural activities led to a rapid erosion of local environmental knowledge (LEK). We conducted 40 semi-structured interviews in Padua, one of the most industrialized areas of Italy, to identify changes and drivers of change in plant foraging. We documented the use of 56 plant, fungal, and animal taxa, including the most foraged Humulus lupulus, Silene vulgaris, and Papaver rhoeas. These are mainly prepared in risottos, frittatas, and boiled mixtures. During their lifetime, 68% of the interviewees redirected their foraging area, 25% completely abandoned their foraging practice, and 7% abandoned foraging but resumed it after retirement. Changes in the foraging area and foraging abandonment were mainly driven by increased pollution and lack of land accessibility, as well as partially related lifestyle changes and (micro)climate change. In the face of such changes and with the aim of re-establishing the connection between peri-urban communities and their land, some local committees are struggling to take back the unused spaces of the industrial area and prevent future loss of land accessibility and consequent loss of LEK.
Note:	Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UAB
Note:	Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-M
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Local ecological knowledge (LEK) ; Generational transmission of LEK ; Foraging ; Urban ethnobotany ; Ethnobiology ; Wild foods ; Industrialization ; Padua ; Northeast Italy
Published in:	Human ecology (Dordrecht), Vol. 52 (June 2024) , p. 653-665, ISSN 1572-9915

DOI: 10.1007/s10745-024-00513-5

13 p, 4.4 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles