The Biella paradox: the resilience of plantforaging in a post-industrial pre-alpine areaof Northern Italy

Background This study explores the continuity and transformation of wild plant foraging practices in Biella,Piedmont (northwestern Italy), over the past 55 years. The aim was to assess how cultural, economic, andenvironmental shifts have shaped local ethnobotanical knowledge and practices, using a 1970 survey as a baseline forcomparison. Ethnobotanical fieldwork was conducted with 15 local informants to document current wild plant usesfor food and herbal teas.Results The resulting dataset of 82 species was compared with a historical record of 93 species to identify patterns ofcontinuity, loss, and innovation. Three main patterns emerged: (1) the disappearance of certain traditionally foragedplants, not due to ecological absence but largely because of socio-economic changes like the decline of pastoralismand the loss of daily interaction with mountain environments (2) the emergence of new foraging practices involvingspecies that grow near settlements, linked to evolving lifestyles and land use; and (3) a relatively robust preservationof traditional ecological knowledge when compared to other Alpine areas. This resilience is attributed to the area’sgeographic marginality, the socio-economic aftermath of the textile industry’s collapse, and the strength of localtraditions such as home gardening and communal land use.Conclusion Wild plant foraging remains a living tradition in Biella, marked by both persistence and adaptation. Thefindings underscore the dynamic nature of ethnobotanical knowledge and its potential role in sustainability, foodsecurity, and cultural heritage preservation amid rural and peri-urban change.