{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,3]],"date-time":"2026-08-03T16:27:32Z","timestamp":1785774452293,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"22","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]],"date-time":"2025-11-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1763078400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Plants"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Although younger generations are not always given a prominent role in ethnobotanical surveys, studying intergenerational knowledge transfer should still be a primary interest, in the context of traditions\u2019 erosion, globalization, disinterest and plant blindness. Our study was designed to describe the situation of knowledge transfer and to find potential solutions to counteract erosion by involving the children. This ethnobotanical survey involved students from primary and secondary schools of Valle Imagna (Bergamo, Italy) through different meetings and structured questionnaires to record their traditional knowledge on medicinal plants. The children were then asked to become an active part of the project by interviewing their families. All data recorded were archived in a database for statistical analysis. Students (number = 112) reported 41 plant species, with 36% reporting at least 3 species each. Forty percent of their use reports were related to exotic species or purchased plant material. The most reported species were Matricaria chamomilla L. and Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze with common preparations such as infusions from commercial products. Parents (n = 96) reported 76 species and grandparents (n = 35) 52. Statistical analysis showed correlation between traditional knowledge and age\/gender, with older generations and female gender correlated to deeper knowledge. Our results suggest deep erosion and a clear lack of intergenerational knowledge transfer. However, our project serves as evidence of the concrete role ethnobotany holds in safeguarding the remaining cultural heritage of a territory, fostering preservation from the outset with the participation of younger generations.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/plants14223477","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]],"date-time":"2025-11-14T14:37:52Z","timestamp":1763131072000},"page":"3477","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Counteracting Traditional Knowledge Erosion: An Ethnobotanical Survey in Valle Imagna (Bergamo, Italy) to Foster Intergenerational Transfer"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7872-8320","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fabrizia","family":"Milani","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy"},{"name":"Botanical Garden G.E. Ghirardi, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Via Religione 25, 25088 Toscolano Maderno, Brescia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6794-5864","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Martina","family":"Bottoni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy"},{"name":"Botanical Garden G.E. Ghirardi, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Via Religione 25, 25088 Toscolano Maderno, Brescia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alessia","family":"Maiellaro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy"},{"name":"Botanical Garden G.E. Ghirardi, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Via Religione 25, 25088 Toscolano Maderno, Brescia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5495-6695","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alfonso","family":"Crisci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of BioEconomy, National Research Council (CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1551-2626","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Piero","family":"Bruschi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Agricultural, Environmental, Food and Forestry Science and Technology, University of Florence, Piazzale delle Cascine 18, 50144 Florence, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3113-8112","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Claudia","family":"Giuliani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy"},{"name":"Botanical Garden G.E. Ghirardi, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Via Religione 25, 25088 Toscolano Maderno, Brescia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0179-3383","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gelsomina","family":"Fico","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy"},{"name":"Botanical Garden G.E. Ghirardi, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Via Religione 25, 25088 Toscolano Maderno, Brescia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Porcher, V., Carri\u00e8re, S.M., Gallois, S., Randriambanona, H., Rafidison, V.M., and Reyes-Garc\u00eda, V. (2022). 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