From Tradition to the Digital Age: The Evolution of Foraging in Slovenia

Abstract Wild plant foraging has experienced a resurgence in Slovenia, with foraging educators—namely individuals who organize workshops, courses, or similar activities about foraging—playing a crucial role in knowledge transfer and community building. This study explores how foraging knowledge is obtained, shared, and shaped by foraging educators. We conducted semi-structured interviews via Zoom with 31 Slovenian foraging educators between June and August 2024. Our findings indicate that Slovenian foraging knowledge is increasingly transmitted among people of the same or different generations not belonging to the same family, rather than through traditional intergenerational methods. There is great diversity in the activities offered by the foraging educators, with an increasing number of online activities. Social media platforms, particularly Facebook, play a vital role in the promotion of foragers and their events, though educators remain skeptical of their reliability as a source of botanical knowledge. Emerging events such as the Festival of Foraging and FesDivjal have an important impact on the evolving foraging community, providing the foragers a sense of belonging and promoting important messages related to conservation. This study highlights the evolving nature of foraging in Slovenia, stressing the role of digital platforms in shaping knowledge exchange. It underscores the importance of conservation-oriented education in combating plant blindness and fostering environmental stewardship.