The 47th Annual Conference of the Society of Ethnobiology at the University of the South, May 20–23, 2026
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2026 Sessions
Session Type:
Oral
Session Organizer(s)/Chair(s):
Armando Medinaceli
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Session Type:
Roundtable
Session Organizer(s)/Chair(s):
SREELEKHA K
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The sacred groves are patches of land that preserved due to their cultural and religious affiliations. In the state of Kerala as in many other parts of India and across the world, sacred groves are also home to water bodies which are preserved in their pristine form due to belief systems. The Palliyane sacred grove in Vadanappily, Thrissur is home to 3 ponds which add to the wealth of flora and fauna in the 2.17 acre of land. The story goes that even when the family that owns the sacred grove had not laid claim to the land, the locals were still respectful of the well in the premise and were engaged in protecting and preserving it. The belief that a well in the sacred grove is as sacred as the grove itself and should not be defiled.
The water bodies present in the sacred groves are testimonials of the role of faith in ecological restoration. The round table examines various sacred groves in India and how cultural norms dictate their conservation adding to ecological wealth of the place.
Session Type:
Oral
Session Organizer(s)/Chair(s):
Jonathan Dombrosky
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Additional Organizers: Martin Welker, Arizona State Museum
Humans, plants, and animals have co-existed and impacted one another for millennia. Archaeology provides a distinct view of the entangled histories of people, animals, plants, and ecosystems over long timescales offering insights into these relationships and the effects of co-existence. This session explores how zooarchaeological and paleoethnobotanical data illuminate biocultural diversity across many different environments, from waterscapes to landscapes. We invite papers that explore how human-environment interactions reveal enduring patterns of biocultural diversity, adaptation, and resilience.
Session Type:
Oral
Session Organizer(s)/Chair(s):
Daniela Shebitz
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Additional Organizers: Steve Wolverton
This session convenes researchers working with Indigenous, local, and other community partners to conserve culturally significant species and ecologically or culturally meaningful places. Presentations will explore collaborative approaches to understanding place-based relationships and developing strategies for restoration and conservation.
Session Type:
Oral
Session Organizer(s)/Chair(s):
Steve Wolverton
Session Type:
Roundtable
Session Organizer(s)/Chair(s):
Maria Bruno
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Additional Organizers: Cynthia Fowler, Wofford College
This roundtable is aimed at helping early scholars transform a thesis/research paper into a peer-reviewed publication such as a journal article or book chapter. Perhaps the research has been presented as a conference paper or poster, this roundtable will work through the next steps towards developing it further. Participants are welcome to come with works in progress or simply looking to get started with questions. We will also share guidelines and suggestions for submitting to the Society of Ethnobiology publications including Ethnobiology Letters and Journal of Ethnobiology.
Session Type:
Oral
Session Organizer(s)/Chair(s):
Ashley Morgan
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Additional Organizers: Deb Miller
This session explores the One Health framework within ethnobiology, emphasizing the interconnection of plants, animals, humans, and their shared environment. One Health recognizes that the health of each is intricately intertwined with the others, shaped by ecological relationships, cultural practices, and environmental change.
Ethnobiology offers a critical foundation for this approach by centering diverse knowledge systems and lived experiences. Research in this space is inherently interdisciplinary, advancing shared goals among diverse stakeholder groups, including scientists, community members, land stewards, and policy-makers.
Presentations will examine not only shared natural resources, such as water, wildlife, and plant systems, but also the shared responsibility for their stewardship. This session highlights the importance of maintaining ecosystem health as both a scientific and ethical endeavor, encouraging dialogue across disciplines and knowledge traditions to support more holistic and inclusive approaches to health.