New ruralities and their relationship to wild and domesticated biodiversity: reflections from tuscan local sheep herds

In the Tuscany region of Italy, a field study was conducted with breeders of two endangered autochthonous sheep breeds – Zerasca and Pomarancina – traditionally raised for meat and belonging to the Apennine lineage. The research aimed to document and analyze local knowledge related to animal health management, with a particular focus on the use of medicinal plants in ethnoveterinary practices. Particular attention was given to gender dynamics within farming styles, revealing differentiated associations between farming activities, livestock diversity, and sociopolitical engagement, especially among women breeders. Grounded in the theoretical framework of “farming style,” which encompasses the cultural, technical, and ecological dimensions of rural production systems, the study revealed a gradual abandonment of traditional hytotherapeutic knowledge, characterizing a process of “extinction of experience.” Women, especially among Zerasca breeders, emerged as central agents in biodiversity conservation and in the sociopolitical articulation of rural territories. Concurrently, the resurgence of wolf (Canis lupus italicus) predation was identified as a major source of conflict, reported by approximately 75% of the participants, leading to changes in herd management strategies and increased production costs. The frequent circulation of rumors concerning the alleged intentional reintroduction of wolves was interpreted as a form of “folk social science,” reflecting culturally embedded resistance to dominant environmental discourses. The study argues that integrating ethnobiological approaches, gender analysis, and the scientific examination of rumors offers a comprehensive framework for understanding contemporary transformations in pastoral systems and for mediating emerging socio-ecological conflicts.