Traditional Connect to Urban Foraging: Experiences from Bali, Indonesia

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs), especially wild edibles and medicinal plants, have always been of nutritional as well as cultural interest of people since time immemorial. Over the years, increasing urbanisation and migration of people from rural to urban settings have not deterred many in foraging wild plants for various purposes. In many urban settings, foraging is still influenced and inspired by traditions and cultural connection with nature. This chapter provides an overview of urban foraging experiences from Bali, Indonesia. Bali over the years has seen enhanced tourism interest, and global influx of tourists has also led to urbanisation and developmental pressure on the island. The local Balinese people still having rich traditional connect forage on different wild plants especially for traditional offerings, food preparations, medicinal purposes, etc. The chapter explores the impact of urbanisation, loss of green spaces, legal protection to green spaces along with motivation of urban residents for foraging for culture, and food and livelihood needs in fast-developing Bali using mixed methods. Foraging for wild leaves and flowers as a small-scale economic activity has specially supported marginalised women. It is observed that while urbanisation has led to loss of green spaces, depleting intergenerational connect can affect urban foraging in coming years. Social media influence seems to have attracted and generated interest among tourists for local traditional food preparations. This has enhanced curiosity for urban foraging, and the Covid-19 pandemic was important for local Balinese people to explore and realise the benefits of urban foraging. Urban foraging insights from Bali presented in this chapter are relevant for researchers working in the domain of urban foraging in Bali and elsewhere. Study will also be helpful for urban planners to protect remaining urban green spaces for strengthening nature-culture connections in fast-growing Bali.