Natural history in the Anthropocene

Numerous ecologists have recently affirmed the vital role of field-based natural history for maintaining first-hand experience and knowledge of nature. These accounts are problematic, however, because they equate natural history with scientific study and assume a relatively stable Holocene context. The Anthropocene jettisons these and other assumptions about who naturalists are, the context in which they operate, and what they bring to society. In response, we synthesize and extend prior arguments to propose six ways for naturalists to adapt to an Anthropocene context: expanding the nature studied; questioning assumptions about data collection; consciously engaging with emotions; ensuring justice, equity, and diversity; critically navigating new technologies; and enlarging the ethical envelope. Through these practices, a sizable community of naturalists may emerge with a distinctive role in drawing attention to nature in peril.