Narrative ecology: a storied approach to area, place, and ecosystem

Abstract This article proposes a new theoretical framework for narrative ecology , drawing from ecolinguistics, econarrative, and previous uses of the term in the literature. Unlike some formulations which treat ecology metaphorically, the framework treats narratives as a literal part of information flows that are intrinsic to ecosystems. If the howls of monkeys communicating information about predators are ecologically significant in the information flows of ecosystems, then so too are narratives that influence how humans conceptualise the world and treat it. The article attempts a consilience between narrative theory and ecological science, resulting in a transdisciplinary approach to the ecosystems that life depends on. The aim is not only to study these ecosystems, but also to intervene in the narrative ecology in order to protect them and help them regenerate. The theoretical framework has implications for how area and place are conceptualised. While area is usually considered to be a space defined by a boundary, place is an area that is experienced by humans and given meaning. Within the narrative ecology proposed in this article, a place can be seen as the material area plus the local and global flows of narratives which give it meaning. The conclusion describes a hypothetical ecologist who discovers that the ecosystem of a river has been disturbed by eutrophication. The ecologist traces back the cause firstly to a sewage treatment works and then to the metanarratives of privatisation that led to vast numbers of sewage spills in the United Kingdom. Finally, the hypothetical ecologist looks for inspirational narratives that can represent rivers in ways that promote their legal protection.