March 27, 2026
Sometimes, when we look at the way science is communicated today, it is hard not to feel that something subtle has shifted. Scientific writing has become incredibly precise, careful, structured, and methodical. These are qualities that are essential for rigour, but that can also create distance. Many of us working in or alongside research have felt it: the sense that in our effort to avoid ambiguity, we may have lost some warmth, some humanity, and some of the very tools that once helped people truly connect with new ideas.
Technical communication is not wrong, far from it. But as the challenges we are facing become more complex and more urgent, particularly in climate adaptation, there is a growing recognition that data alone does not always move people. Facts inform, but stories resonate. Stories help us understand why something matters, not just what it is. And for those making decisions under uncertainty, stories can provide the reassurance that someone, somewhere, has walked this path before.
A new NESP Climate Systems Hub study led by CSIRO’s Jess Melbourne-Thomas and colleagues, published in Environmental Conservation, explores exactly this: the value of stories in helping biodiversity conservation practitioners navigate climate adaptation. The team surveyed 80 people working across the conservation sector in Australia, including managers, fieldworkers, policymakers, volunteers, researchers, with many of these juggling more than one role at a time. Their answers reinforced what many in the field have felt intuitively: stories are not just nice to have. They are essential.
One of the strongest themes to emerge from the research is just how great the appetite is for accessible, credible examples of adaptation in practice. Conservation practitioners are operating in rapidly shifting conditions, often with tight budgets and incomplete information. For them, stories help illuminate what is possible: the practical realities of trying something new, the challenges faced along the way, and the good or bad outcomes that resulted. The study found a “large and unmet appetite” for such stories across the sector.
Importantly, respondents were not looking for a single perfect format. Short summaries, visual media, videos, games, detailed case studies are all valued. The diversity of roles in the conservation sector means people absorb information differently depending on the task at hand. Some need a quick scan; others need to dive deep. This is why the idea of a “browse and delve” approach resonated so strongly: short, searchable overviews linked to more detailed information as needed.
Another striking finding was the appetite for stories that include both success and failure. About 90% of respondents said examples of unsuccessful interventions were useful, a reminder that in climate adaptation, learning what does not work is just as important as learning what does. These stories help practitioners manage risk, build confidence in their decisions, and avoid repeating costly missteps.
Trust also emerged as a critical element. Practitioners want stories backed by credible evidence, supported by links to primary sources, and grounded in real outcomes. These are not just for personal learning, they are often used to communicate externally, helping teams explain approaches to communities, stakeholders, and decision-makers. In this way, stories become tools for building social licence, not just knowledge.
Respondents also highlighted the importance of stories that inspire and those that spark new ideas or open up possibilities people had not yet considered. Many said stories give them hope, which is no small thing in a field defined by uncertainty and ecological change.
Finally, there was a clear call for more Indigenous-led stories. While examples of collaboration exist, participants emphasised the need for narratives that centre Indigenous leadership, local knowledge and community benefit.
This study reminds us that stories are not just embellishments to scientific work; they are pathways into it. They help people learn, communicate, imagine, and make decisions. And perhaps, as we navigate the complexities of climate change, stories can help reconnect scientific practice with the very human need to understand our place in the world and how we can shape its future.
This work came from CS2.7 > Climate-effective management for threatened species and protected places – NESP 2 climate
