Beyond hero and villain narratives in ecology and conservation science

Storytelling is an essential part of science writing. To craft compelling stories, scientists are taught to think of their variables as characters. A common narrative tool within ecology and conservation writing is the hero-villain trope, where a heroic protagonist faces off against an antagonistic villain. Although it is an evocative structure, we argue that this narrative structure inherently assigns moral blame to the "villains," oversimplifies complex ecological interactions and processes, and embeds subjective values into the narrative. We then provide several solutions, including ways to deploy the hero-villain trope correctly and effectively, as well as other narrative tools that can be used in ecology and conservation writing. In fostering a more intentional approach to narrative construction, we aim to elevate the stories we tell about the natural world.