Discourses of water: A framework for the study of environmental communication

Of the all the possible hurdles confronting the implementation of environmental policy, perhaps communication is paramount. This case has been made in a number of publications as well as anecdotally (Cantrill & Oravec, 1996; Jagtenberg & Mckie, 1997; Peterson, 1997). For that reason, it is imperative that those involved with environmental work, from researchers to policy makers to various stakeholders, understand the complex communication issues underlying all facets of environmental practice. This essay details research conducted in a Western Massachusetts watershed that was the focus of an intensive team effort to establish a watershed council in four communities. Distinctive ways of communication were examined across five communities. The findings from one community are detailed to demonstrate the method of inquiry and to suggest a way to examine how aspects of the natural environment function communicatively.