Semiotics of Silent Lakes. Sigurd Olson and the Interlacing of Writing, Policy and Planning

Through the analysis of the semiotics of place, history and self in the writings of Sigurd Olson (1899–1982), a reflection on his impact on American conservation and a development of his ideas towards a practicable approach to environmental policy, planning and design, we revisit the importance of narrative for these disciplines. Writing enabled Olson to discover meaning in nature and in life, to create an audience that could help in conservation and to develop ideas for environmental policy and planning that can still be relevant. Olson's investigations and his biography offer insights in the enabling and limiting effects of narrative dynamics on attempts to care for the environment.