The town of Lewes, located in the East Sussex region of England, has become the first city to officially grant rights to its trees following the adoption of a “Tree Charter” by the town council. This measure, unanimously approved by the Lewes Town Council on Thursday, officially recognizes the “intrinsic value” of all local trees, hedgerows, and woodlands.
“Elchi” reports that the decision states the city’s vegetation has the right to “thrive and maintain its natural life cycles, ecological functions, and evolutionary processes.”
While individual trees, such as those along Britain’s waterways or the ancient yew tree in the neighboring Rother district, have previously been granted local legal declarations, this decision constitutes the first city-wide protection framework for all trees in the area.
International “Rights of Nature” Movement
Globally, this decision aligns Lewes with the growing international “rights of nature” movement, joining countries like Bolivia, Panama, and New Zealand, which have adopted national laws granting legal personhood to forests and rivers.
For environmental activists, this decision comes at a time when woodland areas had to be closed earlier this month due to fires.
Lewes Town Council member Matthew Bird, commenting on the potential impact of the policy, noted that trees in Lewes play a vital role in the city’s character and local ecology.
Council member Dina Morgan, who proposed the motion early last year, expressed hope that the approach of viewing trees merely as passive resources will finally pave the way for a “partnership” with trees to protect and improve the environment. Although critics note that the charter does not grant new legal powers or establish mandatory laws, Council member Morgan hopes it will trigger a “cultural shift” in the management of the local environment.
This initiative also aims to give local authorities and residents more influence over construction projects and applications regarding the felling of trees.
Following the extreme heatwaves observed this summer, the initiative also seeks to raise public awareness about the vital ecological roles of the urban tree canopy, such as flood prevention, air purification, and carbon sequestration.
Lewes distinguishes itself as one of only two internationally officially accredited “arboretum cities” and possesses a diverse, protected, and well-managed tree stock. Local environmental groups are collaborating with neighboring local authorities in the River Ouse basin to adopt similar “rights of nature” frameworks.
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