The ecological crisis is accelerating: watersheds vanish under development, ecosystems collapse under the weight of exploitation, and our communities are paying the price. Yet, under current laws, nature has no voice to fight back.
Environmental regulations often permit harm rather than prevent it, treating rivers and wetlands as resources to be managed, not living systems to be protected. The system isn’t broken—it was built to prioritize profit over preservation, leaving nature defenseless.
At Standing for Nature, we’re changing that with a transformative solution: legal standing for nature. By granting rivers and watersheds the right to be represented in court, we empower communities to act as guardians, holding polluters, developers, and regulators accountable. We’re focused on rivers and watersheds because they are the lifeblood of ecosystems and communities—and they’re under relentless threat.
This isn’t symbolic—it’s a powerful tool to protect clean water, biodiversity, and climate resilience.
Because if nature can’t speak for itself, we’ll stand up and speak for it.
On November 5, 2024, Everett voters made history by passing Initiative 24-03 with 57% support, granting the Snohomish River Watershed legal standing to protect its right to exist, flourish, and regenerate. This groundbreaking Municipal Ordinance Chapter 20.12 empowers any Everett resident to act as a guardian for the watershed, taking polluters and developers to court when they harm clean water, biodiversity, and community health.
But democracy is under attack. Within weeks of passage, the Master Builders Association and allied developers filed a lawsuit to overturn the people’s will, backed by over $23 million in corporate funding. They’re trying to silence voters and strip away the watershed’s legal voice.
Standing for Nature is fighting back in court. We’re defending Initiative 24-03 because this case will determine whether communities can democratically protect their environments—or remain powerless against corporate exploitation. The outcome could set a precedent for watershed protection across the nation.
Standing for Nature has intervened in the lawsuit filed by the Master Builders Association and other developer interests against Everett Initiative 24-03, taking on the primary role of defending this groundbreaking law in court. As the legal battle intensifies, we are preparing our response to the Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary…
In a bold move to protect the environment, the political action committee Standing for Washington has launched a signature-gathering campaign for a local rights of nature initiative. This initiative seeks to grant legal standing to the Snohomish River watershed, allowing it to be defended in court if harmed or damaged.
In a thought-provoking article from The Guardian, the question of whether plants should be granted rights is explored in light of recent botanical breakthroughs. The piece delves into the fascinating world of plant behavior research, revealing that plants are far more complex and capable than we’ve traditionally believed.