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Quebec Town Recognizes Rights of Trees

A town of 2,000 west of Montreal has recognized trees as living beings with rights to life, growth, integrity, and regeneration, the first municipality in

River Wye Rights Charter Marks a UK First for River Protection

The River Wye has become the first full river catchment in the UK to be recognized under a rights charter. It is a notable new

Thank You, Tulalip Tribes, for a Powerful Earth Day Gathering

Standing for Nature was honored to participate in the Tulalip Tribes’ Earth Day gathering, a day filled with salmon, stewardship, community education, and deep care

2026 Most Endangered Rivers Report: Key Threats to U.S. Watersheds

American Rivers’ 2026 Most Endangered Rivers report highlights urgent threats to U.S. watersheds, from data centers and mining to pollution, overuse, and aging infrastructure.

Gray Whale Deaths in Washington Are a Warning Sign from the Arctic

Seven gray whales have already died in Washington State waters this year, before the deadliest months of stranding season have even arrived. Scientists say the

Tribal Nations Are Leading the Way on River Rights. The Rest of U.S. Law Is Still Catching Up.

At least eight federally recognized tribes have now enacted legal rights for rivers within or adjacent to their territories, and a recent Lakota Times column

Rivers Have Rights: What a New UK Parliamentary Briefing Means for the Global Movement

A new research briefing from the UK House of Commons examines the growing global and domestic movement to grant rivers legal standing. From New Zealand's

A River Deserves More: The Push to Recognize the Roaring Fork’s Rights

An Aspen activist is asking a simple but radical question: what if the Roaring Fork River had legal rights of its own? As Colorado communities

Alderville First Nation Recognizes Rice Lake as Ontario’s First Legal-Person Water Body

On November 17, 2025, Alderville First Nation recognized Rice Lake as a legal person, making it the first water body in Ontario to receive that

What Lies Beneath: The Underground Life of Watersheds

A new study reveals that a watershed's sensitivity to climate variability depends not just on rainfall and snowpack, but on the hidden architecture of the

The World’s First Insect with Legal Rights Is a Bee You’ve Never Heard Of

In October 2025, an insect received legal rights for the first time in history. The Amazonian stingless bee — a pollinator of over 80% of

One of the World’s Highest Courts Has Declared That Nature Has Rights

On July 3, 2025, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights declared that ecosystems have the right to exist, regenerate, and maintain their life cycles, and

Standing for Nature to Appeal Ruling Striking Down Everett’s Snohomish River Rights Law

Standing for Nature is preparing for a crucial legal battle after a court ruled against Everett Initiative 24-03, which recognized the Snohomish River Watershed as
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