Lewes Town Council in East Sussex has become the first municipality in England to officially recognize the rights of trees to grow and flourish within the town.
The motion, passed on September 10, states that "Trees have the right to flourish and to maintain their natural life cycles, ecological functions and evolutionary processes." This recognition extends to all woodlands, forests, hedgerows, and individual trees within the town's jurisdiction.
While the measure is largely symbolic and lacks legal enforcement power, environmental advocates hope it will serve as a catalyst for stronger tree preservation efforts and influence local planning decisions. The initiative aligns with a growing "rights of nature" movement, which has seen similar acknowledgments for rivers in various towns and villages across Britain. Last year, Rother District Council in East Sussex passed a motion recognizing the rights of a single yew tree.
Community members, such as Audrey Jarvis of the Friends of Lewes, expressed concerns over ongoing tree felling for development purposes, citing instances where trees are removed for driveways or to improve views. Jarvis highlighted the importance of trees in increasing the town's canopy cover, which is a goal for the community, and emphasized their role in mitigating floods by absorbing water. She also pointed to the trees' importance in providing shade during heatwaves, a recurring issue exacerbated by climate change, and in supporting local biodiversity by offering habitats for animals and insects.
Green party councillor Dinah Morgan, who proposed the motion, noted that recent heatwaves have underscored the vital role of trees as partners, not commodities to be exploited. She stated that the motion aims to drive a "cultural shift" in how the community perceives and treats its trees.
Joanna Smallwood, an associate professor of law at the University of Sussex, suggested that such motions represent a stronger form of legal protection and societal change, reminding people that humans are part of nature. The movement's momentum has also been fueled by high-profile incidents of tree destruction, including the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree in September 2023, for which two men were later jailed, and the removal of a 500-year-old oak tree in Enfield last year by a restaurant.
The Sycamore Gap tree, a cultural icon featured in the 1991 film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves," stood for 120 years near Hadrian's Wall. In April of the previous year, a Toby Carvery restaurant faced significant public backlash after its contractors felled the Enfield Oak. Although the pub chain's owner, Mitchells & Butlers, stated the tree was felled on expert advice due to it being diseased and a public risk, Enfield Council later found the oak to be healthy. The council initiated legal proceedings to evict the restaurant, citing the act as criminal damage.
