What are the Rights of Nature?

September 19, 2023  |  Topics: Issues

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By David Liners and Robert Karski

Photography by Eddee Daniel

“We envision a world where the inherent rights of nature are respected and protected, and where the natural world is recognized as a living, breathing entity with its own intrinsic value and worth. We believe that all living things must exist in harmony, and that the health and well-being of the many interconnected ecological systems of the planet is essential to the health and welfare of all beings, including humans.”

The above is the mission statement adopted in January of 2023 by the Wisconsin Rights of Nature campaign, which included people from Menikanaehkem (an organization from the Menominee reservation), WISDOM (a statewide network of mostly faith-based organizations working for social justice) and others who work for environmental justice. 

“Rights of Nature” is both a legal theory and a worldview.  It is a belief that ecosystems have inherent rights that should be protected by law.  That is, the value of the natural world does not derive from its usefulness or economic benefit.  Traditional laws, even environmental laws, view nature as a “resource” that can be owned, used and even destroyed.  Regulations have only sought to limit the amount and kind of damage that is allowed.  For example, governments tend to regulate how much pollution can be introduced into a river by a given person or entity—it is about the rights of the polluter, not the rights of the river.

The Rights of Nature movement seeks to gain legal recognition for the rights of the natural world to:

• Exist, thrive and evolve;
• Be defended against threats and harm;
• Receive an appropriate remedy when it is found that those rights have been violated.

The Wisconsin Rights of Nature core team has worked throughout 2023 to develop materials and a website: rightsofnaturewi.org

Most recently, the group worked with the Milwaukee County Board Committee on Community, Environment and Economic Development to approve a Rights of Nature policy. The committee recently recommended the adoption of a resolution that would make it the board’s policy to support the “Rights of Nature” movement. If it is adopted, the board could become the first in Wisconsin to endorse the aims of the movement.

Next steps will include looking for more counties to adopt Rights of Nature resolutions.  Our hope is that some municipalities and counties will actually give Rights of Nature the force of law, so that it can be a tool to defend the ecosystems we depend upon.

The long-term goal of the Wisconsin Rights of Nature campaign is to see those rights put into the state constitution. Such provisions already exist in some nations, and other states are working to change their constitutions. With that, when a river, lake or other ecosystem is threatened with harm, citizens will be able to go to court on behalf of the endangered natural system to seek a remedy.

The campaign has great aspirations. But, in a world with out-of-control climate change, mass extinction and water crises of all kinds, a paradigm shift is desperately needed.  The plants, animals, waters and terrains we share the world with need it. And, increasingly, we realize that humanity cannot long survive if we do not honor the natural world on which we depend for life.

Here are two ways you can join in the effort:

Everyone is invited to a Zoom event on September 25 at 6:00 pm to learn more about the campaign and what has been done.  More importantly, the event will share a vision for the future of the campaign and show ways, large and small, that people can get involved.  To register for this Zoom event, please click here:  Rights of Nature Wisconsin: Progress and next Steps, Sept 25 at 6 pm

The group has also begun to circulate a petition, to be able to show decision-makers that there is broad support for Rights of Nature. You can find the petition by clicking here:  Rights of Nature Petition

Photographer’s note:

The rights of nature concept extends to all of Creation, large and small, from microbes to entire ecosystems. Parks and preserves are the primary repositories of relatively undisturbed nature in our urban region. The mission of Preserve Our Parks is to prevent incompatible developments from encroaching on these places; in other words, to protect the rights of nature (as well as to keep public spaces public). I’ve tried to include a wide variety of the wealth of nature that exists throughout Southeast Wisconsin, with an emphasis on images that even regular followers of The Natural Realm haven’t seen before. As always, you can follow the links in the captions to find out more on our website about the places pictured. The featured photo at the top of the page is of the Milwaukee River Greenway in Milwaukee.

David Liners and Robert Karski are on the WISDOM Rights of Nature Leadership Team. WISDOM is a statewide network of mostly faith-based organizations working for social justice. Eddee Daniel is a board member of Preserve Our Parks. A Wealth of Nature and The Natural Realm are projects of Preserve Our Parks.

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