Full Breakdown
Lewes Town Council Grants Legal-Style Rights to All Trees
By Drooid · · How we work
Lewes Town Council adopts a Tree Charter
Lewes, a historic market town in East Sussex, became the first English municipality to formally recognise the rights of its urban trees, hedgerows and forests. In a unanimous vote, the town council approved a charter that declares trees have the right to life, to flourish, to be restored and to complete natural life cycles. The charter is not a binding law, but it creates a framework for the council to reference tree rights when making planning decisions.
Background and context
The motion emerged from a collaborative effort that began in May, involving local environmental groups and the University of Sussex’s Environmental Justice Law Clinic. It follows a broader “rights of nature” movement seen in countries such as Bolivia, Panama and New Zealand, and arrives amid heightened public concern after a series of record-breaking heatwaves and widespread UK wildfires that have underscored the climate-resilience value of urban canopy cover.
Key figures
- Councillor Matthew Bird – Lewes Town Council member who highlighted trees as “living assets” essential for climate resilience.
- Councillor Dinah Morgan – Council member who introduced the motion and advocates a partnership model with trees.
- Dr Joanna Miller Smallwood – Leader of the Environmental Justice Law Clinic at the University of Sussex, developer of the charter toolkit.
Official statements & responses
Councillor Morgan noted that the charter aims to foster a cultural shift toward treating trees as partners rather than passive resources, and to give residents stronger leverage against development pressures and felling requests.
Verbatim quotes
- “They are living assets that have an important role in the town’s wellbeing and climate resilience, something we were reminded of in summer’s numerous heatwaves.” — Councillor Dinah Morgan
- “In time we hope that the concept of working with trees in 'partnership' to protect and enhance our environment will supercede the idea of trees being a passive resource.” — Dinah Morgan, councillor