Terrasse-Vaudreuil Adopts Tree Rights Declaration for 2,000 Residents, First Governing Body to Do So
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 1
Terrasse-Vaudreuil Adopts Tree Rights Declaration for 2,000 Residents, First Governing Body to Do So
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 1
Summary
Terrasse-Vaudreuil, a Quebec town of about 2,000 west of Montreal, unanimously adopted the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Trees, becoming the first governing body to do so.
The resolution says trees, as living beings, have the right to exist, thrive and receive legal protections, elevating tree preservation in local policy.
About 60 residents attended a spring screening of a documentary arguing trees should have legal rights, prompting the town’s environmental committee to draft the measure.
Mayor Michel Bourdeau said the vote recognizes trees as essential to residents’ health, climate resilience and quality of life, reflecting a broader push in some places to grant rights to nature.