Updated August 7, 2026 at 9:26 AM EDT
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include additional details about the origins of and content of the Universal Declaration, what it includes, its legal status in towns that sign on, and the differences between what’s in the declaration and what is being done in Terrasse-Vaudreuil.
The small town of Terrasse-Vaudreuil, about 30 miles west of Montreal, recently became the first in Canada to sign onto the Universal Declaration of Tree Rights, initiated by Ricardo Rey and his founding organization La Compagnie des Papillons Bleus. It was launched in Paris in 2018.
The Declaration’s three key articles state that the tree, a sensitive living being, is a common good of humanity; that life on the planet depends on the existence of the tree; and that the human being, endowed with reason and conscience, must act with the tree in a spirit of fraternity and solidarity.
The move by officials in Terrasse-Vaudreuil came in June, not long after filmmaker Andre Deshrochers screened his film “Des Arbres et des Arts” (“Trees and Arts”) about the forests surrounding the town.
Following the documentary, town members were offered the opportunity to sign on to the Universal Declaration, which has been accepted by tens of thousands of people worldwide. The town took it a step further, passing a resolution to adopt the principles enshrined in the declaration, and adding four rights for trees: the rights to life, natural growth, integrity and regeneration.
Sylvie Trepanier, a member of Terrasse-Vaudreuil’s Environmental Committee, says the town continues to support responsible development, including using trees for wood or mulch, but will evaluate requests carefully to minimize unnecessary removal of trees.
Though 70% of Terrasse-Vaudreuil is covered by tree canopy, Terpanier says there’s room for improvement, including planting more trees in strategic areas to mitigate soil erosion, clean the water table and provide needed shade.
While the Universal Declaration of Tree Rights does not, by itself, grant trees legal personhood or confer independent standing in court or grant a municipality legal rights, it does establish foundational principles that authorities can use to create new policies, practices and programs.
Sylvie Trepanier joins host Robin Young to talk about what the Declaration will mean in her town and why the towns chose to support it.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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