Exciting news this Indigenous Peoples’ Day!
Indigenous Peoples' Day Announcement: Today, the Rappahannock Tribe, a Tribal Nation member of the Indigenous Conservation Council of the Chesapeake Bay shares the incredible news that it has amended its tribal constitution to include rights of nature for the Rappahannock River, the first ever Tribal Nation in the United States to extend rights of nature to an ecosystem. The new Rappahannock Constitution, through a tribal-wide vote, now includes the legally enforceable rights of the Rappahannock River to "exist, flourish, regenerate and evolve." The constitution also recognizes that the River possesses the right to groundwater recharge, the right to provide healthy habitat to native fish and plant species, and the right to natural waterflow. And further, recognizes the authority of any tribal member to enforce the rights of the Rappahannock River in court. Chief Anne Richardson of the Rappahannock Tribe declared, "We are proud to be the first Tribe in the United States to recognize the constitutional rights of nature, through our recognition of the legal rights of the Rappahannock River. Legal rights for the River was a logical next step - to put the force of tribal law behind the River, focused on protecting our River as the Mother of our people." Full press release is available on the Center for Democratic & Environmental Rights's website here: https://lnkd.in/gN9EAbJP Please help us amplify this critical victory for Indigenous values, water, and the Chesapeake Bay by sharing this post! #IndigenousPeoplesDay #waterislife #sovereignty #Indigenous #conservation