Lewes Town Council approves first Tree Charter in England

Lewes Town Council has unanimously approved a Tree Charter, making the East Sussex town the first in England to formally recognize the rights of its trees. The motion, proposed by Councillor Dinah Morgan, states that trees have the right to flourish and maintain their natural life cycles, ecological functions, and evolutionary processes.

The charter covers all woodlands, forests, hedgerows, and individual trees. While the measure is largely symbolic and lacks direct legal power, supporters hope it will influence local planning decisions and assist in backing tree preservation orders. The initiative was developed by the Rights of our Trees group (ROOTs), a collaboration involving Friends of Lewes, the University of Sussex Environmental Justice Law Clinic, the Railway Land Wildlife Trust, and the Environmental Law Foundation.

Community advocates note that increasing tree canopy cover is vital for the area, as trees help mitigate devastating floods and combat heatwaves. The project aims to protect the town's status as an arboretum and prevent trees from being felled for non-essential development purposes.