21/09/2026
A Canadian town recognizes trees as living beings with rights of their own.
On June 9, 2026, the municipality of Terrasse-Vaudreuil, Quebec, unanimously passed a resolution endorsing the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Trees.
Among other things, it recognizes their right to life, to natural growth, to maintain their integrity, and to regenerate.
Trees are far more interconnected than they appear.
Through fungi associated with their roots, they can form underground networks that facilitate the flow of water, nutrients, and chemical compounds. When a tree is attacked by insects, it can also release substances that trigger defensive responses in nearby trees.
It has been observed that large trees can provide resources to young seedlings and that some plants develop a kind of "physiological memory" following droughts or pest attacks, reacting differently when facing the same stressor again.
That said, trees lack brains and nervous systems; therefore, these responses do not demonstrate that they feel pain or possess consciousness in the way animals do.
We do know, however, that they are complex, interconnected organisms that are essential to entire ecosystems.
