Through a tribal-wide vote, the Rappahannock Tribe in Virginia has become the first Tribal Nation in the U.S. to adopt a Tribal Constitution that recognizes the constitutional rights of nature. The new Rappahannock Constitution recognizes the legally enforceable rights of the Rappahannock River to “exist, flourish, regenerate, and evolve.” As Chief Anne Richardson said:
“The River is the Mother of our people.”
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 water flow. It also recognizes the authority of any tribal member to enforce the rights of the Rappahannock River in court.
