St. Lawrence River
Watershed Guardian

Want to join? Sign the international resolution to become a St. Lawrence River Watershed Guardian!

WHEREAS the St. Lawrence River is the lifeblood of the human and natural communities that make up its Watershed and surrounding ecosystems; and

WHEREAS the River and its Watershed have since time immemorial sustained an immense diversity of species and ecosystems all connected in a tapestry of interdependent life;

WHEREAS the River plays a central role in the identity, history, culture and economy of the First Nations who have navigated the River for millennia and have practiced traditional activities that have contributed to the development of ancestral knowledge;

WHEREAS the current law frameworks has allowed the deterioration of the River, which has undergone accelerated deterioration affecting the health of community members, as well as the rights to water, sanitation and a healthy environment;

WHEREAS the recognition of the rights of Nature, in conjunction with the legal tools currently in place, promotes the protection of ecosystems by endowing them with legal personhood;

WHEREAS communities around the world are legally recognizing the Rights of Rivers to protect the water that brings life to their communities; and

WHEREAS we are a part of the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes Watershed, and thus stand in solidarity with all the human and natural communities that make up this great ecosystem;

WE THEREFORE RESOLVE, that by signing this resolution we are becoming Watershed Guardians and demand that our local government recognizes the Rights of the Rivers and ecosystems that make up the Watershed and adopt local laws that protect these rights.

We support the fundamental and inalienable rights of the St. Lawrence River and its watershed to exist, regenerate, flourish, evolve, adapt, and thrive.

The River's rights shall include but are not limited to:

~ The right to a healthy connectivity between the River and land within its watershed;

~ The right to restoration;

~ The right to evolve naturally, to be preserved and protected;

~  The right to maintain its natural biodiversity, sustaining healthy and balanced ecosystems;

~  The right to be free of pollution;

~  The right to a natural cycle of healthy high and low water flows that sustain the overall balance of the River and surrounding ecosystems;

~ The right to support life and the relationships that unite the natural communities within its watershed; and

~  The right to take legal action.

As Watershed Guardians we must honor our roles and responsibilities towards the River and the ecosystems it sustains. These responsibilities include but are not limited to:

~ Respecting the Rivers natural cycles and processes;

~ Collaborating with our fellow stewards to preserve and restore the River;

~  Educating and raising awareness about the River's rights and responsibilities; and

~  Nurturing reciprocal relations that foment healthy human and natural communities.

By signing this resolution we are thus fulfilling our ecological responsibilities towards the environments that sustain our communities.

In addition, by signing this resolution, we are also expressing solidarity with the North Country Watershed Guardians, who are advocating for the rights of the Upper St. Lawrence River and the Adirondack Watersheds.

It is hereby resolved that we are adopting this resolution.