This article was featured in the 2026 Spring Newsletter by Lee Willbanks, Talking Rivers.
Talking Rivers is a pioneering non-profit organization dedicated to transforming our relationship with the environment by advocating for the legal recognition of the rights of nature. Based in northern New York and Haudenosaunee Territory, the group works to shift the cultural narrative from viewing rivers as mere commodities to recognizing them as living entities with the inherent right to exist, flow, and thrive. Through three newly developed projects they’ve combined ecocentric storytelling, community science, and legal advocacy to protect vital watersheds in the region.
The Legal Action for Bioregions (LAB) initiative is a collaborative circle of legal experts and organizers working to “hack” the current legal system to find legal pathways to provide rights for nature. While the movement to support rights of nature has gained global momentum, successful litigation remains elusive in U.S. courts due to a lack of practical legal strategies. Through 2027, LAB will bridge this gap by developing a formal guide that provides actionable steps for practitioners to defend the rights of “other-than-human” beings under New York State law and beyond. By combining Indigenous-led wisdom and modern law, this initiative empowers local communities to become active guardians of the waters that sustain them, ensuring a vibrant, healthy future for both people and the planet.
Talking Rivers also launched an effort to spotlight the plight of the American eel (Anguilla rostrata)(Kiawerón:ko in Mohawk). Once a thriving and vital part of the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario ecosystems, eel are almost entirely gone due to habitat loss, overfishing and the massive turbines in dams on the river. While young “yellow eels” continue to be stocked above the dams, many are killed when they try to follow the river currents to bring life to the next generation. Of significant concern is the increasing number of eels found to be infected by an invasive nematode parasite (Anguillicoides crassus). This parasite infects the eel’s swim bladder, vital to vertical movement, negatively impacting their ability to migrate to their spawning grounds in the Sargasso Sea, even if they successfully pass through the dams. On behalf of the American eel, we’re developing a blueprint law to recognize the rights of the eel as part of the Legal Action for Bioregions. We’re also asking people to sign a resolution Supporting the Rights of American Eel acknowledging our responsibility to ensure these rights are recognized, respected, and defended.
Additionally, Talking Rivers is very excited about a new project aimed to look at the world through the Through the Eyes of Rivers. Over the course of a year, we will share the voice of three rivers and watersheds, all located on what is the traditional territory of the Kanien’keháka Nation. These rivers are: Nikentsà:ke (Grasse River), Ahná:wate (Raquette River), and Ahkwesásne (St. Regis River). Through the Eyes of Rivers aims to catalyze storytelling and science to map the needs of these rivers and explore the current environmental crisis from the rivers’ perspective. The first stage of this project will be to conduct water sampling and bring together the work of researchers from across the region. The research and data will be compiled on an interactive map of the watersheds. Next the research will be translated into illustrated stories told from the perspective of the watersheds and their other-than-human inhabitants. The final step will be to host storytelling circles across the watersheds to discuss how to meet the needs and rights of the river.
By centering the voices of our watershed Talking Rivers is building a future where our legal and cultural systems finally reflect our ecological reality. Their initiatives are more than just environmental projects; they are a call to action for all community members to move beyond the role of a consumer and step into the role of a guardian. Whether through signing the American Eel resolution, participating in storytelling circles, or utilizing the LAB legal guides, your involvement helps ensure that our “other-than-human” neighbors have a seat at the table. Together, we can rewrite the rules of our region to honor the life-giving waters that sustain us all.
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