February 3, 2026
Online at 4pm PST
Join Interreligious Eco-Justice Network and the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology for a webinar on the rights of nature.
Emerging across every continent is an impressive range of legal theories and practices in pursuit of ecological justice for both human and more-than-human communities.
Earth Law is rooted in many Indigenous traditions and has been expressed by scholars like Thomas Berry, who suggests that every member of the Earth community has the right to exist, to live in a healthy habitat, and to participate in the planet's regenerative processes. Initiatives like the Rights of Nature, Indigenous-led movements, and science-law partnerships are transforming legal systems through case law, policy development, international declarations of rights, constitutional amendments, and more.
Tyler Mark Nelson will speak about the histories and opportunities presented by Earth Law and the Rights of Nature, as well as the ways that human and more-than-human rights are intertwined. In addition, we will hear from college student and Earth Law Center intern, Juniper Lee. Juniper's Water Justice Class at Fort Lewis College led a successful effort to pass a resolution protecting the rights of the Animus River in Colorado.
Bio:Tyler Mark Nelson is Program Director of the Living Earth Community, a newly launched program at the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology. Living Earth Community is an evolving knowledge commons which fosters dialogue between science, law, spirituality, and humanism to evoke wonder and inspire action towards biodiversity conservation. Holding a master's from Yale University and a bachelor's from Whitworth University, Tyler specializes in religion and ecology, ecotheology, animal studies, and climate justice. He enjoys life with his wife, sharing meals with community, outdoor recreation, collecting and listening to music, and photography.