News Maidstone Council talks nature’s rights at conference
Maidstone Borough Council has showcased its pioneering environmental leadership at a major conference focused on the future of river protection and nature recovery.
Last week, Councillor Rachel Rodwell, Maidstone Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Nature and Climate Transition, joined environmental experts, campaigners and local authority representatives at the Friends of the River Medway's Rights of Rivers Confluence, held at The Friars, Aylesford, as part of the River Medway Pilgrimage 2026.
The event brought together organisations and communities from across the Medway catchment to explore how local authorities, residents and river groups can work together to protect and restore the River Medway.
Councillor Rodwell took part in a panel discussion examining how councils can move beyond declarations and deliver meaningful action for nature. The session highlighted Maidstone Borough Council's groundbreaking work as the first council in the UK to formally adopt a Rights of Nature framework, embedding the principle that nature has an intrinsic right to exist, thrive and evolve into governance, decision-making and service delivery.
The Rights of Nature framework was formally adopted by the Council earlier this year following detailed officer research and legal advice. Rather than creating a symbolic charter, Maidstone has embedded nature's interests directly into its Biodiversity Action Plan and Climate Change Action Plan, ensuring the health of rivers, wildlife and habitats is considered alongside social, economic and financial factors when decisions are made.
Councillor Rachel Rodwell said: "Nature doesn't attend consultations, submit planning objections or vote in elections, yet our decisions affect it every single day. The Rights of Nature framework is about ensuring nature is no longer treated as an afterthought and that decisions about growth, development and investment properly consider the health of the natural systems that support our communities.
"This isn't about stopping development or creating symbolic declarations. It's about ensuring river health, biodiversity, habitat connectivity and long-term environmental resilience are considered in everyday decision-making. Nature is not a competing interest to be balanced away; it is the foundation on which our communities function and thrive.
"The conference was a fantastic opportunity to share Maidstone's journey and learn from others who are passionate about protecting our rivers and natural environment. What was particularly encouraging was the growing interest from councils and organisations across the Medway catchment in how a rights-based approach can help strengthen environmental stewardship and improve river health.”
Friends of the River Medway said the conference built on conversations that began in 2025 and helped inspire practical action, including the development of Maidstone Borough Council's Rights of Nature framework. The event explored how communities and councils can work together to support the long-term wellbeing of the River Medway and strengthen a growing national movement focused on the rights of rivers.
The conference comes at a time of growing national recognition for Maidstone Borough Council's environmental work. The Council has recently been shortlisted in multiple categories at the 2026 National Sustainability Awards, including Energy Innovation, Sustainable Finance, Green Fleet, and Water Awareness and Conservation, recognising the breadth of work being delivered across the borough to tackle climate change and support nature recovery.
The council’s wider environmental programme includes a 20% Biodiversity Net Gain requirement for new developments, the planting of thousands of native trees and hedgerows, investment through the Nature Recovery Fund, the creation of community tiny forests, river protection initiatives, conservation grazing projects and nature-based climate solutions.
Maidstone now has five Green Flag parks and the council continues to work with communities, landowners and environmental organisations to restore habitats and strengthen biodiversity across the borough.
The Council says it will continue to champion practical approaches to nature recovery, ensuring the River Medway and the borough's wider natural environment remain at the heart of decision-making for generations to come.