Marine biologist calls for stronger protections for Helford and Fal rivers

A Cornwall-based marine biologist is leading a campaign that could change how rivers are recognised and protected in law, with a petition that calls for new legal rights for waterways.

From Cornwall to a national campaign

Emmeline Hardisty, who lives near the Helford River, founded the Voices of Water Foundation (VoW) after making what she calls a VoW of protection to the river she loves and lives by. This first pledge has since grown into a wider movement for environmental change.

Voices of Water’s first “tributary” mission is centred on a petition and pilgrimage. The petition seeks to enshrine protection in national law for the rights of UK rivers and rias, recognising them not as objects but as entities with intrinsic value and rights.

Find the petition here: UK Parliament petition.
More information can also be found at Voices of Water Foundation and on the VoW Instagram page.

Giving rivers a legal voice

At the heart of the campaign is the concept of River Legal Personhood, a legal status already achieved in countries such as Canada, Bolivia and New Zealand.

Under current UK law, rivers are treated as objects. The foundation argues this opens a “doorway” for exploitation and harm, while also creating a subconscious separation between people and nature.

Granting rivers legal personhood would shift them from being classed as objects to being recognised as entities with legal standing. This would give rivers a voice in law, with rights that can be protected and enforced.

As the foundation explains, “I made a VoW, a promise to ‘her’, to the River.”

Walking the rivers

To raise awareness, Emmeline is on a pilgrimage, walking the rivers of Cornwall and Devon into Wales, weaving in Celtic mythologies along the way. With the petition now live, she has extended her walk to the Thames.

Understanding Cornwall’s rias

Rias, or drowned river valleys, are a distinctive feature of Cornwall’s landscape. They form when rising sea levels flood a river valley, creating a long winding estuary. The Helford River and Fal Estuary are both examples.

According to the Voices of Water Foundation, rias have rarely been discussed in the context of environmental personhood, yet they provide unique habitats and ecosystems that deserve protection.

A first for the UK?

If successful, this petition would mark the first time rivers and rias in the UK are granted legal personhood. Supporters believe this could redefine relationships between humans and nature, moving from one of domination to one of balance.