ETHICAL PRINCIPLES.
What are the 7 Ethical Principles?
The seven ethical principles are principles of scientific and cultural best practices for land and forest restoration. We have summarised these here; however, fuller descriptions are available within the Framework.
These co-created principles are:
1. Honouring of Trees
Advancing tree care. Trees hold a central role in ecosystems and cultures around the world. Upholding this principle means nurturing and respecting trees, as well as ensuring culturally and ecologically important trees are protected.
2. Ecosystem Integrity & the Rights of Nature & Mother Earth
​Nature has a right to exist. This means that trees, forests, mountains, rivers, rocks, people, plants, and animals all have a right to exist. Upholding this principle means recognising the rights of Nature and combining traditional knowledge with the best scientific research to care for the Earth.
3. Collaboration & Ongoing Relationships
At a minimum, Free Prior and Informed Consent is observed and local communities are ongoing partners in projects affecting the territory. Meaning they are fully informed, have the right to say no, choose to participate, and stay involved throughout. Upholding this principle means going further. It means listening to and respecting local and indigenous views and ways of knowing. It values local communities as knowledgeable guardians of the land and, by using community-led processes, creates avenues for local knowledge and expertise to transform how organisations work, organise and interact with wider systems.
4. Community Rights, Land Tenure & Indigenous Data Sovereignty
Communities have a right to access, care for and protect the lands and cultures they are connected to. Upholding this principle means respecting the community's right to safeguard and preserve its culture and knowledge. It covers both the physical and digital realms.
5. Human Rights & Sovereignty
All people have a right to connect to the Earth as their home. Access to lands, traditional practices, and collective decision-making are all human rights. Upholding this principle means respecting these innate rights.
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6. Gender Equity & Including Women in Community Decision-Making
All Genders have an equal right to take part in community decision-making. Research shows that when women are included in decision-making, outcomes are better for all. Upholding this principle means including women in community decision-making and supporting gender equity.
7. Eliminating Harm, Promoting Harmony & Balance
Many human systems and behaviours have and still do harm to trees and communities, intentionally or not. Upholding this principle means ethically identifying, removing, and remedying harmful actions and choosing positive actions to support Earth’s living systems.
