Introduction

There is a Universal Declaration on the Rights of Rivers see Rights of Rivers - Save the Teifi have signed up to this. We also signed up to The River Rights Network which is a collaboration between river groups, campaigners, activists, CICs and Co-ops across the UK. It's unifying principle is a desire to see the rights of rivers become a reality in the UK - see RIVER RIGHTS NETWORK.

Following our inspiring meeting in May with international law barrister Monica Feria-Tinta (See this link): We wish to facilitate the creation of a Charter specific to the Teifi - this page is devoted to this process.

Save the Teifi early stages of developing a Charter 

by Moira Williams 3-Aug-2026

The Teifi, like most rivers in the UK, is being failed on so many

levels with excess nutrients and pollution - sewage, pesticides,

pharmaceuticals, silt, fertilisers and unknowns. Combined with

the stresses of the current drought and ongoing climate

changes, the strain on the river catchment is immense.

We have seen catastrophic declines in biodiversity - atlantic

salmon, sewin, ranunculus - and although the Teifi is a

designated Special Area of Conservation, this regulatory

approach is patently not working.

What is needed is a shift in thinking across society and

policymaking, a move away from a human-centric dynamic

of seeing all of nature as a resource, towards placing it at the

heart of all decision-making.

Inspired by our meeting in May with international lawbarrister Monica Feria-Tinta (See this link), and following on from the work of the recent Llais yr Afon project with Smallworld and Space to create we will call for the acknowledgement of the intrinsic rights of the Teifi including:

• the right to flow,
• be free from pollution and
• support native biodiversity.

This Charter will be taken to communities and policymakers, to adapt our way of thinking, to add another strand in the defence of our river.

It won't be a magical cure-all but it will, we hope, create a better framework for conversation, restoration and regeneration.

First meeting of developing our Charter 

by Jessica McQuade – 20-Aug-2026

Last night we began writing the charter for the Rights of the

River Teifi.

A really rich discussion moving between scientific

interpretation and how accessible the language needs to be,

into wider questions about what rights actually mean and

how they might interface with decision-making. Whenever

we got stuck, we came back to a simple question: what

would the river say?

We’ve been drawing on advice and guidance from the river

Wye and Ouse processes. Thank you to everyone who came

before us and made this easier to navigate.