New Books Network Is a River Alive?: A Conversation with Robert Macfarlane
Dec 1, 2025
In a captivating discussion, Robert Macfarlane, a renowned British nature writer, shares insights from his book exploring the idea that rivers are living beings deserving legal recognition. He delves into his mountainous upbringing and explains the phenomenon of shifting baseline syndrome that affects our view of nature. Macfarlane recounts his journeys to Ecuador and Chennai, highlighting the fight for environmental rights and the passionate work of local activists like Yuvan. He challenges listeners to consider what a river might want and the broader implications of animacy in nature.
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Shifting Baselines Hide Ecological Loss
- Shifting baseline syndrome normalizes environmental loss until the diminished state feels normal.
- Robert Macfarlane warns this makes large ecological declines invisible across generations.
Los Cedros Saved By Rights‑Of‑Nature Ruling
- Ecuador added rights-of-nature articles to its constitution and a court used them to stop mining at Los Cedros.
- Macfarlane visited with judges and activists just after the constitutional ruling that compelled mining companies to leave.
Rights Can Be Reversed By Politics
- Legal protections and constitutional innovations can be rapidly undermined by political shifts.
- Macfarlane describes President Naboa's reforms as an assault on indigenous and nature rights in Ecuador.
