A network of streams, lakes and marshes in Florida is suing a developer and the state to try to stop a housing development from destroying them.

The novel lawsuit was filed on Monday in Orange county on behalf of the waterways under a “rights of nature” law passed in November. It is the largest US municipality to adopt such a law to date

The Orange county law secures the rights of its waterways to exist, to flow, to be protected against pollution and to maintain a healthy ecosystem. It also recognizes the authority of citizens to file enforcement actions on their behalf.

The suit, filed in the ninth judicial circuit court of Florida, claims a proposed 1,900-acre housing development by Beachline South Residential LLC would destroy more than 63 acres of wetlands and 33 acres of streams by filling and polluting them, as well as 18 acres of wetlands where stormwater detention ponds are being built.

Now if a suit can be filed by a stream on it’s right to exist, why on earth wouldn’t a stream be able to sue for its right to have beavers? Maybe don’t even NAME them out right, just say the stream has the right to conservationists who live onsight and make repairs 24/7 and who improve habitat and remove nitrogen.

Then let the court decide if there are any humans willing to do that. And if not you know who can step in.