Voice of the Trees in the Law of Armed Conflict

This article takes up questions of environmental protection, in the law and practice of armed conflict with a specific focus on the figure of the speaking tree as invoked in discussions of the protection of tree and plant life. The article canvasses historical works in which this figure appears, from the early work of Philo of Alexandria and Josephus through to the discussion of their work by Hugo Grotius. Through this endeavour, the article attempts to take seriously the figure of animated trees with the standing to speak and to be heard in legal forums. I conclude that it is not only a common humanity that is at stake in doing this, but re-orienting the interests of human creatures as in relation to the protection of trees and forests, and other ‘inanimate objects’.