Concord Monitor: My Turn: The rights of nature

A lone tree stands in a deforested farm field near Porto Velho, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019. While many of the recorded fires this year were set in already deforested areas by people clearing land for cultivation or pasture, Brazilian government figures indicate that they are much more widespread this year, suggesting the threat to the vast ecosystem is intensifying. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)