Protesters in Lochiel, Arizona, are staging a 'tree sit' to defend a 200-year-old cottonwood, the last of its kind, from destruction by federal contractors building a double border wall, highlighting the environmental devastation and controversial necessity of the construction.
In the remote San Rafael valley of Lochiel, Arizona, a 'tree sit' protest is underway to prevent federal contractors from destroying an ancient cottonwood tree, estimated to be over 200 years old, for the construction of a double 30ft border wall. This demonstration escalated after three large cottonwoods were crushed on July 27 by contractors working for Fisher Sand and Gravel. The remaining towering cottonwood, affectionately called a 'grandmother' by locals, has become a powerful symbol of ecological resilience and resistance against the border wall's destructive impact. Dozens of protesters are camping on private land, supporting a rotating individual who continuously occupies a platform high in the tree. The peaceful protest has garnered national attention, including support from renowned activist Julia Butterfly Hill. Leaders like Kate Scott of the Madrean Archipelago Wildlife Center and Erick Meza of the Sierra Club emphasize the area's critical importance as a biodiverse desert oasis and vital binational wildlife corridor, being the headwaters of the Santa Cruz River. Despite local sheriff David Hathaway's public opposition and negligible levels of illegal immigration in the area, a secondary wall is being built, with federal contractors exempt from environmental laws, including the Endangered Species Act. Activists claim Customs and Border Protection (CBP) broke a promise to avoid felling trees if birds were nesting, and a threatened western yellow-billed cuckoo has since been spotted in the tree. Protesters plan to remain with the tree indefinitely, challenging the federal government's authority on the private land where part of the grove sits.
