Conservationists have initiated a "tree sit" in Lochiel, Arizona, in a desperate bid to protect a historic cottonwood tree slated for removal to make way for President Donald Trump’s border wall. The protest began on July 29 after Department of Homeland Security contractors successfully removed one of the four hardwood trees at the site on July 27.
These cottonwood trees, which are estimated to be between 100 and 200 years old, have long served as a gathering place for the local community. Beyond their cultural significance, conservationists emphasize that the trees are vital to the regional ecosystem. Russ McSpadden, a conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity, described the trees as a "green ribbon" that draws water to the desert surface, providing essential habitat for rare wildlife, including jaguars and ocelots. McSpadden noted that the trees function like "apartment buildings" for various birds, including the protected Cassin’s kingbird, which was observed nesting in one of the trees that was already demolished.
"Destroying these ancient cottonwoods is a death sentence for an entire ecosystem," McSpadden stated, criticizing the administration for choosing to bulldoze the habitat rather than selecting an alternative route. The Center for Biological Diversity has formally reached out to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, arguing in a letter that these irreplaceable borderlands cannot be replaced once destroyed and that the government has an obligation to prevent further environmental harm.
While Homeland Security officials have maintained that the removal of these trees—which can stand 100 feet tall and 50 feet wide—is necessary for the construction of the border wall, they have not clarified whether alternative routes were ever considered. The activists participating in the sit-in, which involves occupying the branches of the remaining tree, have stated their intention to continue the protest for as long as possible to block further construction activity at the site.
The cottonwoods have provided people a shady gathering place for generations, conservationists say. And for local wildlife, the trees are essential for the area’s diverse and rare species, including potentially the few jaguars that range into the United States.
