{
  "id": 12922913,
  "title": "Activists cite ecological, social connections in blocking US border wall construction (commentary)",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/activists-cite-ecological-social-connections-in-blocking-us-border",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-08T17:56:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mongabay",
    "slug": "mongabay",
    "url": "https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/activists-cite-ecological-social-connections-in-blocking-us-border-wall-construction-commentary/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the small border town of Lochiel, Arizona, a group of activists are battling to protect 200-year-old cottonwood trees from being cut down for a section of the U.S. border wall. One activist remained in the upper branches of the ancient tree, known as the \"Grandmother Tree,\" for over 70 days to prevent construction workers from felling it. Other activists used pulleys to supply food and water to the tree-dweller.\n\nThe fight against the border wall extends beyond safeguarding ancient trees. Activists are also concerned about the wall causing fragmentation of habitats in a region where ecological connectivity is crucial for preserving biodiversity. The protest began on July 28, following the cutting down of three out of four cottonwood trees blocking the wall's path.\n\nThe wall in question is a double barrier made of two 30-foot-high steel walls parallel to each other, with a buffer zone between. Since the tree encampment, the area has been under constant surveillance by helicopters, drones, U.S. Border Patrol agents, and local law enforcement, according to the activists at the encampment.\n\nThe activists I interviewed lived in a meadow near the tree, witnessing their daily rituals dedicated to honoring the \"Grandmother Tree\" and the land. This movement has connected social and environmental issues from its inception. Many of the activists involved are also part of No More Deaths, a humanitarian group that provides water and aid to migrants crossing the border.",
  "summary": "A group of activists in the small border town of Lochiel, Arizona, U.S., is fighting to save 200-year-old cottonwood trees by stopping contractors from building a section of the U.S.’s new wall along its border with Mexico. One activist lived for over 70 days in the upper branches of an ancient cottonwood dubbed the “Grandmother […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}