Sierra Club says century-old trees felled to make way for border wall

Sierra Club says three cottonwood trees estimated to be more than 100 years old were cut down on July 27 at the U.S.-Mexico border near Lochiel, Arizona, to clear the way for President Donald Trump’s border wall. The group’s Erick Meza said the trees served as habitat for rare species and a shady gathering spot, with branches extending across the border to create a connected ecosystem. Meza alleges the trees were felled without environmental monitors despite legally protected bird species nesting there. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment, but a June letter from Border Patrol said the trees cannot be relocated. One protest-related trespassing arrest was reported by Santa Cruz County.