Seattle climate activists roost in old cedar tree to prevent it from being cut down for new housing
By MANUEL VALDES
Associated Press
SEATTLE (AP) — Activists in Seattle climbed up a tree to prevent its removal on a construction site for new homes. The protest of the potential removal of a Western red cedar on a private lot is the latest episode highlighting tensions behind tree policy in Seattle as climate change increases temperatures and urban canopy decreases. The Snoqualmie Indian Tribe is seeking to have the tree preserved for its archaeological significance, saying that Native Americans shaped its branches generations ago to distinguish it as a trail marker. The city says it can’t revoke the tree removal permit.
