They chopped down the oaks nearest Old Glory in secret, and mostly at night. Only through an inside tip three weeks ago did Lynne Plambeck, a local activist, learn that Tree Number 419 was about to be felled. Immediately, she recruited an experienced tree-sitter called John Quigley to shimmy up as fast as he could.At first it looked as though the police would simply eject Mr Quigley. But the newspapers started writing about him, engendering a wave of local support, even from the conservative citizens of Santa Clarita, the nearest town. Middle-aged women in their elegant cars started pulling up in front of him to shout: "Save our tree!" The developers threw up the chain-link fence, posted a security guard (called Romeo) and added floodlights, powered by noisy generators, to make a night's sleep difficult for the activists There is talk now of compromise The environmentalists want the road diverted.

The pro-development county supervisor proposed uprooting and moving the tree.But the circus continues. The actress Rene Russo showed up the other day to offer her support. People drop off food, or offer help with the tents and makeshift latrines. "I feel like an animal in a zoo, with everyone gaping at me," Mr Quigley said. It's been nerve-racking at times, with 60mph winds blowing up the canyon road and swaying him several feet in either direction But he's not moving "We have so many supporters It's fantastic," he added. "We're going to maintain a presence here for as long as it takes.". Feathers are flying between the poultry industry in the United States and the animal rights group Peta – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – which has recruited Moby, the dance music star, to record a telephone hotline urging Americans to eschew their traditional Thanksgiving ritual of putting turkey on their tables.

The Butterball telephone line offers Americans tips on how best to prepare and cook the Thanksgiving roast. Thanksgiving is next Thursday."Hello, this is Moby," the Peta-sponsored recording begins. "Please join me in calling the Butterball people to let them know there is no proper way to kill and cook these beautiful birds." Americans can find the unusual entreaty by calling 1-800-VEG-FOOD.But now a group that represents the food industry, the Center for Consumer Freedom, is striking back with adverts that will appear in magazines such asTime and Variety."The Center for Consumer Freedom believes that Americans should not let animal rights activists ruin Thanksgiving dinner. So we're recommending that consumers who are tired of unsolicited dietary advice from extremists call Peta's 'Vegetarian Thanksgiving Hotline' and tell Peta and Moby to 'Stuff it'.".

Environmentalists in the United States are again waging war with Republicans in Washington. This time the row is over a decision to allow an energy company to drill two gas wells in a coastal national park in Texas that is home to the world's most endangered species of sea turtle. The Park Service insists the greatest possible care will be taken to respect the ecology of the island. But environmentalists believe it will put the island and the turtles in peril.Lobbyists claim the decision to allow more exploration on Padre Island is further evidence of President George Bush's disregard for the environment in favour of allowing private companies to run riot over the American landscape in search of new energy sources."Energy development does not belong within our national seashores," Randall Rasmussen, of the National Parks Conservation Association, said yesterday.