Female activists climbed into a century-old oak tree in Ytres, Pas-de-Calais, on September 21, 2026, to protest the Seine-Nord Europe canal construction project, which is set to clear the forest. The activists, part of the Mégacanal non merci collective, were removed by the gendarmerie, the military police force in France. The project, which aims to connect Compiègne (Oise) to Aubencheul-au-Bac (Nord), will split the village of Ytres in two and destroy 7 hectares of the forest, or a quarter of its total area. The activists were unprepared for the conditions and faced hypothermia after being in the tree for two days. Two of the three activists were arrested by the National Support Unit for Mobility (Cnamo), while the third, identified as Lichen, was questioned in a free interview. Lichen expressed no regret for her actions, stating that being in the tree allowed her to reflect on the environmental impact of the project. The Seine-Nord Europe canal is widely contested for its impact on water resources, biodiversity, and its estimated cost of 7.3 to 10 billion euros. A large demonstration against the project took place on July 11 in Oisy-le-Verger, bringing together between 3,000 and 4,000 people. The action in Ytres marks the beginning of a prolonged struggle against the project. François-Xavier Lauch, prefect of the Pas-de-Calais, stated during a visit to the A2 viaduct site in Ytres on September 17 that the Seine-Nord Europe canal is becoming a reality. The state forces are on high alert, with demonstrations in the area under close surveillance. A demonstration on September 23 at the farm of Yves Courtaux, a farmer opposed to the project, was met with force by gendarmes. Yves Courtaux expressed frustration that the project is considered an unavoidable evil, despite being presented as ecological. Opponents of the project hope to rally allies and are pushing for a ten-year moratorium on the canal. A bill from the parliamentary group of La France insoumise (LFI) is set to be introduced on October 29, aiming to halt the project and force a reassessment of its environmental and economic impacts.