Protest where protest is due...I don't know the situation or what, but can see points for both sides.
Maybe they can plant more trees to offset the ones they remove...I dunno...
BUT protest can be effective, just last year over here the Gummint decided that we are going to need a new hospital by 2012 and that the most cost effective place to build it (but not doing phased rebuild on site) was next door on 10 acres of the BOTANICAL GARDENS!! Bulldozing 100 year old trees, display houses and collections!!!! The Minister of Health told us to 'get over it' and we (the general taxpaying population of Bermuda, rich, poor, black white, locals, expats) REFUSED! There were town hall meetings, activities in the gardens, the talk shows were hopping, people put green banners on their cars...it worked, the Gummint backed down.
But hey, I play hockey on an artificial surface in a stadium (teensy by your standards) that took up some open space to build so...no-one is snow white in every situation.