[mou] border fence in rio grande valley

[Jim Williams]

Perhaps of interest to those of you who have enjoyed birding in the Rio 
Grande Valley of Texas. I do not consider this a political issue, but 
an environmental issue, should posting of political issues cause 
problems.

Jim Williams, Wayzata, Minnesota

====

I received the following piece on TexBird.  I am a winter Texan and am 
very concerned about the proposed fence along the RGV border.  This 
writing was done by Martin Hagne, Director of the Valley Nature Center 
in Weslaco, Texas.  I wrote back to him and asked him what we as 
birders can do.  The law was signed but as I understand it, the funding 
is yet to be found.  Maybe we can discourage our new legislature from 
funding it.

Wyleen High
Town of Minocqua
soon to be spending the winter in the Rio Grande Valley

Hi all,

You might not agree... But here are my two cents worth!

A fence, or no fence!

by Martin Hagne

The Valley Nature Center is not a political or lobbying entity and
through tax laws as well as its own policy does not endorse political
candidates nor take political stands.  Our mission is strictly to
educate about our awesome native flora and fauna in hopes that everyone
Listening will embrace them and help to save them.

Having said that, I must speak out about an idea, a brainstorm, a plan
that is already law.  So here goes my own personal ranting.  This item
can become the single-most destructive act towards our remaining habitat
in at least my lifetime.  Yes, the proposed Border Fence!

Here is an issue that I personally think is so very poorly understood
anywhere outside the state, or even outside the Valley.  Most people
hear only of the high numbers of illegal immigrants, the drug smuggling,
and potential threats from terrorists.  There is never any mention of
the impact on the local economy, environment, or even border relations.

So how can a little fence along the river hurt?  Given the fact that
this fence has been described as a double layer structure of high solid
fencing, with a row of cleared land on the riverbank, a fence, another
cleared stretch of land, between another fence, and finally another wide
stretch of cleared land on the north side of the last fence. well, there
goes whatever little riparian habitat that is left.

For over 20 years the US Fish & Wildlife Service, along with several
other national, state, and local environmental partners have spent
millions of dollars to create a natural wildlife corridor along the Rio
Grande's edge.  Over 650,000 native trees and shrubs have been planted
on tracts of old farmland and other properties bought with mostly
Federal dollars.  Well over one hundred tracts of land, some 80,000
acres worth so far (I might be off here?), have been set aside to be
linked together from Falcon Lake in Starr County to Boca Chica Beach in
Cameron County.  This very huge undertaking is all in the effort of
saving what little riparian habitat that is left, and trying to restore
large areas now laid barren.  Why is this so important?

There are many stretches of land along the river where there are only 50
to 200 feet of forest buffering the river and open agricultural land.
Sometimes there is no buffer at all!  These buffers are crucial in
protecting the only drinking water available to two million people on
both sides of the river.  Agricultural run-off from chemicals and at
times even worse, the soil itself, is polluting the river and silting it
in.  Soil erosion is much worse without the stabilization of the native
plants lining the river.

512 species of birds, over 320 species of butterflies, two endangered
wildcats, the ocelot, and jaguarondi, as well as countless mammals and
other wildlife, depends on the less than 5% native habitat left in our
area.  Percentage-wise there is even less riparian habitat than that
left.  These animals, especially the mammals, depend on the corridor to
move from one area to another in the Valley, as well as across the
river.  Without this movement they are genetically isolated and will die
out in small pockets.  This would be a huge environmental disaster!

The most bio-diverse region in the whole country would be cleared of any
riparian habitat in many areas along the river if the fence were built
as some plans show it. The tracts of habitat that have been saved,
re-vegetated, and cared for would be gone.  The search/spot lights along
the fence will likely stop nocturnal animals, such as those endangered
cats, from moving around, and even worse stop hunting for food.  The
same federal politicians that sent money to "build" the wildlife
corridor are now sending a bill to bulldoze possibly every last bit of
the area.  Local and most state politicians are on a whole totally
against the concept.  As far as I can see and hear, many if not all
local businessmen, politicians, and residents feel that this fence will
be a disaster in more than one way!

Over 250,000 nature visitors travel to this area each year.  They bring
with them millions of dollars to our economy.  Local cities and chambers
have invested huge amounts of money and land into the fact that
"eco-tourism" is bringing so much to the local economy.  Without the
habitat, there is no wildlife.  Without the wildlife, there are no
tourists.  But there are more reasons than just environmental concerns.

Farmers also worry about having access to their allotted water rights.
A solid fence would likely not allow the river pumping that they depend
on to grow our nation's crops, nor would it allow access to service such
pumps.

Then there is the human factor.  Relationships with our sister
communities across the border are crucial to both side's economies.  A
fence is the ultimate slap in the face to anyone.  Even in nice friendly
neighborhoods it normally means "We don't really like you," or "We don't
really want to look at you."  Folks from outside this area do not have
to face the consequences that this will bring.  Here just along the
border, both sides depend on revenues from the tourist trade.  U.S.
residents travel across to have dinner, shop for souvenirs and to relax.
Mexico residents travel here to shop in fancier stores, and to vacation.
And none of this takes into account all of the family ties across the
river.

Yes, our government is trying to save us from the terrorists.  And
rightly so!  But they need to focus on where theses bad folks are coming
from.  How many of the 20 airline hijackers of 9/11 came across this
border?  None!  They came legally!  There are other criminal elements we
need to guard against, but those will find ways to cross over or under
this fence in no time at all.  The same goes for our immigration issues.
The fence will not stop them from trying, and succeeding.  Tunnels are
being built as we speak, and speed boats are becoming the choice for
smugglers.  All we have to do is look at the wall between East and West
Germany to see how flawed this idea is.  People died daily at that wall
for many years.

The billions of dollars that would be spent on this fence would be much
better spent elsewhere.  Other preventative measures, such as an
electronic "walls" would be much less intrusive and solve many of these
issues.  Or, what a novel idea. it could be used to do some good for the
American people, or even for the immigrants trying to cross!  I feel
that an electronic fence will do as well as a solid fence.  Neither will
stop all the concerns, but at least the electronic version seems to
allow us to live without these harsh consequences.

Well, I guess I better stop before I give away my opinion on this
project!

Bird On...
Martin Hagne
Harlingen, TX
Cameron Co.