Texas Parks & Wildlife Position

Border Fence in the Lower Rio Grande Valley

Last updated: February 3, 2009

Media Contact:
Tom Harvey, (512) 389-4453, or tom.harvey@tpwd.state.tx.us
Background:
In 1957, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department initiated wildlife habitat
conservation in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, one of North America's most
ecologically important regions. This effort to protect and restore habitat, including
wildlife travel corridors, has since been advanced by many partners, including the
federal government. A federal plan to construct a barrier along the river would
likely disrupt decades of conservation work, although it's difficult to assess
impacts without specific plans. TPWD understands the need for border security,
and our game wardens are part of this effort. But we would advocate wildlife-
friendly alternatives.
TPWD Position:
We oppose the condemnation of our property or other actions that would
compromise the conservation values we have worked so hard to steward for all
Texans for more than 40 years. However, as expressed in our official comment
letters submitted in March and January of 2008, we welcome opportunities to
consult and provide constructive suggestions based on sound science. We will
continue to advocate wildlife-friendly alternatives.
Key Message Points:
Conservation History, Unique Resources
The department made its first purchase of land for white-winged dove nesting
habitat in 1957 in Cameron County. Over the years, we strategically
added acreage to create the Las Palomas Wildlife Management Area,
using hunter dollars from the sale of state white-winged dove stamps and
federal excise taxes on hunting equipment. Today, Las Palomas WMA
comprises close to 3,500 acres, involving 18 separate tracts or units
spread across Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy Counties.
The Land and Water Conservation Plan, the department’s 10-year strategic
operational plan, identifies the South Texas Plains region (including the
Lower Rio Grande Valley) as a top priority ecoregion for conservation
efforts.
The Valley has, arguably, the highest biodiversity of any area in North
America. Valley wildlife resources are economically valuable, sustaining
birding, hunting and nature tourism worth $125 million per year. They also
 provide education and research opportunities. Both facts have motivated
locals to restore and protect habitat
Fence Designs and Impacts
Varying fence construction designs offer a range of very negative and less
negative wildlife impacts. For example, the design for TPWD's Las
Palomas WMA Anacua Unit property involves a bollard-type fence with
gaps through which smaller animals might travel. In contrast, wall sections
in Hidalgo County involve an 18-foot vertical concrete levee, across which
few, if any, wildlife species could move.
The best approach for wildlife is no physical barriers that obstruct the
movement of free-ranging land animals. It would be worth considering
other security options, such as additional remote surveillance technology
and expanded border staffing.
At the Penitas and Kiskadee Units of TPWD's Las Palomas WMA in Hidalgo
County, a concrete wall is under construction within the existing IBWC
easement. At the WMA Anacua Unit in Cameron County, a bollard-type
wall is planned. But regardless of how TPWD properties are affected, the
bigger issue is regional impact.
Although 95 percent of the Valley’s original habitat has been lost, a
monumental effort involving some $100 million in taxpayer and user fee
funds has tried to protect what is left and restore habitat where possible. A
vast checkerboard of close to 100,000 acres is now protected by local,
state, federal, private and nonprofit partners, providing critical travel
corridors for wildlife to access river water, food and cover.
TPWD has identified dozens of plants and animals which could be impacted
by the proposed fence. These include 10 species on federal and state
endangered lists, including the jaguarundi and ocelot; 23 species on the
state threatened list, including the indigo snake and the Texas horned
lizard; and dozens of other species of concern.
Besides natural resource impacts, international nature tourism worth tens of
millions of dollars per year to the region could suffer if access to birding
spots is restricted by fence construction. Overall Valley ecotourism could
decline if tourists and group leaders decide there are too few sites to
justify cross-country or trans-oceanic trips.
Properties Most Affected
Of TPWD's properties, the Las Palomas WMA Anacua Unit would be most
affected, where the wall will bisect the unit's 139-acre south tract along the
existing international levee. It should be noted that federal agencies
moved the original wall footprint at TPWD's recommendation. This
avoided habitat restored with native trees and shrubs and set an
encouraging precedent for future consultation
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has acquired by condemnation about 3
acres of the Anacua Unit, a strip of land up to 60 feet wide and about a
 half mile long, where they plan to build the wall. TPWD has negotiated an
agreement that allows employees and guests such as public hunters to
continue accessing the entire WMA, with wall gates to remain open during
hunting seasons. The agreement also safeguards restored habitat and
calls for CBP to consult with TPWD regarding lights, gates and similar
features. The issue of compensation, how much CBP will pay TPWD for
the condemned property, is unresolved and is pending in court.
No state parks were in the project corridor in early proposals, although again
we do not have reliable information about project impacts. TPWD does
operate three parks that are part of the World Birding Center regional
network, and all provide restored wildlife habitat as part of the region-wide,
multi-partner effort. The most impacted of these would be the WBC
Headquarters at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park near Mission,
which does have Rio Grande river frontage. The others are Estero Llano
Grande State Park near Weslaco and Resaca de la Palma State Park
near Brownsville.