Big Bend National Park was established on June 12, 1944 and prior, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed to President of Mexico Manuel Avila Camacho:
“I do not believe this undertaking in the Big Bend will be complete until the entire park area… on both sides of the Rio Grande, forms one great international park.”
This idea of the transboundary protected area actually goes back further, to 1933, when the now-National Park was established as Texas Mountains State Park and the Chamber of Commerce in Alpine hired a landscape architect to design an international park. Unfortunately, the idea nearly died alongside Roosevelt, but was revived during the Truman administration until responses from the Mexican government fizzled out in the 50s.
Governmental talks on the idea largely ceased until 1983 when President of Mexico Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado and US President Ronald Reagan signed an agreement to protect, improve, and conserve the riverine border. Many protected areas within the Big Bend became established after, including Big Bend Ranch State Natural Area (now Big Bend Ranch State Park), Maderas del Carmen protected area, Cañon de Santa Elena Flora & Fauna Protection Area, El Carmen Nature Reserve (owned by Cemex), and Ocampo Flora & Fauna Protection Area.
In 2010, President of Mexico Felipe Calderon and US President Barack Obama signed a joint-statement pledging both countries’ support for cross-border protection. As talks continued, area reps seemed divided on the park idea, with conservatives rejecting the park due to “border security concerns” and democrats seeking to work with the Mexican government to make Roosevelt’s dream come true.
In 2021, TRPA considered bringing back the idea of this proposed transboundary protected area by engaging with National Park Service, National Audubon Society, Sierra Club, Rotary International, the states of Coahuila & Chihuahua, and area land trusts. Today, this engagement finds itself in existential crisis due to five “border security” projects proposed by the Department of Homeland Security, titled Big Bend 1 Project, Big Bend 2 Project, Big Bend 3 Project, Big Bend 4 Project, and Big Bend 5 Project. These projects would wall-off a majority of the entire Big Bend region from the Rio Bravo. Our friends at the Big Bend Sentinel, Marfa Public Radio, and Inside Climate News have been reporting on this story as extensively as possible.
TRPA has compiled a list of sites per DHS’ maps, below, that will likely be outright destroyed or restricted following construction of the five listed projects above.
-(Big Bend Ranch State Park) West Entrance Picnic Area, archeological sites, the Hoodoos Trail, Arenosa Campground and boat ramp, Colorado Canyon boat ramp, Closed Canyon Trail, Grassy Banks Campground and boat ramp, Contrabando Day-use/Movie Set;
-(Lajitas) the Lajitas boat launch, parts of the Lajitas Golf Resort;
-(Big Bend National Park) Santa Elena Canyon and River Access, archeological sites, the Dorgan Sublett Trail, parts of the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, Cottonwood Campground, parts of River Road West, Buenos Aires campground, Black Dike campground, the Gauging Station, Loop Camp, Jewel Camp, Woodsons Camp, Talley 3 & 4, Solis Landing and Campgrounds, Rooney’s Place, San Vicente Crossing Road, La Clocha campground, the Hotsprings and Hotsprings Trail, Ernst Ridge Trail, Daniels Ranch, Rio Grande Village, Boquillas Crossing, Boquillas Canyon Overlook;
-all of the fish camps within the Black Gap Wildlife Management Area;
–Heath Creek and Canyon at the defunct La Linda Crossing;
-and potentially the status of the the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River.
TRPA and its membership will not stand to see the access to and integrity of our Rio Bravo fall, nor will we stand to see Roosevelt’s dream of a potential international park come to an end. TRPA asks for US Representative Tony Gonzales, of Texas 23rd Congressional District; Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn; and Governor Greg Abbott to outright oppose and bring to an end all border security operations that seek to build walls or such structures of any kind within the Big Bend tourism region.
We stand together with our friends at No Big Bend Border Wall, the Land Justice Community School, Far Flung Outdoor Center, Angell Expeditions, along with affected landowners in Presidio, Brewster, Hudspeth, and Terrell Counties, and others to collectively organize, act, and say, on behalf of the Big Bend:
¡NO AL MURO!
We encourage following No Big Bend Border Wall and reaching out to them directly to get involved locally.
Join us in signing the petition here.
Join us in writing to your representatives.
Join us in calling your representative daily.
