Supreme Court’s Big Bend Decision Threatens Wildlife, Habitat

DALLAS - The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to allow construction of a border wall through Big Bend National Park and other public lands, despite ongoing litigation, will permanently fragment a critical desert ecosystem, destroy habitat and archaeological sites, leave lasting consequences on wildlife, and hinder public access to the Rio Grande.

"The detriment of this decision cannot be overstated and its consequences won't stop at the border. Big Bend's interconnected ecosystem supports an extraordinary amount of wildlife and ecosystem diversity, including migratory species that depend on cross-border movement to survive," said Grahame Jones, executive director for the Texas Conservation Alliance. "We should be pursuing solutions that safeguard our communities and the landscapes that people and wildlife rely on, not disregarding the natural heritage, ecological significance, and biodiversity that make this region worth protecting

"The Big Bend region sustains far more than wildlife habitat. It contains thousands of archaeological and culturally-significant sites for Indigenous peoples, supports outdoor recreation, local businesses, and the livelihoods of communities that have long depended on this landscape," said Julie Sibbing, vice president of land stewardship programs at National Wildlife Federation. "Border construction that fragments habitat, threatens wildlife, and restricts public access would sacrifice this irreplaceable landscape and undermine the local community."