President Trump’s “big, beautiful wall” along the US-Mexico border aims to keep out undocumented border crossers, but the new barrier will also keep in wildlife species that need to migrate back and forth and bisect rare habitats. In South Texas, where most of the recently authorized wall segments are going up, these new walls and patrol roads are slicing through one of the most biologically diverse areas on the continent—the Lower Rio Grande Valley—and scientists, conservationists, and local officials worry about how they’ll affect the environment and ecotourism in this economically depressed region.
October 16, 2019 | Scientific American
Trump’s Border Wall Could Cause Flooding in Texas
Planned barriers along the Rio Grande could trap debris and send floodwaters into nearby communities.
March 22, 2019 | The Guardian
'People Think It's Not Safe:' Nature Tourism Takes Hit Over Trump Wall Policy
As the first sections of Trump's wall go up in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, one of the best birding spots in the country, nature tourism is down in what should be a banner year.
February 28, 2019 | Yale Environment 360
As Work Begins on Trump’s Border Wall, a Key Wildlife Refuge Is at Risk
Trump’s border wall cuts through the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Texas. The wall will disrupt preserved habitat critical for the survival of ocelot, jaguarundi, and more.