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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge in South Texas (1 Viewer)

Just stupid and pointless.
I visited this refuge earlier this year. It is on the far side of the already existing Obama wall. That wall is built along a gravel road monitored by the border patrol. Access to the refuge is via massive gates with remote monitoring cameras. These gates are closed at night.

The wall is not popular in the area, with signs saying 'We need jobs, not walls'.
 
Speaking as an American Patriot... (we are not all religious far right Zealots)....I want to apologize to the "WORLD"...for our insane President. This guy is pure psycho and it is very questionable if he is sane. I just hope that the world manages to work around him and ignore him until we as a country get back to normal. We have been taken over by the insane 25% and if nothing else, I hope this is a lesson to the world as a country cannot become too complacent or else this happens.

The "wall' is just one example of his behavior and thinking. Long live America as 'is was' and 'will still be in the future'. jim
 
Well, it's a matter of politics. Trump catapulted ahead because about 2 years ago he flew into Texas in his big black airplane with the "Trump" brand on it and limo'ed to the border to talk about the danger from illegal aliens. That single act pulled the rug from under Ted Cruz and Rick Perry, who otherwise might have build up a following on the issue of border security.

25% of voters bought into that scare in a big way, and now he is searching for something he can accomplish by executive order so he can throw his core a bone.

Trump's interest and that of his children is confined to games where the score is kept in dollars. They are not alone.
 
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as an update to this, apparently wall construction is going to impact other areas as well. Bentsen-Rio Grande SP, which is arguably up there with Santa Ana as one of the premiere destination for South Texas specialties, will be almost entirely if not entirely on the other side of the Wall. If the Wall plans go through, I expect ecotourism to be utterly destroyed in the area.
 
as an update to this, apparently wall construction is going to impact other areas as well. Bentsen-Rio Grande SP, which is arguably up there with Santa Ana as one of the premiere destination for South Texas specialties, will be almost entirely if not entirely on the other side of the Wall. If the Wall plans go through, I expect ecotourism to be utterly destroyed in the area.

Actually, it makes more sense to move the wall back from these parks, as the disruption caused by the construction will be avoided/minimized.
Certainly at Santa Ana there was no obvious problem with eco tourism, the group I was with drove through a gate in the wall to the preserve, which was untouched, albeit on the Mexican side of the wall.
 
The problem is, from what I have heard, there will be no more public access at those reserves/parks that are behind the wall. Hard to sponsor ecotourism when all your birding hotspots are no longer accessible.
 
The problem is, from what I have heard, there will be no more public access at those reserves/parks that are behind the wall. Hard to sponsor ecotourism when all your birding hotspots are no longer accessible.

That would indeed just kill the birding/ecotourism in that area and further hurt an already relatively poor part of Texas.
Texas politicians would be screaming blue murder about any such plans and I've heard nothing. Is there any Homeland Security notice that suggests such a closure?
 
Here's a link from the National Wildlife Refuge Association to a form to allow U.S. citizens to email their senators and representatives to protest the Trump administration’s actions and planned actions relating to the refuge:

http://refugeassociation.org/action...utm_term=0_0dc27e969e-f0f5026464-44963411#/85

I used it just a few minutes ago and it is simple and easy to use. I edited the template message to also express my concern about other protected areas in South Texas.

And here is an article from the American Birding Association with more info on this:

http://blog.aba.org/2017/07/mysantaana-what-birders-can-do-right-now.html
 
I'm travelling to the Rio Grnade Valley with my father next May and was wondering, what's the latest on the subject?
I've taken a quick look on the net but couldn't really find anything concrete.

Do you know anything?

Thanks!
 
How is about internation petition on avaaz and campact ?
Texas is excellent birding hotspot and very high on my wish list.
I was only once for birding in around Austin on business trip.


Best regards
Dieter
 
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