Thread: Paradise lost

Paradise Lost
Sabal Palms Santuary to close due to border fence construction
June 17, 2008 - 10:58PM
By Kevin Sieff/The Brownsville Herald
Ask Jimmy Paz about the border fence, and he'll point to a patch of sabal palms that rise more than 20 feet.

"When it's built," said Paz, the manager of Brownsville's Sabal Palm Audubon Center, "(the fence) will be almost as tall as those trees."

If the border fence is constructed along its proposed path, the center - and the largest tract of sabal palms left in the nation - will be south of the barrier. After some debate, officials at the Audubon Society have decided that the sanctuary would have to be closed permanently.

"There's no way we could operate," said Anne Brown, executive director of Audubon Texas. "We would have a full-time employee living south of the fence, and there's no way we could allow that."

The Sabal Palm Audubon Center, 527-acres of lush native vegetation, was opened in 1971. The sanctuary receives more than 4,000 visitors annually, many of whom travel thousands of miles for a chance to spot a rare migratory bird. In 1995, Gary McBryde, an economist at Texas A&M-Kingsville, estimated that tourists spent $1 million annually on visits to the sanctuary.

In May, Brown met with officials from the Department of Homeland Security, who told her that a fence would be erected north of the center. But because the barrier will not be built on the sanctuary's property, DHS can begin construction without offering compensation - or revealing details - to the Audubon Society.

In locations where DHS is forced to purchase land either for construction or for an easement, the department is providing satellite images of the fence's future location.

"They realized that they didn't have to contact us...and they didn't have to do studies because the fence runs north of our property," Brown said.

The Department of Homeland Security has alluded to the possibility of an entrance gate, but Audubon officials say that's not a fair compromise.

"We don't want to put the responsibility of managing a gate on our staff," Brown said.

Now, Brownsville residents are left to contemplate what will be lost if the Audubon Society closes the sanctuary.

"For years, we've used Sabal Palm as a classroom," said Elizabeth Heise, an associate professor of environmental science at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College.

"Without a guardian, we risk losing this fantastic habitat," she said.




What a shocker

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/a ... sabal.html

These people have a VERY SMALL view of the BIG picture.
Would be nice if they would think of the 4 school kids Murdered by an Illegal in Cottonwood MN, or the 2 School kids Murdered in NJ, or the THOUSANDS MORE killed every yr.!!!
But NO... Watching Birds Screw is MUCH MORE IMPORTAND.

None of this is important. Keep the big picture in mind. Build the fence no matter what. The fence is for the whole country.

They are mudding the water....they want open borders and cheap labor!


>>ACTION ALERT 6/18<<
It's D-day in NC so lets help the boots on the ground!!
We need calls from those who can not attend the "RALLY IN RALEIGH"
PLEASE TAKE ACTION IN NORTH CAROLINA
INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION!
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-119822.html

We all pay the price when they won't enforce our laws and some people feel they have the "right" to abuse them. Plea to the Mexican government, cartel members, smugglers and drug lords......see how sympathetic they are to your plight. Trust me.....I doubt they'll shed a tear. You can see by the tons of trash that "natural vegitation" or rare migratory birds aren't given a thought to. Not to mention there doesn't seem to be a thing they are willing to do to compromise on the issue either. So how important is it.... really?

No Pity from me either....build the fence!!!!!!!!!

I still don't think that any open boarders supporter has ever been personally affected by the atrositicys of this scourge! If they have they would be willing to do anything. It's so crazy how a small group can cry foul and any progress to stop crime and poverty is haulted. What ever happened to the day when the majority spoke for our country?

Originally Posted by 93camaro

I still don't think that any open boarders supporter has ever been personally affected by the atrositicys of this scourge! If they have they would be willing to do anything. It's so crazy how a small group can cry foul and any progress to stop crime and poverty is haulted. What ever happened to the day when the majority spoke for our country?

This is the same reason why the gays are allowed to be married. Right is wrong and wrong is right now...