tbc profile proposed big bend international park lobellonaturalresourcespolicy.org/docs/hands across...

5
Page 1 of 5 Proposed Big Bend International Park Rick LoBello [email protected] 915-474-1456 https://greaterbigbend.wordpress.com/ United States and Mexico Total Proposed Size: 3,023,671 acres / 4,724 square miles

Upload: others

Post on 15-Apr-2020

14 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: TBC Profile Proposed Big Bend International Park Lobellonaturalresourcespolicy.org/docs/Hands Across Borders/TBC Profiles/TBC... · Proposed Big Bend International Park Rick LoBello

Page 1 of 5

ProposedBigBendInternationalParkRickLoBelloricklobello@gmail.com915-474-1456https://greaterbigbend.wordpress.com/ UnitedStatesandMexicoTotalProposedSize:3,023,671acres/4,724squaremiles

Page 2: TBC Profile Proposed Big Bend International Park Lobellonaturalresourcespolicy.org/docs/Hands Across Borders/TBC Profiles/TBC... · Proposed Big Bend International Park Rick LoBello

Page 2 of 5

Size:(hectaresandsq/km)1. BigBendNationalPark,Texas801,163acres(324,219ha)2. MaderasdelCarmenProtectedArea,Coahuila520,000acres3. OcampoNaturalProtectedArea,CoahuilaArea826,000acres4. CañóndeSantaElenaProtectedArea,Chihuahua511,508acres5. MonumentoRíoBravodelNorteinMéxico6. BigBendRanchStatePark,Texas311,000-acre7. BlackGapWildlifeManagementArea,Texas54,000acres

Participantsincoordinatingtheongoingtransboundarycooperation:

NationalGovernment:• BigBendNationalPark,Texas.NationalParkService

LocalGovernment:• CityofElPaso,ElPasoCounty,Texas

NationalNGOs:• SierraClub• RotaryInternational

LocalNGOs:• GreaterBigBendCoalition

Intergovernmentalorganizations:• ElPasoZoo,Texas

Objectives:ThisgrassrootseffortiscallinguponthegovernmentsandtheUnitedStatesandMexicotoworktogetherinestablishingBigBendInternationalPark:Valuesandimportance:1.AninternationalparkwouldhelptocallattentiontotheimportanceofprotectingtheentireBigBendareaanditsfragileenvironmentfromdevelopmentprojectsincludingnewroadsandpipelines.Protectingthisfragiledesertmountainregionanditswildlifeandcultureisimportanttonotonlythequalityoflifeofpeoplewholivethere,butalsotoecotourismwhichisimportanttotheregion'seconomy.2.AninternationalparkwouldhelpthepeopleofbothcountriesbuildstrongerpartnershipsalongtheUSMexicoborderwhichmanyAmericanslivinginotherpartsofthecountrydonotvalueasimportanttosolvinginternationalproblems.TheseproblemsincludeimmigrationanddrugtraffickingissuesandchallengesfacedbyHomelandSecurity.3.Aninternationalparkwouldbeanexampleofthebestourgovernmentsandpeoplecanpursuethroughcooperationandjointworkhelpingtherestofthecountrywithitsperceptionofwhataborderisandwhatabordercanbe.

Page 3: TBC Profile Proposed Big Bend International Park Lobellonaturalresourcespolicy.org/docs/Hands Across Borders/TBC Profiles/TBC... · Proposed Big Bend International Park Rick LoBello

Page 3 of 5

4.Internationalparkdesignationwouldsendamessagetothepeopleofbothcountriesandtheworldthattheentireregionisanimportantconservationareaworthyofcareandsupportfromcitizensofbothcountries.Ifthefederalgovernmentsofbothcountrieswouldcometogetherandrecognizethevalueofdeclaringtheentireregionaninternationalpark,itwouldnotonlyhelpnotonlyhelpconservethearea,butalsohelpboosttheeconomyonbothsidesoftheborderthroughecotourism.Promotingtheeconomywouldhavetheaddedbenefitofhelpingwiththesocio-economicneedsofmanyimpoverishedpeoplelivinginandnearthearea.5.BigBendInternationalParkcouldbemanagedusingtheworld'sfirstinternationalparkatWatertonGlacierInternationalParkontheU.S.andCanadaborderisaperfectmodelforaU.S.-MexicoInternationalPark.Bordersecurityrequiresthatinternationaltravelershaveallrequireddocumentsastheycrossintoeithercountry.Bothcountriesretaintheirownsovereigntyandbothparksareadministeredseparately.6.ThenameoftheInternationalParkcouldbeBigBendInternationalPark,BigBend-RioBravoInternationalParkoranynamethatthetwocountriescouldagreeon.NationalParkstatuswouldnotberequiredoftheMexicoprotectedareasandtheircurrentmanagementplansornameswouldnothavetochange.7.ParkmanagerswouldhaveamandateofinternationalsupportatbothfederalgovernmentlevelsinWashington,DDandMexicoCitytoworkjointlyonmanyissues,suchassearchandrescue,publications,ranger-ledactivities,exoticweedmanagement,wildlifeissues,researchprojectsandnativeplantrestoration.8.Theestablishmentoftheinternationalparkwouldnotrequirenewinternationalbridgesandcrossingsorthatnewlandsbeacquired.9.Creatingagiantinternationalparkwouldhelpbothcountriesbetteraddresskeyissuessuchaswaterandairquality,controlofinvasivespecies,wildlifeprotectionandmanagementofwildlandfire.TheparkwouldbecomeapermanentmonumentandsymbolofpeacebetweentheU.S.andMexico,onethatwillcelebratethefriendshipbetweenthetwocountriesandbeameetinggroundwherethepeopleofbothcountriesandcitizensfromallpartsoftheworldcouldcometogethertolearnabouteachother'sculturewhilecomingtobetterunderstandthenaturalworldthattheyallshare.10.Thenextsteptoestablishthisnow80plusyearproposalforbothcountrieswouldbeforthePresidentsoftheUnitedStatesandMexicotojointlydeclaretheareaasanInternationalParkwiththesupportofthelandmanagementagenciesinvolved.Legislationmaynotberequiredsincethelandsthatcouldbeincludedalreadyhaveprotectedstatus.TheInternationaldesignationcouldbeasymbolicgesturebyPresidentialordersintheUSandMexico.Aspectsoftransboundarycooperation:Natureconservation;Ecosystembasedmanagement;Watershedmanagement;Scientificresearch;Tourism;Firefighting;Searchandrescue;Anti-poachingactivity

Page 4: TBC Profile Proposed Big Bend International Park Lobellonaturalresourcespolicy.org/docs/Hands Across Borders/TBC Profiles/TBC... · Proposed Big Bend International Park Rick LoBello

Page 4 of 5

Stageintheprocess:Grassrootsadvocacyonly.OfficialProtectedAreaDesignation:NationalPark(US),StatePark(Texas),WildlifeManagementArea(Texas)ProtectedArea(Mexico)TheCatalyst:In1988theGovernorofCoahuila,MexicoinvitedstaffofBigBendNationalParktovisittheMaderasdelCarmens.Atthattimethe1935proposedBigBendInternationalParkforthemostparthaddisappearedfromtheconservationradarscreensofboththeUnitedStatesandMexico.OneofthemembersoftheBigBendNationalParkstaffwhovisitedtheMaderasdelCarmenwasRickLoBello,amemberofRotaryInternational.In1997,inspiredbyaUS/MexicodelegationofgovernmentofficialswhovisitedtheWaterton-GlacierInternationalParkandlearnedofhowRotaryInternationalwasakeyplayerinestablishingtheworld’sfirstInternationalPark,abi-districtcommitteeofRotariansfromNewMexico,WestTexasandfivestatesinNorthernMexicoformedaRotaryInternationalPeaceParkEducationalInitiative.ThisRotaryCommitteewasdedicatedtocompletingthe1935proposedBigBendInternationalPark.OnNovember7,1998aRotaryDistrict5520(NewMexicoandWestTexas)/4110(Chihuahua,Coahuila,Aguascalientes,ZacatecasandDurango)RotaryPeaceInternationalPeaceParkDedicationCeremonywasheldatChamizalNationalMemorialinElPaso.DignitariesinattendanceincludedRotaryInternationalPresidentJamesL.Lacy,SuperintendentofBigBendNationalParkJoseCisneros,Lic.EnriqueProvencioDurazno,PresidenteInstituteNaciionaldeEcologia,SEMARNAP,Dr.GlenCoulteroftheWaterton-GlacierInternationalPeaceParkAssociationandMayorofElPasoCarlosRamirez.

ThebestkeptconservationsecretintheUnitedStatesishowBigBendNationalParkwasnevermeanttobeanationalparkontheUSsideoftheborderonly.TheoriginalagreementsignedinElPaso,TexasonNovember24,1935calledforthecreationofaUS/MexicoInternationalPark.ThelongproposedBigBendInternationalParkwithMexicowasveryclosetotheheartofPresidentD.Rooseveltwhodiedbeforeitcouldbeestablished.In1944hesaid“IdonotbelievethatthisundertakingintheBigBendwillbecompleteuntiltheentireparkareainthisregiononbothsidesoftheRioGrandeformsonegreatinternationalpark.”History:ThecurrentinitiativewasenabledbyparkstaffatBigBendNationalParkandlaterbymembersofRotaryInternationallivinginNewMexico,WestTexasandthestatesofChihuahua,Coahuila,Zacatecas,DurangoandAguascalientesinMexico.LeadershipprovidedbytheGreaterBigBendCoalitionwiththeassistanceoftheElPasoSierraClubGroup,ForgottenFrontiersandtheElPasoZooiskeepingthedreamaliveintheUnitedStates.EffortsareunderwaytosolicitsupportinMexico.Barriers,challenges,obstacles,orconstraints:ThegreatestbarriertothecurrenteffortisthelackofpublicinformationregardingcommunicationsbetweentheUSandMexicoregardingthepossibilityofcreatinganinternationalpark.Thebiggestchallengein2016iselevatingtheofficialinternationalstatusoftheprojectandgettingtheprojectbackonconservationradarscreensfortheDepartmentoftheInteriorintheUSandNational

Page 5: TBC Profile Proposed Big Bend International Park Lobellonaturalresourcespolicy.org/docs/Hands Across Borders/TBC Profiles/TBC... · Proposed Big Bend International Park Rick LoBello

Page 5 of 5

CommissionofNaturalProtectedAreasinMexico.

TheGovernanceandManagementStructures● Cooperativerelationship:AnInternationalParkAgreementsignedbetween

governmentofficialsintheUSandMexicoinElPaso,TexasonNovember24,1935.● Legalbasisforcooperation:OnOctober24,2011SecretaryoftheInteriorKen

SalazarandMexicanEnvironmentandNaturalResourcesSecretaryJuanRafaelElviraQuesadatodayannouncedaworkingplanthatidentifiesthenextstepsforthecontinuedcoordinationbetweenthetwocountriesintheprotectionandpreservationofthetransnationalBigBend/RioBravoregion–NorthAmerica’slargestandmostdiversedesertecosystem.

● Governancestructure:Noneatthistime.

● Cooperativemanagementarrangement:Noneatthistime.

Results:Anextensivetimelineofachievementssincethecurrentgrassrootseffortbeganin1997canbefoundathttps://greaterbigbend.wordpress.com/international-park-timeline/LessonsLearned:Keylessonslearnedincludetheimportanceofnetworkingwithabroadbaseofstakeholdersanddevelopingrelationshipswithelectedandgovernmentofficials.ForMoreInformationhttp://www.greaterbigbend.org

Name Title Organization Email Phone

RickLoBello EducationCurator

ElPasoZoo [email protected]

915-474-1456

JasonAbrams Historian ForgottenFrontiers

[email protected]

828-349-3831

RogerSiglin NationalParkService(retired)

BigBendSierraClub

[email protected]

432-364-2399

LindaWoodward DistrictGovernor RotaryInternationalDistrict5520

[email protected]

DavidLarson Chief,ScienceandResourceManagement

BigBendNationalPark

[email protected]

432-477-1143