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Threats to the Borderlands: The borderlands of the United States and Mexico harbor a hidden gem. These remote wildlands that stretch from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico across the belly of North America provide safe haven for many wild species of plant and animals. Because much of the landscape around this international border has remained isolated for so long, many relatively intact and continentally rare ecosystems endure here—including Arizona’s last free flowing river, the San Pedro; some of the last undeveloped grasslands on the continent in the Janos/Hidalgo area along the New Mexico border; the single most diverse birding area in the United States along the Lower Rio Grande river, and habitat and migration corridors for some of both nation’s most imperiled species including the jaguar, Sonoran pronghorn, ocelot, bighorn sheep and Mexican gray wolves.
The WALL A wall bisecting borderlands habitat will not only disrupt the crucial uninhibited movement of imperiled species, it will curtail the movement of many species that are essential to the dynamics of ecosystems. Animals like javelina, who distribute seeds for many plant species, will be blocked from their role in the environment. Plant movement will be inhibited at a time, when due to global warming, plants will have to transition north or perish. If a steel barrier and destructive immigration and law enforcement activities block their pathways, any hope of recovery will be lost.
Outreach Strategy Our expedition will take the story of wildlife, landscape, plants and people in the borderlands to the public and policy makers. Through a photo exhibition, documentary, book and public outreach we hope to broaden the discussion of immigration to include what we all stand to lose if the current policy continues.
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