Daily Read: USA
Texas Rally Unites Opponents Over New Park Wall
In August, bulldozers ripped into the mouth of Santa Elena Canyon in Texas’ Big Bend National Park, creating a new patrol road just feet from the existing access route. The 1,500‑foot limestone cliffs, locals say, already form a natural border wall. Residents responded by monitoring the construction, rescuing endangered plants such as the Chisos Mountain hedgehog cactus, and volunteering to protect spiny vegetation that shelters species like the yellow‑billed cuckoo. A beach rally in the canyon’s shadow drew people from across the political spectrum, with organizer Hillary Pierce proclaiming, “The Rio Grande unites us, not divides us,” while holding a “DON’T BULLDOZE MY CHURCH” sign.
The essential points
- 01Bulldozers tore into Santa Elena Canyon’s mouth, sparking nationwide attention on Big Bend National Park.
- 02Volunteers rescued endangered Chisos Mountain hedgehog cactus and other spiny plants before bulldozers reached them.
- 03A beach rally in the canyon’s shadow drew people from across the political spectrum, united by a shared environmental goal.
- 04Organizer Hillary Pierce urged, “The Rio Grande unites us, not divides us,” as participants held a “DON’T BULLDOZE MY CHURCH” sign.
The full brief
In August, bulldozers ripped into the mouth of Santa Elena Canyon in Texas’ Big Bend National Park, creating a new patrol road just feet from the existing access route. The 1,500‑foot limestone cliffs, locals say, already form a natural border wall.
Residents responded by monitoring the construction, rescuing endangered plants such as the Chisos Mountain hedgehog cactus, and volunteering to protect spiny vegetation that shelters species like the yellow‑billed cuckoo. A beach rally in the canyon’s shadow drew people from across the political spectrum, with organizer Hillary Pierce proclaiming, “The Rio Grande unites us, not divides us,” while holding a “DON’T BULLDOZE MY CHURCH” sign.