Should Big Bend Become an 'International Park?'

WOAI ^ | 3/12/10 | Jim Forsyth

[laotzu]

US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today suggested combining the Big Bend National Park in west Texas with the Monumento Natural del Rio Bravo across the river in Mexico, to form the Big Bend/Rio Bravo International Park.

"The United States and Mexico are neighbors sharing a beautiful treasure," Salazar said today during a tour of the Big Bend. "Our two nations could and should engage in an even higher level of cooperation to conserve this remarkable area and its wildlife, while providing more opportunity for visitors to enjoy it."

Actually, the idea of combining the two parks is not new...it was discussed by Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Manuel Avila Camacho back in the 1930s.

Salazar said he has had talks with Mexican Interior Secretary Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada about the idea. Salazar was the guest of Congressman Ciro Rodriguez, who's district includes the Big Bend.

"I'm proud to represent this area and look forward to having a dialogue with the Secretary about how best to preserve and enhance the park using stimulus funding and other resources," Rodriguez said.

Salazar said combined, the Big Bend and Rio Bravo constitute one of the largest and most important conservation areas in North America, and a combined park would help officials on both sides of the Rio Grande better address issues from water and air quality to management of wildfires.

Rio Bravo del Norte is the name for the Rio Grande used in Mexico.

[B4Ranch]

Read about the "United Nations Biodiversity Treaty".

You and I will continue to pay taxes for the maintenance and upkeep of all the National Parks. But we no longer own them. Now, the UN has ultimate jurisdiction.

This started long before Clinton took office.

[mountainlion]

This started long before Clinton took office.

Carter probably gave the farm away also. Clinton signed away Rocky Mountain National Park that I know of and probably Yellowstone and who know what else.