In the May issue of Wend, we’ll be publishing a story by Krista Schyler about her work with International League of Conservation Photographers, who are working to document the affects the border wall has on wildlife immigration routes. We’ll also be featuring lots of multi-media content on our site, as Krista sends it along to me. In addition to Krista’s story, we’ll be featuring Defenders Of Wildlife in our Platform section, an NGO Krista’s been working with on the issue. Check back often for updates. Good luck Krista!!!!!
From Krista’s site:
Like so many of the actions that we as a society take, the wall the United States is building along its southern border, has unintended consequences for wildlife as well as human communities. Unfortunately, in this case, the wall also is not, and will not, succeed for it’s intended consequence–that is, stopping immigrants and drug smugglers from entering the country illegally. In fact, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security has admitted, the wall will only slow illegal traffic down by a few minutes.
Is a couple of minutes of aggravation for drug smugglers and immigrants really worth blocking migration corridors for endangered species like the jaguar, ocelot, pronghorn and Mexican gray wolf? Is it worth tearing up our national parks like Organ Pipe National Monument and Coronado National Monument, and our National Wildlife Refuges whose greatest purpose–to provide sanctuary for wild species–is being devastated by this wall? Is it worth blocking north south movement by plant and animal species in an era of global warming–when they are most in need of migration to livable climates?
We can do better. Immigration is a complex issue and we need to find solutions that will work. We can devise a lasting solution, one that does not sacrifice the rich natural landscapes of the borderlands or our relationship with our neighbor to the south.
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