Wall! What is it good for?

One of the many reasons that a border wall is a terrible idea: it’s a design for environmental disaster. Living in the Northeast, we picture the Mexican border territory as a barren desert populated with a few cacti and coyotes. That’s not true at all. The southern border lies in a transition zone from temperate to tropical habitat. In Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, the border runs through sky islands, mountainous areas surrounded by desert.

 Catalina Mountains near Tucson-photo Brambleshire

 Protected by a chain of wildlife refuges, this varied geography makes a home for an unusually rich mix of species. The border region is one of the most biodiverse areas in North America and hosts more than 180 threatened and endangered species. 

    Sections of wall already constructed have caused serious trouble. 

Border fence restricts movement of wildlife

Dividing animal populations that roam between the US and Mexico creates smaller groups with less genetic diversity, leading to extinction. The wall cuts off water access during the dry season. As climate change progresses, the barrier hampers animals’ ability to adapt by choosing the best locations at each time of year. Even low-flying birds, such as pygmy owls, can’t fly high enough to make it over the wall. 

    The 2005 REAL ID Act permits the federal government to forge ahead on wall construction in the name of national security, ignoring existing laws, such as requirements for environmental impact studies. Crews with chainsaws appeared at the National Butterfly Center, a private sanctuary a few miles north of the border, without warning and tore out carefully chosen plantings fostered over many years. 

Fiery Skipper at National Butterfly Center-photo Bettina Arigoni

These losses will be hard to recover, even if sanity does return to our government. Meanwhile, the 24 million dollars it costs to build a mile of wall could fully fund population recovery of endangered ocelots, jaguars and gray wolves that depend on borderland refuges.

Endangered ocelots need to range freely between the US and Mexico-photo Ana Cotta

    The height of Trump’s fantasy wall varies. It’s been as high as 55 feet. In my town, we don’t have any 18-, 30-, or 55-foot walls or fences. The usual fence is 5 feet tall. My yard is surrounded by wooden fencing. 

This fence looked best when it was new and fresh in 1997

When a small dog came to visit, I noticed that in a lot of places, the fence doesn’t reach the ground, making it easy to slip under. Cats and raccoons regularly climb over the top, and squirrels hop across on overhanging branches. Even so, I wish I hadn’t opted for solid fences. Now I prefer the wood-framed fences filled in with lattice or widely spaced wire that I see in a few places in the neighborhood. 

A more open fencing option

This system creates a formal barrier, but it doesn’t keep migrating plants or animals out. It also looks better. The best thing about my fences is the support they provide for clematis vines.

Grape and clematis vines twining up the driveway fence

    Can’t we find a more sensible way to maintain our borders? As California Congressman Ted Lieu said, a wall is first century technology. It’ll kill endangered animals and ruin pristine wildlife refuges, but it certainly won’t keep out refugees who have nowhere else to go.

Monument to people who've died trying to cross into the US © Tomas Castelazo, www.tomascastelazo.com / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0