European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 27, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Nila Fuller manager of Santa Ana wildlife Refuge and Bob Schumacher manager of lower Rio Grande Valley wildlife Refuge look Over greenhouse vegetation. Re vegetating the Rio Grande Valley by Joel Williams associated Pressa Long the final 200 mile stretch of the Rio Grande in Texas conservation Isle have a goal Hal would Shock Iho people who in the last Century began Clearing thick Brush Lor arms and Lons piece by piece. Iraclis of Lormor Arm land Are being replanted with the very native vegetation that Marie life difficult or the Rio Grande Valley s Early seniors resuming the primeval greenery to some of lha land is louled now As a Means of bringing dollars into a regional Economy that has suffered much Over the past decade Central to the ambitious plan in the lower Rio Grande Valley National wildlife Refugo near Alamo. Teas. For which the u 3 fish and wildlife service Hopes to buy and stitch together 107.500 re pc gelled acres the Agency has acquired about 21.000 acres in scattered tracts along the River since fac project began seven years ago it is coordinating the Effort with the help of the Texas Parks and wildlife Duparl Mcnol. International Boundary and wafer commission local Public agencies and private conservation groups ideally the 200-mile Comdr would include a carry con mucus sep from Falcon dam on the West to the Gulf of me Ico i also would include other patches of land no connect cd hut considered biologically significant an estimated 95 percent of the original Mora has Boon removed from the state s Lour southernmost counties primarily a Hal River Delta which is a Valley on in name Violor Jils Cay the program offers Hope Lor several species of animal and plan life Hal have All but disappeared with i Cir habitat. The entire state of Alaska does t even come close to the diversify we have in this four county area. Says Roberl Lonard a Plant taxonomist and biology professor Al pan american University in dem Ihirg. Teas along with some endangered plans two Large  that once roamed the thick Brush the Oce Fol arid Jaqua Rundt Are nearly cd incl in the United slates the fragile coastal lands to the East include some rare turtles and the Brown Pelican plan and animal diversity Lertis from the juncture of several disc inc geographical areas in Starr. Hidalgo Cameron and Willacy counties the Valley and the adjacent area of Mexico hold rhe intersection of Iho chihuahuas desert. Tama Unipan Plain Upland Bushland and River Forest temperate and climate sits alongside the higher rainfall and humidity of the subtropics Asa result 371 species of Birds Slop each year of the Santa Ana National wildlife Refuge South of Alamo us stains As one of the top Bird Wal chm areas of the nation has boosted the number of visitors to Santa Ana from 10.000 in the Early 1970s to Moro than 100,000 this year says Nila Fuller project Leader for the Santa Ana and Rio Grande Valley refuges now we re seeing the non consumptive user. She wild tile observer bringing Money into the Economy says Fuller adding that by Ramg is one of the country s fastest growing recreational activities hurling which also depends on a Rich Harilal a rigs As much As �20 million annually into the local Economy according to u s fish and wildlife service full businesses have watched much of the White ringed Dove Hunt move South to Mexico As the Birds teas habitat was Desilio de corridor promoters say it s a Good me to buy find Wilh Many troubled Farmers eager Lor Oll 1 we have a Lof of armours coming to us Lor olt us land More than we have Money to buy says got Schumacher manager of the Rio Grunde Valley Refuge the Refuge already tins used up is a million appropriation Lor last year and its great Osl problem could be the Federal budget deficit Tfir i  approx Nalion committee allocated Najj ii2 million for the re Lurje to buy land in 1093, bul the Senate recommended no Money and the conference has t i l worked on the dil Ferencz this summer a local youth Cunic Valion corps Pion eco collect led a Hall million iced i of native Trees Loru vegetal a Refuge land Schumacher and Fuller say the a realest boo to Trio corridor idea has come Irani a invite  i Morlton bring land into the corridor and establish him a porn ate oases of Nalic vegetation we As local conserva Honiss see Trio  corridor As preserving 250 000 acres in the lout counties Here in some sort of natural a a a Cinray Chapman head of fion lera audition o Willif Coti Mtsat a a of Force she and hrs Luiis Jarid Jinn. Tiave Reid Rod several acres behind la Weir House to the wild ant run Narjes in by pulling up non Nalic plans that Invar in Frum the surrounding neighbourhood such grass roots efforts to return Kijik to ils Ciatur in state ire pail of a National trend Loenid use of native plants says lunar re pics Clon Oline  Plant project of the Loer Rio Grande Valloy As demand rises her ars. Local nurse ii i Aio  to clock nalu e  i Ren line i Trier Tiger. And Tali Palms Lour .1 on Posl can1. Titt irn Purk re to the Valley Only sat Iii  rec. Narit Tii on ii main Iriri  is a Ina r Satril Palm  Sanctuary a  thu Onui incr on Fth River  of pro  h area  Tri Cut riot a Duhoo i sunday. December 27, 1987 the stars and stripes age 17