And when that happens, when that letter.

Welcome to Horizonte.

There a series where we take a look at important issues through a Hispanic lens.

I'm your host, Catherine Anaya.

The potential construction of about 27 miles of new border wall that would cut across the San Rafael Valley in southeastern Arizona has conservationists concerned.

This stretch of land is considered one of Arizona's last largely unobstructed wildlife pathways.

The impact of border infrastructure on wildlife that rely on this corridor is the focus of an in-depth report by two former members of Carnegie Knight News 21, which brings top journalism students from across the country to its headquarters at Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Joining me to talk more about why some conservationists are so worried is reporter Lorenzo Gomez, one of the journalists behind this story.

It's so nice to see you.

Thanks for being here.

Thank you for having me.

So I want to point out that you and photojournalist Marissa Lindemann worked on this story.

I spent about three months researching and working on the story and writing it.

For viewers who may not be familiar with this particular stretch of land, the San Rafael Valley.

Can you paint a picture for us of the landscape and and why?

It's considered one of Arizona's most important wildlife corridors.

Yeah.

So it is a very beautiful, grassland region.

It's located between the agriculture and the Patagonian mountains in, southern Arizona, and it extends through to the US-Mexico border.

It's a very, ecologically diverse landscape.

Lots of wildlife, lots of, Yeah, lots of greenery.

It's very beautiful.

Well, in your report, you note that this is one of the last largely unobstructed wildlife pathways in this state.

Why is this connectivity between Arizona and Mexico so important for these animals?

Yeah, well, I mean, when you think about it, they are not they're not thinking about a giant wall between them and their mates, their food, their water.

And so this pathway really is it has been used for centuries and centuries for these animals to be able to, go about their life, reproduce, and make sure they have access to all the things that, you know, they need to survive.

And so blocking this off really just prevents them from doing exactly that.

Talk to me a little bit about what specific animals we're talking about and why this makes them so vulnerable.

Yeah.

So when we're thinking about this, we're talking a lot about some of the larger animals.

So we're thinking of like pronghorn deer and mountain lions, jaguars, as well as some smaller animals to have a llena and coyotes.

And the thing is, is, we have, wildlife openings, as is for smaller animals to get through.

But the reality is, is that these large animals can't get through the fence.

They either have to walk, you know, hundreds of miles to get around or, you know, they just have to stay put.

And, you know, hope that they can get access to the things that they need on this side of the fence.

Right.

So in practical terms, what does that mean for them when we're talking about food, water and breeding?

Yeah.

I mean, if you really think about it, like what happens when you don't have access to the things you need, you either stay and, you know, put your livelihood at risk or you don't come back.

And so the reality is, is that if we block these animals from the resources that they need, they're not going to be here anymore.

Right now, we're looking at Arizona, experiencing about, you know, nearly 95% of Arizona experiencing drought.

How does this drought situation make wildlife even more dependent on quarters like this?

Yeah.

Well, the the area of the San Rafael Valley is already scarce of access to water.

You know, there's not a ton of areas for animals to be able to go access water.

And so on top of that, you have a drought.

It's a bunch of compounding factors.

You have a very severe drought.

So that already takes away access to water.

And then you cut what they have in half.

Well, they're not left with very much, to have access to.

Right.

Even, some of the conservationists you've talked to have told you that, you know, this could essentially lead to the disappearance of a lot of these animals in the region.

So, in your opinion, I mean, this really is a real possibility, right?

Based on who you've talked to?

Yeah.

I mean, all the conservationists that we've talked to are in agreement that this is going to be a really big problem.

For the, you know, for the longevity of these animals in the region.

There have been reports, or attempts, I should say, to create wildlife openings, as you mentioned, in other parts of the border wall, including those small gaps you talked about installed at the San Bernardino Wildlife Refuge.

Have those been when you look at the big picture, effective in any way, shape or form for small animals?

And I think it's good to paint a picture of what the they actually look like.

And it's eight and a half by 11 inch gaps in the wall.

So you can think of that as like a standard piece of printer paper.

So that's what animals have to be able to go through.

And so sometimes you know, we can see maybe female mountain lions, going through and you know, they say that, you know, smaller rodents, javelina and coyotes can sometimes get through.

But you think about a printed paper.

Not very large.

Yeah.

No, not at all.

From what experts have told you, are there any kind of realistic, design changes that could improve that situation?

Yeah.

I mean, there have definitely been, talks from what we've heard between conservationists and the government to create larger ones and, you know, different kinds of solutions to how they can get one side can get what they want.

And, you know, we can protect the environment on the other.

So, yeah, there is you know, there's not really a code like, what do you, what would you say like a, an agreed upon solution.

But there are talks about ways that they can make it happen.

So there are ideas out there, correct.

Yeah.

Groups that you've talked to, one of which is, Sky Island Alliance have set up dozens of wildlife cameras across the valley.

What do those cameras reveal about how the animals actually, use the landscape?

Yeah.

So, you know, they they go about it just like you would imagine.

I mean, it's a free roaming area.

Lots of lots of grazing.

And the thing is, is that when, you know, you look at the, you look through the cameras, and see how they're interacting with the border wall, you see them getting stuck.

They don't know.

They are clearly distressed.

There's lots of videos online showing it.

And so that's what we're kind of seeing when it comes to the animals.

And now on the other hand, I'm sure we'll get to this, but there's a lot of human activity down there on their cameras.

So that's, you know, that's something.

Well, that was my next question because, you know, one of the details that stood out to me in your report is that less than 1% of the activity that was captured on those cameras was human, less than 1%.

So what does that tell us about the environment there?

Yeah, well, I can attest to the fact that it is a quiet, quiet place down there.

During our time there, we, I think, saw oh, we didn't see anybody.

We saw we saw some scattered border patrol vehicles and animals and that was really it.

And so this is a sector that the administration had said had, high level of illegal crossings.

But according to their cameras, and just from my experience being there, we did not see that, it was very, very quiet.

And the people that are there are hunters usually.

Let's talk about, the Department of Homeland Security because it waives several environmental laws to move the project forward.

According to the U.S.

Customs and Border Protection policy, its environmental planning includes, quote, the preparation of an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act or an EPA.

For some projects, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security may determine it is necessary to exercise his or her authority to waive certain environmental laws, including Nepa, to expedite construction of border infrastructure.

Environmental groups, particularly some that you've talked to, have challenged that decision in court, where do things stand with that right now?

Yeah.

So it actually started with a lawsuit, started by the center for Biological Diversity.

And right now, you know, it stalled for a while during the government shutdown.

So there was nothing happening during that time.

And as of right now, there's really no movement on it.

It's all still pretrial.

There's no decisions.

They're still fighting it in court.

And what sense should we get from them as far as what we just, the quote that I just read, do they feel like they were consulted enough?

Some of these groups, I think that was one of the biggest, concerns that they raised is that there had been communication, in the past between them and the federal government on solutions, what their findings were.

And at the end of the day, they really weren't consulted when it came to, waiving those environmental laws.

And so I think that's where a lot of the frustration came from, especially for them, is that the you know, there was no talk at all.

And they have been doing all this work with the idea maybe that there was going to be some sort of collaboration.

So more to come on that.

Yes, absolutely.

So I want to talk to you a little bit about, you know, your personal impressions.

I mean, you spent, as I mentioned, three months, investigating this story, reporting this story, speaking to scientists, speaking to conservationists.

What struck you the most about what is happening in this region right now?

Well, I think that being out there, you really get to see and appreciate how beautiful the landscape is.

And how beautiful Arizona is, and how lucky we are to have the biological diversity that we have.

There is a lot of passion behind the people that are working to try and protect the environment down there, and I just think that in my eyes I would I would hate to see such beautiful, diversity, ecological diversity lost, because we're not putting enough consideration in, to some of the things that we're doing at the border.

And I think that the San Rafael Valley really left an impression on me.

It's it's important to a lot of people for many reasons.

And just being there for even the smaller amount of time that we were there, I mean, I understand it's it's beautiful.

It should be protected.

It is beautiful.

Marissa took some incredible photos of the landscape and the wildlife there.

And there's one picture in particular, you talk to me about that has really left a searing impact in your heart and mind.

Can you tell me a little bit about this?

Yes.

I have told Marissa so many times like, this is an award winning picture.

And and it really is encapsulates the story perfectly.

It's a deer who is sticking its nose through the border wall.

It's simple, but it really captures the essence of the story.

I think that, and someone who believes that a photo can tell just as many words as, a 500,000 word story.

And that is definitely one of them.

I think that just seeing that just shows you like the distress and the problems that are going to be cause, by this and yeah, it's a wonderful photo and I would highly encourage people to go look at it and really take it in for what it is.

Well, it's a terrific photo.

And the reporting is so well done.

Congratulations to both of you.

And it's getting a lot more traction now.

Yes.

Which I'm happy to hear because it's the it's an issue that we don't hear a lot of people talking about.

I also want to mention that you did graduate from Arizona State University, last year.

Yeah.

Congratulations.

Thank you so much.

And you are now a working professional journalist.

Yeah.

Some might say some might say that.

Yeah, no, I did, I graduated and I'm really happy that news 21 could help me cap off that time, because it was so it was such a good learning experience, not only for me but for for the editors, for everyone that was involved.

And it was I mean, immigration and the border is a tough subject to cover.

And I think that all of us did an incredible job.

And yeah, I I'm really happy to have been a part of it.

Well well done.

I appreciate you coming here and sharing more about your story and the reporting that you have done and the wildlife situation out at the border.

Thank you again and congratulations.

And I look forward to seeing all the wonderful things that come in the future for you and your career.

Thank you.

Catherine.

Thanks, friend.

So great to meet you.

Great to meet you as well.

And that's our show for Horizonte and Arizona PBS.

I'm Catherine Anaya.

Thanks for watching and.