Activity Report Explorer

Sonoran Broadband • Entered by Roz Switzer on April 22, 2024

Optional Broadwalk Eclipse/Border Wall Trip

April 8, 2024

Key Issue: Multiple apply
Activity Type: Education & Outreach (tabling, films & lectures, regional B-walks/works)
Key Partners: Wildlands Network
Landscape/area: San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge (2309 acres)

Measurable Outcomes

Outcome 1: Event Attendees (24 people)

Short Description of Activity

At the conclusion of the Borderlands Biodiversity Broadwalk, we had an optional trip to the Border Wall with a stop to look at the eclipse.
Participants left SWRS and met at Airport Park in Douglas, AZ, where we observed the eclipse (80% totality).
Myles Traphagen, Wildlands Network Borderlands Program Coordinator, joined us.
From there we proceeded East to the Border Wall and floodgates at the San Bernardino Wildlife Refuge. We stopped once on the way to orient ourselves to the geography of the area and history of the Border Wall in this region of Arizona.

Reflection/Evaluation

We had a lot of fun watching the eclipse progress. Even though everyone had glasses we resorted to some school tricks, like looking through the holes of a colander and looking at the leaf pattern on concrete. The clouds formed an ice ring around the sun, due to the drop in temperatures.
Myles is a wealth of knowledge about the Border history, Wall and ecocide that is occuring. The destruction and dried up vegetation were evident. Although a few “Wildlife Openings” had been added since the last time I had been there, they measured only 18 x 24 inches and do not change the fact that the Wall blocks almost all wildlife connectivity. The Wall wails when the breeze comes up and was singing when we were having lunch. I think most participants who had not been to the Border before were dismayed and affected.
Sally is going to follow up with the Broadband participants with a border action request.
Photos found in Google Photos (Ask Sally)