32nd Annual Rio Reforestation Plants 10,000 Native Seedlings in Pharr to Restore Texas Thornforest
Pharr — The 32nd Annual Rio Reforestation planting was held on Saturday, October 17, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Milagro Tract of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, 904 W Doffin Rd, Pharr, TX 78577. Hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with conservation partners, volunteers planted 10,000 native seedlings in one morning to restore native thornforest in the Rio Grande Valley.
Partners included the nonprofit American Forests, Friends of the Wildlife Corridor, Defenders of Wildlife, the City of Pharr, Rio Fresh Organics and PENTAIR. Organizers had expected more than 1,000 volunteers. The Fish and Wildlife Service describes the annual event as the Valley's largest on-the-ground community conservation effort over three decades, with past events planting more than 300,000 seedlings in total.
Restored thornforest provides habitat for native wildlife and more than 400 species of migratory birds. According to Texas Border Business, only about 10 percent of the Rio Grande Valley's original thornforest remains. Questions about the event go to the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center at (956) 784-7500.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：Rio Grande Valley 的 Santa Ana 国家野生动物保护区湿地栖息地（资料图），与本次植树所在的下 Rio Grande Valley 保护区体系同属一地。图片来源：cricketsblog 摄，CC BY 2.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 Photo: Wetland habitat at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in the Rio Grande Valley (file photo), part of the same refuge system as the planting site. By cricketsblog, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
