International Park Initiative Update
August 28, 2007
by Rick LoBello

NEW LINKS:
-Chihuahuan Desert Borderlands Map
-Big Bend Borderlands Map
-Join the US Mexico International Park Association (UMIPA)
-Check out the I Love Parks Community Blog and register your support in our online poll
-Peace, Parks, and Partnership Conference, September 9-12, 2007, Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada
 DRAFT Program September 9-12, 2007

Many people are wondering what happened to the Rotary US/Mexico International Park Proposal.  Over the past
ten years Rotary District 5520 (United States) and District 4110 (Mexico) have communicated with both federal and state government officials in support of the establishment of the park.  In 1998 over 400 of our members gathered at Chamizal National Memorial in El Paso for a bi-district conference where we celebrated our commitment to Rotary and international conservation efforts in a special ceremony dedicated to the establishment of the park.  In attendance were representatives of both governments and Rotary International President Jim Lacey.  Our members came from New Mexico, Texas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, and Aguascalientes.  Prior to the event we had received letters of support from government officials in Mexico and the US including President Ernesto Zedillo, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the National Park Service, Friends of Big Bend National Park, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the National Park Service.  As was the unfortunate situation when the original international park project was derailed by World War II, Rotary efforts were derailed by the events of 911.  We have been trying to get the project back on track ever since.

During the last year that Frank Deckert was Superintendent of Big Bend in 2002 we tried to organize an international conference in El Paso at the University of Texas.  We had staff members from UTEP involved, park managers from Mexico and the US attended the meetings and I was invited to speak to UTEP students at a peace conference. When Deckert retired the new Superintendent of Big Bend, John King, moved on to other priorities and the conference idea died for lack of NPS support.  King made some communications to his superiors and even spoke to Texas Governor Perry’s staff in Austin.  When he told me that Governor Perry’s staff felt that they could not support an international park because Mexico was holding back water from Texas, I could see support for the project from Big Bend fade quickly. 

Recently I learned that Big Bend has expanded the 1997 Letter of Intent with Mexico into sister park relationships with the two Mexico protected areas across the border.  I applaud efforts like this that help to maintain communications between the two countries, but feel that international park status is still an important goal.  With all of the immigration problems between the US and Mexico I see the International Peace Park that President Roosevelt promoted being more important than ever. 

John King left Big Bend in 2006 was replaced by Bill Wellman who recently wrote:

Big Bend National Park
Subj: Re: US/International Peace Park Project
Date: 7/9/2007 3:52:24 PM Mountain Daylight Time
From: Bill_Wellman@nps.gov
To: RickLLoBello@cs.com

Mr. LoBello:

An international park is certainly a good idea. As you well know, it has been discussed for many years and most likely will one day be a reality.  It is a concept that the National Park Service continues to support. However, with the current national debate over border security and immigration, I fear you may have a difficult task resurrecting the project at this time. We do wish you well with your efforts.

Sincerely,
Bill Wellman

Currently I am communicating with political leaders in Texas asking for their support to helping to resurrect the proposal. For example, Texas Senator recently wrote a letter to Congressman Rodriquez in support of the park.   It will also be critical to align political and grassroots leaders in Mexico. In the meantime anyone with ideas and encouragement is welcome to call or contact me by email.  I still have lots of information on the project on my website at http://www.iloveparks.com/peaceparks.  I want to keep the dream alive, but need help.  If we can find leaders in Mexico who are willing to sacrifice and work hard in bringing the proposal back to the forefront, I believe that there is a chance we can make some progress again. To sign up to get on a email list called the US Mexico International Park Association send a message to me at rickllobello@cs.com.

International Park related news from 2006-7 is summarized below:

Rick LoBello
US/Mexico International Park Association
rickllobello@cs.com
915-474-1456

News from the US side of the proposed International Park
Letter from Texas Senator Elliot Shapleigh

News from the Mexico side of the proposed International Park
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, February, 2007
Room to Roam, November, 2006
Rio Bravo del Norte Natural Monument

National Park Service International Park related news
NPS Sister Parks Initiative

Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Assembly

Interestingly, two countries, Canada and the USA, have been doing this for over 74 years. Back in 1931, Rotarians from Montana and Alberta came together in Waterton Lakes Park for the first annual international goodwill meeting. Rotarians worked at getting both the Canadian Parliament and the U.S. Congress to pass laws to set aside Waterton-Glacier as an international peace park. In 1932, the world’s first peace park, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park was established. The Park was declared a World Heritage Site in 1995. The two parks cooperate and collaborate on many things while maintaining fiscal independence and administrative autonomy - flora and fauna of the region know no boundaries.

The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Assembly meets every year for three days - even years in the USA and odd years in Canada, to celebrate the peace and friendship shared by these nations. Rotarians and their guests can play golf, hike, take a bus tour, attend a peace seminar or just enjoy the wonderful scenery. The Saturday evening banquet usually has a speaker of some note. The Peace Park Association has helped the parks by erecting symbolic artifacts, conducting ceremonies, and purchasing defibrillators, and even tried to stop the clear cutting along the border. Because of space limitations, the assembly is restricted to 300 people.

For several years, a small number of Texas and New Mexico Rotarians have been trying to form the same type of park between Mexico and the US. They have called for Big Bend National Park to join with the Maderas del Carmen and Santa Elena Protected Areas to form a park that was first called for by President Roosevelt in 1935. In 1997, both Governments signed a Letter of Intent for increased cooperation. But both nations have done little to bring this park to a reality - there are no “champions” in the political arena. For further information on Peace Parks, look at the web site, Iloveparks.com.

For several years when I lived in Montana, I went to the Peace Park Assembly. In fact I was a Board member for two years (you must be a member of District 5360, 5370 - Alberta, Canada, or 5390 - Montana, USA to be a Board member).

All who are trying to set up some type of “Park” between the USA and Mexico are looking forward to the day when we can meet in a place where the mountains, flowers and animals flow freely from one side of the border to the other - where we can join hands over the border and say to the Mexican Rotarians as I did at Waterton-Glacier to the Canadian Rotarians “….we will work for peace, maintain liberty, strive for freedom and demand equal opportunities for all mankind….”

Jerry Channell, Rockport Rotary Club, Texas

Rotary Districts 5520/4110 U.S.-Mexico 
International Park Initiative
Background Information
Latest News: US/Mexico Park

Peace Park Links:
Peace Park Foundation
Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, U.S. and Canada
Glacier-Waterton National Parks Visitors Association

Proposed U.S.-Mexico International Park
Big Bend National Park, United States
Overview: Maderas del Carmen and Canon de Santa Elena, Mexico


Mission Statement:  
These web pages are dedicated to the promotion of international peace parks around the world.  They were inspired by the efforts of Rotarians in the United States, Canada and Mexico for helping to establish the world's first international peace park between the US and Canada and for recent efforts to rekindle the dream of a US/Mexico Park. 

For more information write Rick LoBello at rickllobello@cs.com or call 915-474-1456.