Big Bend National Park encompasses over 800,000 acres along the southern border of Texas and Mexico. It protects three distinct ecosystems - river, desert, and mountain - and over 450 bird species, 75 mammal species, and 3600 insect species. The park has a long human history dating back over 10,000 years to Native American settlements. It became a national park in 1944 to preserve the diverse landscape and wildlife.
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2010 Big Bend Presentation
1. A Tour of
Big Bend National Park
By Campers:
Cheryl LeJune
Sharon Samson
2. Basic Information
• Encompasses more than 800,000 acres
• Southern border with Mexico, 118 miles of Rio
Grande River
• Archeological artifacts from 10,000 years ago
• Exceptional diversity in animal and plant life
• Altitude from 1,800 ft along river to 7,800 in Chisos
Mountains
• Located in Brewster County – 6,204 sq miles and
population of 13,000 people
• 300,000 visitors per year
• Established as national park in 1944
4. Ecosystems
• Three distinct ecosystems
– River
– Desert
– Mountain
• Nature - species
– 450 birds
– 75 mammals
– 3600 insects
– 1500 plants
5. A Little History…
• Inhabited in Paleo-Indian period from over 10,000
years ago
– Including Native American groups such as Chisos,
Mescalero Apache and Comanche
• Later Spanish, Mexican and American settlers
farmed, ranched and mined in the area
• 1850s - establishment of military outposts
• 1880s - cattle ranchers using free range ranching
– Abundant natural grasses, adequate water, cheap land
6. A Little More History…
• Early 1900s – ranchers allowed cattle, sheep and goat
herds to grow too large and overgrazed the land
– Led to erosion and changed the desert plant communities
• Unique location with border of Mexico
– Mexican Revolution spilled over border from 1915 to 1920
– Border neighbors cooperated in order to survive
• 1910 – Hot Springs Resort establish
• 1930s-1940s – CCC built roads, cottages and trails
• 1940s – Texas turned state park over to NPS
• 1976 – Recognized by UN as International Biosphere
7. Hallie Stillwell
1897-1997
Teacher
Rancher
Mother
Justice of the Peace
Newspaper columnist
Owner of general store and RV park
Autobiographies
• I’ll Gather My Geese
• My Goose is Cooked