National Butterfly Center Warns Of The Environmental Disasters Of The Border Wall On Brad Show Live

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May 28, 2019, 15:15 ET

NEW YORK, May 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Butterfly Center in Mission, Texas is home to the largest and most diverse concentration of butterflies in the nation. The Trump Administration wants to build its border wall within this 100-acre nature preserve set on the banks of the Rio Grande Valley.

National Butterfly Center Warns Of The Environmental Disasters Of The Border Wall On Brad Show Live

If Trump's border wall is erected on the butterfly center's land, "vegetation would be eliminated, leading to greater radiant heat temperatures, erosion, lack of water filtration, diminished air filtration" and other serious environmental issues, Executive Director of the National Butterfly Center Marianna Treviño-Wright warned in an interview on Brad Show Live.

"Butterflies are the primary pollinators of all of our native plants and grasses," Marianna said to host, Brad Bernstein. "If we eliminate the habitat that sustains butterflies, which is what has to happen for the wall, it is going to effect 6,000 acres." All the preserved land will be cleared, concretized with rubberized roads paved through, she added.

Mariana's role of educating the public about biodiversity and the powerful role butterflies play in maintaining healthy ecosystems, has morphed into warning how disastrous this border wall will be for thousands of species and ecosystems.

"If we thought that this border wall, which is going to be built over two miles inland in some places in south Texas, would do anything at all to protect America, then we might support it," she said. "I have never in my life on the border felt threatened. My husband and I have six children that we have reared here. If there were any danger, why would were have stayed? Why would I report here for duty every day?"

Trump hasn't acquired full funding for his border wall, but the government has started clearing lands and shipping equipment to sites, waiving 28 federal laws.

On Feb. 3, 2018 Marianna noted the government sent contractors, without notice, nor permission, to cut down trees on a property adjacent to Butterfly Center's private property.

Currently the National Butterfly Center is suing the Federal Government to stop the progression of building the border wall on their land.

Catch the full interview on YouTube and Facebook with host Brad Bernstein. Brad Show Live is a 2019 Webby Honoree that airs Monday-Friday at 5:30 p.m. ET.

https://www.youtube.com/user/sparandbernstein/featured

https://www.facebook.com/SparBernstein/

Contact: Jill Gould, [email protected]

SOURCE Brad Show Live