Friends of Big Bend National Park

At the June 2011 Board of Directors meeting, the board was pleased to provide grants in the total of $37,000 for the following projects.  The funding for these projects comes from the sale of the Big Bend license plates.  Thank you to all who buy and renew their plates each year!
Boquillas Crossing staffing  
The project will fund vital staffing and supplies for the March 2012 opening of the Boquillas Crossing Contact Station. The station will be a new facility that will require immediate staffing once it opens.  Staffing of the station is needed for visitor orientation, directions, safety and education about this monumental new opportunity.  

Big Bend/Rio Bravo Project
The proposal is to provide support for the Boquillas Crossing and Big Bend Rio Bravo Project efforts.  Throughout the next 12 months a number of significant meetings and VIP/Mexican official visits are expected to occur.  The funds from this project will be expended in support of this effort.

At the January 2011 Board of Directors meeting, the board was pleased to provide grants in the total of $12,000 for the following projects.  The funding for these projects comes from the sale of the Big Bend license plates.  Thank you to all who buy and renew their plates each year!

La Harmonia Curatorial Aid
This project will pay for a curator from the park service’s regional office to travel to the park to curate the La Harmonia Store original items in the park’s museum for preservation.  NPS policy requires historic items to be properly curated and preserved. Many of the original store items such as the cash register, tobacco cutter, cheese cutter, coffee grinder and other items are in the park’s care awaiting active stabilization, repair and curation.  This project will lead to longer term protection of the Castolon La Harmonia store items.

International Dignitaries
The proposal is to provide support for the Boquillas Crossing and Big Bend Rio Bravo Project efforts.  Throughout the next 12 months a number of significant meetings and VIP/Mexican official visits are expected to occur.  The funds from this project will be expended in support of this effort.

At the September 2010 Board of Directors meeting, the board was pleased to provide grants in the total of $30,000 for the following projects.  The funding for these projects comes from the sale of the Big Bend license plates.  Thanks to all license plate holders who make these projects possible.

Trespass Livestock Reduction Project
This will continue the very successful low stress livestock training and roundup program begun in 2007. There is a direct correlation between control measures and the number of trespass livestock in the park.  Aggressive proactive patrols for stock are the best way to capitalize on prior successes. Continuation of Low Stress Livestock handling training and roundups will build upon the successful reduction in trespass livestock that occurred during the 2007 and 2008 season.  Emphasis will be placed upon continued training of park staff in low stress handling and natural horsemanship, continued roundups, expanding to new areas along the river and reinforcement of park regulations with Mexican stock owners.  The expected results will be preservation of the park’s resources and enhanced visitor experiences coupled with cost effective, low impact, humane roundups of trespass animals.

Match Texas Historical Commission (THC) Grant
The THC made a grant of $3,000 contingent upon the Friends donating $5,000 from license plate money for roadside signage that is badly needed in the park.  These include two signs on the Basin Road for the Lost Mine Trail, two for the changing Fossil Bone Picnic area, and any additional to be used in labeling roadside pull offs by name.  They will say “Dog Canyon Exhibit” instead of just the roadrunner sign. These signs are prototypes to test if more people stop if they know what the exhibit is.

Enhancements to Park Orientation Film
The orientation film fund-raising has been successful with enough funds raised through the Friends and Centennial matching gift to produce a film. The film script is nearly complete thanks to Friends funding and will allow for phase two production in the coming year.  The production can be greatly enhanced with some additional funding to allow for as much aerial photography as can be afforded.  The size and scope of Big Bend’s landscape lends itself to aerial footage well.  These funds will cover the costs of aerial photography.