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Natalie Newman

@ntlnwmn

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△ Observing Life, Pursuing Passion, Creating Art, Being.
☮︎ Conservation + Coexistence
𖠘 Usually Horseback or Hiking
𓅫 in the Big Bend of Far West TX

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

“You can’t protect a place unless you understand it. You can’t love it until you know it.” - Kristine Tompkins

I’m so grateful for the most magical weekend in Big Bend. It seems every time I go, the more I appreciate the gift of what God has given us and how it is so important to love the places we hold dearly.

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Every time I’m in West Texas, I’m struck by the way people talk about their home- the land, the Rio Grande, Big Bend, the animals, their community. They tell you how much they love it and their eyes swell up with tears.

Now they’re fighting like hell against the federal government’s plans to wall off and militarize their home.

Because of how much they love the land. How much they love the river. When you’re connected to the land, you have no choice but to protect it. It is from the roots, our relationships to place and each other, that collective power grows. Power to fight against these monstrous projects trying to destroy what we love.

Spending time with these folks has reminded me of that truth. I’m grateful for them and I’m inspired by them. Support them with all you got.

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NO WALL, NO WIRE!

In October 2025, razor-sharp concertina wire was installed on 13+ miles in Presidio, TX near the Presidio–Ojinaga International Bridge.

WHAT IS CONCERTINA OR “RAZOR” WIRE
Concertina wire is a type of barbed or razor wire formed into large, expandable coils that can be quickly deployed, named for its ability to stretch and compress.

Intended to cause physical bodily harm–or even death–if crossed through, concertina wire was originally designed for trench warfare in WWI.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

This newly deployed razor wire sits in an active flood plain, relying on t-posts to hold the coils in loose, sandy soil.

Local outfitters, river guides, and Big Bend enthusiasts are increasingly concerned as rain and flood season nears. Many feel it is not a question of “if” the wire will end up in the Rio Grande, but “when.”

What happens if a kayak flips or a canoe tips? The possibility of submerged razor wire creates life-threatening conditions for our river.

Beyond safety concerns, this threatens a vital part of the local economy. River recreation drives tourism in the region. If people no longer feel safe on the water, businesses and livelihoods will suffer.

A CONTINUED LACK OF TRANSPARENCY

Presidio County officials were not formally notified about the installation, maintenance, or scope of this project.
No publicly available materials have been released describing:

⚠️Engineering or flood impact analysis
⚠️Maintenance responsibility
⚠️Debris or failure response protocols

This reflects a broader pattern in the Big Bend region, where federal border infrastructure projects are moving forward without standard processes—such as formal notice, accessible documentation, or engagement with local officials—despite the direct impact on local communities & businesses.

📷Hannah Gentiles, Natalie Newman

Sources: John Kennedy of PMDD, City of Presidio Mayor John Ferguson, Presidio County Commissioner Diedre Hisler, Journalist Sam Karas, river outfitter Charlie Angell

https://bigbendsentinel.com/2025/10/29/border-barriers-coming-to-the-big-bend/

https://bigbendtimes.com/2025/12/16/border-patrol-deploying-13-6-miles-of-concertina-wire-near-presidio/

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Border walls in the Big Bend region won’t survive West Texas monsoons. Look at this weekend’s flash floods—they’d rip sections of wall out and send twisted metal careening downstream.

If they build the wall here, DHS would have to install and leave open massive floodgates across every wash and arroyo—hundreds of them. That kind of defeats the whole purpose of a "wall," doesn't it?

The Big Bend region doesn't want a wall. The Big Bend region doesn't need a wall. And the only people pushing to wall off the Big Bend are corrupt politicians and billionaire contractors cashing fat checks while destroying our public lands and cutting off our river access.

Amazing flood footage shot by @ntlnwmn.

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The first installment of the Wild Roots series is now available!

Watch ‘A Handful of Dirt’ featuring @johnpotterart on the @wolfconnection @youtube page or click the link 🔗 in our bio! Please like, subscribe and share this impactful story. Many thanks to everyone involved who helped make this project possible!

We can reconnect with the natural world, share the wisdom, and create a path for peaceful partnerships. The journey has just begun!
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#wolves #therapy #nature #wisdom #story

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Touching grass with my shawties 👯

Best bachelorette trip I could’ve imagined! Also, ¡¡no al muro!!

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On the Capitol Building steps in Austin, TX, folks gathered in support of protecting the Big Bend region from a physical wall and extensive destruction of the land. Voices from all ends of the political spectrum were heard, and all shared a passion for saving the big bend region.

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Yesterday, I felt my family, the ones before me and the ones that’ll follow, place their hands on my shoulders. We will defend our home, together, forever.

I am honored to be fighting alongside so many beautiful, courageous and big hearted folk that want to keep Far West Texas wild & free. We are a force to be reckoned with a spirit that is unbreakable and extremely stubborn.

I pity those who think there is a crisis in the Big Bend region and I pity those who have never had the chance to experience, what one woman called, “the place where God takes his vacation.”

If you’ve been here, you know what we are fighting for. Thousands of years of home, of beauty, of culture and heritage. The mighty and muddy Rio Grande, the life force of the desert. The beautiful creatures that God crafted and the skies that are filled with diamonds. The breath of a hot breeze and the cry of ancient land.

This is just the beginning. The fight is not over. My fight is not over and I promise, until my last breath, I will do everything I can to protect and save the region I so dearly love and call home.

NO WALL IN THE BIG BEND REGION. NO WALL, NO WIRE, NO WAY.

We see you ignoring us @sentedcruz @governorabbott

#bigloveforbigbend #noalmuro #nobigbendwall

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Big Bend makes up about 26% of our southern border but sees around 1% of apprehensions.

It is also one of the most remote and untouched places in Texas. Home to some of the darkest skies in the lower 48 and the Rio Grande, which serves as a lifeline for wildlife, ranchers, and small communities across the region.

Plans for this area have shifted multiple times with very little clarity, while activity on the ground continues.

At the same time, local leadership, including multiple county sheriffs, have publicly questioned whether a wall in this region is practical or strategic.

This is not about telling anyone what to think. It is about understanding what is actually at stake.

If you have never experienced Big Bend, it is worth seeing for yourself.

If you want to learn more or be part of the conversation, there will be a gathering at the Texas Capitol in Austin on April 4 at 4 PM.

Some places are too rare to get wrong.

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About a month ago, I posted a video about plans to build a permanent wall through the Big Bend. It’s a region with huge mountains, 1,500 foot sheer cliffs, and 100 miles of open desert on either side of the Rio Grande. Because of the harsh environment, this remote & beautiful region already has some of the lowest illegal immigration numbers along the entire USA/Mexico border.

There have been a number of twists & turns the last month, but the fact remains that billions of dollars in government contracts are being awarded to out of state companies to build a permanent wall & other barriers through much of the region.

This has been met with nearly unanimous opposition by everyone that lives in the Big Bend region & that visits it frequently. Local politicians, sheriffs, businesses & organizations from all across the political spectrum have come out against a wall here. The only people supporting it either have political & financial interests involved or they don’t understand the area because they’ve never been there.

The @nobigbendwall petition is about to surpass 100,000 signatures (link in my bio to sign). And @savebigbend will be rallying at the Texas Capitol on April 4th at 4pm.

I’m extremely grateful to all the people that have put so much time, energy & money into this fight. Some of the folks leading the charge are below, among many others - click over to any of their profiles to learn more about the situation and other ways you can help.

@nobigbendwall @savebigbend @annaclairebeasley @angellexpeditions @bigbendfarflung @moralesfortexas @sheriff.thaddeus.cleveland @tylerpriest @tonymaples @basecampterlingua @riobravoranchtx @marcusc_photo @marfapublicradio @bigbendsentinel @austintorios @gageresort @bencmasters @desertairmotel @colleen_obrien @drew.heugel @ntlnwmn @togetherforbigbend

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Big Bend could soon look like this. These are real photos I took along the Rio Grande with renderings of what a barrier could look like.

This area has woven itself into my life. My very first photography trip years ago was here, now I'm a professional in that space, and while I no longer live here full time, I consider Terlingua home.

My job here is to share beautiful images - I’m not a political pundit, just a guy who loves a place that may soon change. This stretch of Texas is one of America’s last wild frontiers, an unbroken expanse of desert. It deserves to be understood before it’s altered.

Plans for a wall along sections of the Rio Grande inside Big Bend NP and Big Bend Ranch SP are in motion. The proposal includes steel bollards, lighting, roads, and more.

Big Bend spans over 800k acres of desert, mountains, and rivers, and is home to 600+ species of birds and animals. It is not empty land. It is a living ecosystem.

The black bears here only exist because the border has remained permeable. Wiped out by the '50s, they returned in the '80s when a female crossed from Mexico and repopulated the Chisos, and they still cross the river for food and mates. That movement maintains genetic diversity, and many other animals do the same.

Big Bend isn’t just biologically rich, it is economically vital. In 2024, 561k visitors spent about $56.8 million locally, supporting roughly 600 jobs. Towns like Terlingua and Boquillas depend on that flow.

Security matters - DHS reports 89k apprehensions in this sector between '21 and '25. At the same time, data shows encounters here dropped sharply in the past two years with increased presence. It is INCREDIBLY safe here.

I live in the gray on most issues. I understand security and sovereignty. I also understand what it feels like to stand in a place that hasn’t been carved up, and to stand in places decimated in the name of progress. This isn’t left or right to me. It’s about whether one of the last truly wild stretches of Texas remains wild.

For those who want more context or to take action, I’ve tagged several accounts on the first image worth paying attention to and follow @nobigbendwall

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