Group trying to save birding habitat at SPI Convention Center

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (ValleyCentral) — South Padre Island is looking to expand its Convention Center. Part of the design plans call for adding a performing arts theater to the south side of the building. However, birders and forestry experts argue that it would destroy habitat vital to migratory birds.

Edward Kuprel retired from the city of Edinburg as its forester. On Thursday, he and a group of community members concerned about the proposed convention center expansion plans measured trees.

“It’s part of our history. It’s part of our culture down here. It’s part of us, I guess. I’m a forester, so I guess I look at it as part of the native forest,” Kuprel said.

He's hoping that by showing some of the native trees on the property are the largest of their kind in the state, it could bring awareness to the cause of preserving the area.

Karen Nussbaumer, another person concerned with preserving the area, said the old-growth trees and undergrowth on the south side of the building are "the most important." Because it's on that side of the building, she said it's protected from the northerly winds, which gives it protection and helps it grow.

Nussbaumer has been keeping an eye on the convention center expansion plans for about a year. She said the original plans called for even more trees to be taken out near the entrance to the building. Those plans were later updated to keep them in place, but she said every version of the plan calls for the old-growth vegetation to be taken out.

“There’s nothing else like it on the island, and the birds rely on these during migration. The proposed plans just show them putting trees in a more linear fashion, and nothing like this,” Nussbaumer said.

One concession the city has proposed is putting in a tower where birders can get an elevated view of the newly developed area. Nussbaumer said the plan is not acceptable for several reasons.

Nussbaumer said, “Putting in a birding tower, that’s going to take away more habitat, and most birders are not going to use that tower to come look at the migratory birds. Plus, there’s also a nice birding tower over at the Birding Center that you can look at. So, I don’t think it’s any benefit to the birders.”

Brad McKinney is an avid birder and works for a nature tour company based in Austin. He said the old-growth area, in conjunction with the Nature and Birding, Nature Center, and Alligator Sanctuary next door, is unique and can't be replicated by simply transplanting the vegetation or trying to recreate it in a nearby location.

“It forms a nucleus of habitat for these migrating songbirds, which brings in millions in tourist dollars annually,” McKinney said.

McKinney said the latest estimates he's seen show the four Valley counties see an economic benefit of over $400 million a year in nature tourism.

Karen Nussbaumer said she doesn't think the benefits of a theater at the Convention Center would make up for the loss of tourist dollars coming into the Valley in general and to South Padre Island specifically.

Nussbaumer's daughter, Anna, said she likes to take pictures of the flora and fauna when she visits the area.

“There aren’t many habitats left on the island for migratory birds. So, if we lose this habitat, it would be a shame,” Anna Nussbaumer said.

One of the trees the group measured on Thursday, a Coral Bean, was found to be a co-champion. Meaning it measured at or near the largest tree of its kind in Texas. Karen Nussbaumer said another two trees "have potential" to also be recognized as the largest of their kind.

Early next week, the Texas A&M Forestry Service will analyze the calculations taken today to make its final determination about the official sizes of the trees.