As we enter Autumn, the next few weeks will bring a remarkable ecological phenomenon to South Texas.
Our skies will be filled at a truly astonishing scale, when hundreds of thousands of warblers, ducks, shorebirds, hummingbirds, raptors, tropical birds, and other wildlife take flight and make their way through our region.
The flight plans of hundreds of species, some embarking in intercontinental travel, will converge in South Texas, creating incredible biodiversity that cannot be found elsewhere.
This upcoming season of busy airspace sets the stage for some facts and statistics that are difficult to grasp. Our region has documented more than 500 species of birds across the four county Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV). Our Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge holds the title for the highest number of recorded bird species (417) in any national refuge in the United States. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, over 250,000 ducks use a wildlife refuge in our region as a major stopover during peak November use. A record stands where tens of thousands of Broad-winged Hawks passed through our region in a single day. Perhaps most impressive of all, these incredible feats of nature occur in a compact geographical region of four counties. For context of exactly how small this region is in relation to these extraordinary ecological phenomenon, these counties only occupy roughly 1.6% of Texas’s land area and about 0.1% of the land of the United States, if we go off the Census Bureau geographical designations.
To many, this might all sound grandiose and beautiful, but of little importance economic development and of negligible benefit to our local economy and residents. However, I posit that under careful collaboration, cultivation and education, the ecological phenomenon given to us by our strategic geographic location can grow into a very real economic engine for our entire region.
It is difficult to capture concrete figures that paint a holistic picture of the economic impact ecotourism has in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. With overlapping jurisdictions, local, state and federal agencies, taxing entities, seasonal variations, and other variables, a true economic snapshot is an ever-moving target. However in 2011, Texas A&M embarked on trying to pinpoint these exact numbers as accurately as possible.
A side note: A decade and a half has passed since this study was conducted. The economic panorama of the United States is vastly different than it was in 2011. I will provide the figures discussed in this study, while also provide their adjusted-for-inflation counterpart.
The math is relatively simple: We can use the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Price Index (CPI) for 2011 and 2026. The 2011 annual-average CPI was of 224.939 while the August of 2026 date CPI-U is of 334.980.
The formula I am using is: 2026 dollars = 2011 dollars x (2026 CPI / 2011 CPI)
Therefore, $1 in 2011 had approximately the purchasing power of $1.49 in 2026. This might be a simplified view of economics and inflation, but it will do an adequate job in showing the potential economic impact that can be had in the LRGV.
According to this 2011 study conducted by Texas A&M, nature tourism generated approximately $463 million ($689.5 million in 2026 dollars) in economic output in 2011. This is the macro level number. This encompasses food consumption, transportation, lodging, recreation, and other services. Over 6,000 jobs, both full and part time, were supported. An estimated $307 million ($457million in 2026 dollars) was expended directly by nature tourists. Finally, ecotourism brought in more than $2.5 million ($3.8 million in 2026 dollars) in local sales tax and $7.5 million ($11.19 million in 2026 dollars) in hotel taxes for local community, according to the Texas Comptroller’s Office.
Consider what these numbers represent, and consider the limited collaborative and unified approach to ecotourism across the LRGV. Furthermore, we must remember that these numbers are representative of a market that is unique to us for no other reason other than our geographic location and ecological advantages. The LRGV possesses ecological assets that cannot be replicated by another community that might not have them.
It is difficult to comprehend how so much can occur in such a small land area. Yet, the region is leaving economic impact on the table.
The goal of every community leader and economic developer is to maximize opportunities for their corresponding communities using the economic, financial, and geographic tools to their advantage. Competition is often fierce between communities throughout Texas, trying to land an economic driver for their constituents. However, it appears that we have a natural occurring opportunity in our backyard whose potential isn’t being maximized. This opportunity is unique to us, and it would be difficult for competition in other parts of the state and country to enter this arena.
Birds and wildlife don’t adhere to geographic lines. They don’t limit their migratory plans to Census tracts or Census designated places. Many of these are embarking in international travel, and they will fly over our unincorporated areas, towns, cities, and counties. And because wildlife does not recognize boundaries between these jurisdictions, neither should our approach to developing this economic opportunity. It is clear that the economic opportunity is here, but a regional unified approach is needed. I urge the LRGV to tap this economic well, protect it, and take advantage of our strategic location.
Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by Nestor Lopez, an economic developer from South Texas with over ten years of experience in local and state government. The column appears in the RGG Business Journal with the permission of the author.
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