CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST, Ariz. (KGUN) — The State of Arizona is helping pay to restore the environment along the southern border. The federal government says the state's 2022 shipping container wall damaged U.S. Forest land.
They’re spending over $2 million remediation.
The state tore down trees and native plants to place the shipping containers.
The Forest Service says work has started and it will have to continue for a few years to restore the forest.
“They did a lot of work, re-contouring, bucked and repelled downed trees, clearing of the water ways, that work can continue," Starr Farrell, with the Coronado National Forest, said. "Now we’re able to move forward do the last of the remediation work."
But that work could take a while, as the Forest Service has to observe the area.
"That could be over a couple of years as we do invasive species monitoring and reseeding in this area," Farrell added.
The state is helping to pay for the remediation as part of an agreement with the federal government after they were sued for placing the containers on federal land last year.
"We want to thank the state of Arizona for helping the Coronado National Forest," Farrell said.
There are no major interruptions for visitors to the park with the remediation work.
Meanwhile 30 miles to the east, smugglers send people over the border wall most mornings in Naco, Ariz.
Hello from Naco, AZ. Multiple people have gone up and over the border wall here so far this morning. pic.twitter.com/KmR2wt4VCC
— Adam Klepp (@AdamKleppAZ) October 11, 2023
Human smuggling, and chases have increased in Cochise Countyduring the recent border crisis.
The Tucson Border Patrol sector chief says over 1,000 people are being arrested a day by local agents.
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Adam Klepp is a reporter for KGUN 9. At his previous station in Yuma, Adam focused on a range of local issues including the border, water rights and healthcare. He is originally from Detroit, Michigan, and attended both Loyola University Chicago and Syracuse University. Share your story ideas and important issues with Adam by emailing adam.klepp@kgun9.com or by connecting on Twitter.