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The Mexican town of Piedras Negras played host to the first steps in the creation of a border of 400,000 trees between the US and Mexico. The project, which will run along the border of Coahuila and Texas, has been described as a “wall . . . of life” by Coahuila Governor Humberto Moreira Valdes.
The proposed ”wall of life” functions on two symbolic levels. The row of trees will stand as a satire and protest against the border fence in particular and the increase in security between the US and Mexico in general–a vibrant (literally), lush counterpoint to the Warsaw-Pact-style architecture of concrete and metal. The tree fence will also serve as a reminder of the complex economic and environmental issues that exist on any border. The effect of the US border fence on the ecosystem has received a great deal of attention. San Diego State Political Science Professor David Carruthers and others have added more layers to this theme, exploring the ambiguous legal, economic, and environmental world that emerges from trans-border commerce, such as the issues raised by generating power in Mexico for consumption in the American Southwest. The tree fence offers a symbolic protest, both mocking the physical structure of the border fence and raising questions about interconnectedness.
. Historian Shae Davidson's research interests include public policy and the relationship between culture and civil society. His publications range from articles on industrial history to absurdist poetry.
