Big Bend National Park is an exceptional example of the Chihuahuan desert in the United States. While many visitors think of the parklands as pristine and untrammeled, in fact they have been significantly impacted by climatic factors and human activity over the last 150 years. The National Park Service has taken steps to assist in the natural recovery of native desert grasslands. By taking measures to control soil erosion, it is hoped that these areas may one day recover.

To understand how the park is restoring the grasslands, see this article, including images, by Park Ranger C. Rinas. [1 MB PDF File]