Sanford Nowlin
Environmental advocates and Indigenous people gather last year in Brackenridge Park to oppose the city's tree-cutting proposal.
A lawsuit filed in federal court in San Antonio by two members of the Native American Church argues the tree removal and ongoing efforts to frighten birds away from the downtown park violate Indigenous people's ability to worship in what they consider a sacred space.
Native Americans consider the spring-fed Blue Hole — the source of the San Antonio River — along with a stretch of the waterway arcing through Brackenridge to be sacred, along with animals and plants in the area.
The city's current plan calls for the removal of 40 trees, including six heritage specimens with trunk diameters of more than 24 inches, as part of a bond project to maintain the long-neglected public space. Crews would also relocate an additional 20 trees.
City officials said they must remove the trees to repair stone walls and other historic structures in the park. Additionally, they argue some of the trees pose a safety risk because they're in danger of falling.
After public outrage during meetings about the plan, staff scaled back the number of trees originally targeted for removal.
Despite that revision, Indigenous people, environmentalists and neighborhood groups continue to oppose the removals, arguing that the city deliberately tried to shield the process from public input. They also charge that the city hasn't made significant enough efforts to protect trees while conducting repairs at the park.
In the new lawsuit suit, plaintiffs Gary Perez and Matilde Torres state that the plan would impinge on religious ceremonies they have carried out at the park for years. The pair also serve as guides and religious leaders for others who seek to worship there.
"The shape of the San Antonio River within the park, the flora that surrounds the river, the constellations in the sky above — these come together to form a pilgrimage site for indigenous persons across North America," the suit states. "And they form one of the holiest sites on earth for Mr. Perez and Ms. Torres."
The suit asks the court to block the construction work and tree removals until the plaintiffs and the city can hammer out an alternate proposal. What's more, the plaintiffs request that the court block ongoing efforts to remove birds from Brackenridge with noise, fireworks and nest removals.
In a statement, City Attorney Segovia said the park's historic nature requires proper protection of both people and wildlife.
"We will seek a speedy resolution to this litigation," he said.
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