Changes are coming to the Yturria Brush Tract, an 1,800-acre property that’s part of a national wildlife refuge between La Joya and Sullivan City.

Up until now, it didn't have many amenities for visitors. Now it has benches and shaded areas to make visits more enjoyable.

The hundreds of acres of brushy habitat have a few trails and a lot of nature. Armando Vera, a local pastor, says protecting the land has always held a deeper meaning for him

"God gave this to all of his creation — to manage it, to care for it and that is the reason why we are working on it," Vera said.

Vera said he’s lived in the Rio Grande Valley for more than 30 years and says many people don't know about this hidden gem. As a visitor to the wildlife refuge and member of the Hispanic Access Foundation, he wanted to share the joy with others.

"We proposed to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service the opportunity to assist them in making some of their green spaces available to the public, and they liked our idea," Vera said.

With the help of Fish and Wildlife, signs and plaques can now help visitors learn about native plants. Benches, picnic tables, and shaded areas are also now in place to make those visits more enjoyable.

"Only 5% of the native habitat remains here in South Texas, so that's why we're taking a different approach and making these collaborations with other entities because we couldn't do it alone," Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge Manager Romeo Garcia said.

Garcia said he believes if people enjoy nature, they'll want to protect it more.

The first phase of this project was funded with a $50,000 grant. Vera says it is the first step to connect more families to the outdoors.

"They will fall in love with this place so that they may care for it, beautify it, and encourage families to make the most of it," Vera said.

Two more phases are planned, including adding restrooms and a pond for wildlife. When those happen depends on funding.

The Santa Ana & Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge is set to hold a celebration for the new additions to the Yturria Brush Tract. The event is set for Saturday, March 28, 2026, at 9 a.m.

Watch the video above for the full story.