Lower Valley residents pushing to preserve their neighborhood

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The area of Nimitz and Carolina in El Paso's Lower Valley is as picturesque as it is historical.

The area is home to one of the oldest pecan groves in the city, from the 1930s and 40s. In fact many of the trees in the area are older than the homes.

Over the years, the trees' shade has nurtured many exotic plants, insects, and birds to the area, which is why locals are eager to preserve it.

Javier Villa has lived in the area for decades and says he and his neighbors are visited by the Redwing blackbird, the cedar wax wing, robins, mockingbirds, crackles, ravens, and hummingbirds.

Villa and his neighbors get their water from the Rio Grande every May of June, but they would like the water to come sooner, to coincide with the nesting of the birds.

If that isn't possible, they want the Public Works Department to dig wells in the area, to help homeowners continue to provide a sanctuary for the birds, even in years of drought. Villa says they would even settle for a discount from the water company, to help augment their private usage.

ABC-7 spoke with David Stout, the County Commissioner for Precinct 2, where Villa lives. He told us he would use his office to advocate for Villa and his neighbors.