Brownsville's proximity to the coast has allowed the city to register several locations under the list of protected areas of the United States. Resaca de la Palma State Park is one of six nature preserves (and three state parks) that are part of the World Birding Center. It is also the largest nature preserve of the park system, with approximately of native semitropical brushland. The area was part of the Battle of Resaca de la Palma. The National Park Service lists the site of the Battle of Palo Alto as a National Historic Park. The agency purchased of the site's land, with two-thirds belonging to private landowners. It is native to the "Prosopis glandulosa" (honey mesquite) bush, "Opuntia engelmannii" (prickly pear), and "Yucca treculeana" (yucca).