Leaving New York City in my adult life has brought me great appreciation for the Earth’s natural resources, and also the distressing realization of their rapid disappearance. Along interstates across the United States, strip malls and tract homes have paved over fertile farmland and wilderness, in the process displacing or killing plants and animals who used to share these lands.
So it is a tragedy to see vehicles leave their destructive wake in the State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) of the rare and beautiful Guadalupe-Nipomo sand dune complex, all for self-serving “recreation.” The dunes are an extremely fragile ecosystem that can be disturbed just by human foot, let alone gas-guzzling machines.
To the State Parks Department’s credit, the land adjacent to the SVRA surrounding Oso Flaco Lake is flourishing with native wildlife due to years of rehabilitation efforts. It is high time that we realize the value of such natural resources and preserve all the dunes from human folly.
Restoring this land would promote a healthy environment for all beings to enjoy. The recreational opportunities that these dunes offer in their natural state are plentiful. The Dunes Center continually offers nature walks, which can enrich your exploration of the native wildlife and reconnect you with the magnificent web of life that humans are part of.
Recognize your impact. I hope your community expands conservation efforts and educational outreach on behalf of the dunes and stops the devastating OHV traffic that is wrecking our precious land.
This article appears in Jan 7-14, 2010.
