My jaw just dropped as I read Karen Garcia’s Get Out story “Hidden oasis” (Jan. 18) extolling the virtues of a visit to Montaña de Oro State Park. She “felt like a 10-year-old again searching for the smoothest rock to add to my collection,” she revealed. Well, the reason “this place is a veritable gold mine” for rock collectors is because all features are protected. This is a state park, for everyone to enjoy visiting, then leave all rocks, shells, plants, and creatures where we find them and go home empty-handed but full of great memories and photos. Karen, please put your rocks back. They are part of the ecosystem, an ecosystem where everything has a purpose right where it is.
Lindi Doud
Los Osos
This article appears in Health & Beauty 2018.
I would thank Ms. Doud for speaking out. With our ever growing population trying to enjoy our wild places, it’s up to all of us to keep them as untouched as possible. These are habitats where others live, creating the ecosystems that maintain the balance of our survival.