Protect the Poppies!

I want to preface this story with the following:

My goal is to raise awareness on how to enjoy nature without destroying it.
I am a self-proclaimed hippie-crit (I try to be “green” but am a hypocrite in many ways).
I am constantly learning and trying to lessen my impact on our planet.

Every spring, the poppy fields in California bloom in both Antelope Valley and Lake Elsinore. The fields are absolutely gorgeous and everyone should be able to enjoy them if we all make the conscious decision to take our trash back home with us, stay on the trail, and spread awareness!

I have seen countless “influencer type" instagram posts of people laying, sitting, or frolicking in the poppies, which is destroying the poppy habitat. I have always had the question... ‘are people oblivious or are they knowingly destroying the environment?’

So I decided to take a journey to Antelope Valley to see for myself and make an informed decision!

Some of the reasons I went to the poppy fields were to check if there is clear signage about staying on the trails, and if there are park rangers patrolling the area. This would help me determine whether or not visitors were oblivious. I went to see how many social trails were made from years prior and of course, to see the beautiful natural surroundings!

*"social trails are informal trails created by erosion due to foot traffic from people and animals"- University of Washington*

And most importantly, the main reasons I went to the poppy fields were to pick up trash and raise awareness!

Due to COVID19 restrictions, the actual Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve was closed to visitors, but the valley driving into the park was filled with poppies. I pulled up and parked on the side of the road where I saw a dirt road and trails headed into the poppy fields. Right away, I saw trash piled up and scattered along the highway. There weren't a ton of people and everyone kept their distance, but I did see a few people not respecting the habitat.

The number one thing I found on the trails? Dog poop bags filled with dog poop.

What I found interesting is that as I was picking up trash along the trail, my friend, Kylie Martin, was able to snap some photos of me that looked like I was in the poppy preserve. My point is, there is absolutely no reason for influencers to trample poppy to take a “good photo.”

It is 100% possible to stay on the trail and respect nature so that others can enjoy it after you.

A Native American proverb says, “We do not inherit the land from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”

Every action has a reaction.

Be kind.

Stay on the trail so others can enjoy it as well.

Lessons learned:

It’s windy in Antelope Valley.

You can enjoy, investigate, and check out nature without destroying it.

Where I was, there was a total lack of signage.

Unfortunately, there are a ton of social trails that have been made, and there is absolutely no need to go off them.

People need to understand the “leave it better than you found it” concept and take their trash with them at the very least!

My conclusion of my original question “are people oblivious or are they knowingly destroying the environment?”

I believe that the people who litter are jerks. I would hope most of the people trampling poppies are oblivious. But technically, when you travel you should do research before to educate yourself on how to respect the environment!

Three tips for sustainable travel:

1. Always take your trash with you when leaving a national park, or any space for that matter!.

2. Pick up the trash of others if you can safely do so.

3. Always stay on trails and don’t trample natural habitats.

Please raise awareness if your friends and family mention they are heading to the poppy fields. Thank you!

Hi, my name is Lauren Bergloff and I am a sustainability guru and self-proclaimed hippie-crit! I grew up on Avenue B in Redondo Beach while going to Saint Lawrence Martyr School and Marymount High School in Los Angeles. Then, I went to UC Santa Barbara where I majored in Environmental Science and graduated in 2011. After graduating, I made the move to Catalina Island to teach students of all ages about the environment at the Catalina Environmental Leadership Program. After working there for a year and a half, I moved back to Redondo Beach where I was able to bring my passion to my workplace yet again, but this time at Terranea Resort. My life’s mission is protecting nature and the environment. I want to spread my love for the natural world to the next generation on our planet. I believe that if you love something, you will want to protect it. Being able to spread my love for the environment and sustainability to guests and associates of all ages brings me so much joy!

You can find Lauren on social media @sustainabergie and on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-bergloff-4bbaa247/