Letters to the Editor: Stubborn enough to go see the poppy bloom? At least stay on the trails

To the editor: I am concerned about the use of pictures depicting people posing among the flowers and not on-trail at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve near Lancaster.

There is little mention in the article about the importance of staying on the paths and the damage that walking does to the poppies and the potential for future blooms. I know the point of the article was that people are not supposed to be there at all amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but I also think it is important to emphasize that people who are stubborn (or ignorant) enough to go anyway need to stay on the trails and avoid trampling the poppies.

This includes people who think it’s OK because they saw other people walking off-trail too.

Emily Maitino, Los Angeles

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To the editor: On the front page of Thursday’s print edition you showed two people in a field of poppies, along with another picture of a couple inside the paper. Obviously these people waded through the field, stepping on the flowers to get a picture.

Do you think it’s really appropriate the day after Earth Day to show folks destroying nature so they could get a selfie?

Adam Pilver, Los Angeles