Antelope Valley Conservancy

P.O. Box 3133, Quartz Hill, CA 93586--3133

Serving the greater Antelope Valley region

Local fifth grade students were tasked to write Letters to the Editor, and the following views emerged  (reprinted with permission from Antelope Valley Press, 5/18/05, D3).

      A student from Palmdale wrote: “What do you see when you are driving into town? I see houses being built.  It is a concern for me that too many houses are being built.  When I am driving into town I see people destroying the desert—the place where animals live and the place I call home.  When people ask me where I live, I say, “The desert.”  Well, now that is an answer I can no longer say.”

     A student from Lancaster wrote: “I saw that there has been a lot of construction going on.  The construction is destroying animals’ homes.  I think that empty buildings should be used to make new ones.  So, if anyone wanted to make a new building, they could use an empty store instead of using a place where animals live.  This would help save the animals’ homes and the environment.  There would be more animals, birds and nature.  Then the Antelope Valley would be a more beautiful place.”

      A student from Leona Valley wrote: “I am confused about all of the homes being built…  It is ruining a lot of animals’ homes.  They are forced to move into unsafe territory…  If we keep building homes before other homes are sold, the desert tortoise might be extinct in a few years.  Then other children might not get to see the beautiful creatures God made out here in the desert.  I think we could have a whole bunch of land set aside for animals.  Either that, or have no new homes built.”

Photo Credit: Cecilia Rejas