Just in time for fire season comes this news: Griffith Park may have survived last year's 800-acre fire, but the Daily News reports that hikers are damaging the park by veering off the park's trails and stomping through the natural terrain, damaging the plants and flowers, and "deforming the natural terrain." They're even hiking over the tender, burned areas that are trying to recover. And the worst of the damage, according to park protectors, is being done by the Sierra Club hikers, whose 50,000 plus leaders/members hike three times a week through Griffith Park. Via the paper: "One Sierra Club hike leader said she once was leading a moderate hike up Mount Hollywood when 30 fellow club trekkers charged across the road. 'They were coming straight up where there was no trail, grabbing branches like it was the cat's meow," said Rosemarie White, a hike leader who chairs the club's Endangered Species Task Force. "(They were) No.5 and No.6 (level) hikers, the real hot-doggers, who are going to do it their way to harass Mother Nature. Those wild places should not be destroyed by humans trying to demonstrate their prowess.'" [Shot of last year's fire by commenter soundsgootome]
· Straying hikers hurting sensitive areas in Griffith Park [Daily News]
· More Fiery Images [Curbed LA]
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