Natalie Hinderliter- Choice topic 3- California Super bloom

 The state of California is in the midst of a phenomenon known as the super bloom. After an especially wet winter, full of torrential rain and mudslides, the hills and valleys of certain areas of the state experience an explosion of wildflowers, known as a super bloom. These floral events are relatively rare considering how inconsistent the precipitation levels of California are, shifting from an intense drought to a rainy season seemingly every year. However, these ethereal wild flower blooms serve a greater purpose than just aesthetics. According to an article by the New York Times, super blooms give researchers the rare opportunity to observe ecosystems and species that have been destroyed in other areas. It is also important to note that while these blooms are stunning, too much pedestrian traffic as a result of tourists and visitors, has had a lasting impact on the flowers' growth. It has been four years since the last super bloom, during which visitor numbers and behavior went uncontrolled, yet the land and flowers still bear the scars from human intrusion. Researchers working in the Lake Elsinore area have noted that there are still notable paths worn into the current super bloom from the previous bloom four years ago. This aspect of the super bloom represents a unique moral and environmental quandary, how can people be allowed to visit and experience such a sublime sight while still preserving it for years to come? Should such a site be cordoned off, or does it belong to everyone equally? These are not questions with easy or simple answers, rather they are something for policy makers and researchers to consider when providing guidelines for visitors to the super bloom or any natural site that may face severe consequences from human actions.