In March, my dad and I were hiking in Franklin Canyon, which is north of Beverly Hills near Coldwater Canyon Road. Many people go there to hike and enjoy the scenery of many trees, rolling hills and the bright blue sky. As we were resting on top of a tall boulder, we eavesdropped on another conversation nearby. The hikers were talking about stripping off some of the land in Franklin Canyon to establish property for Hadid Development, a company that is known for land development. We climbed down and decided to listen in. My dad asked one of the hikers about this and we were given a flier to help support the preservation of Franklin Canyon, including a website about the efforts called www.savefranklincanyon.com.

We were devastated by the loss the canyon may suffer, so we hiked up to the area of the trail which would be used in the construction but found the trail fenced off. Fortunately, it was a small fence and we simply walked around it, as did many other hikers. We trudged onward and continued down to a steep trail. We saw a bulldozer perched on top of the peak. I felt very angry about how nature was going to be destroyed for such a useless project, benefiting Hadid Development and giving them money while no one else was benefiting.

I was thinking about what the hiker mentioned to us as we walked down.  He said that there was still a chance for the canyon: “We can contact Paul Koretz and tell him about this, so we can stop the construction,” he said. Paul Koretz is the Los Angeles City Council member who will represent Los Angeles in the opposition against the construction in Franklin Canyon.
When my dad and I got home, we told my mom about what was going on. My mom encouraged me to start an opposition at school to have more voices heard on this matter. I checked the website and felt glad many people were trying to help out in the preservation effort.  Afterwards, I decided to prepare sign up sheets to post and have students sign them in order to show their opposition. I plan to send the signatures with a letter to Councilman Paul Koretz and tell him that we oppose the project.
During the month of April, I posted the sign up sheets on Mrs. O’Connor’s window and on the door in the 7th and 8th Grade locker hall and hope many of my fellow classmates sign up and save Franklin Canyon.