Military Aids Coast

* It is a shame that our military is being pressed to give up space along our coast that it desperately needs to train its personnel (“Dainty Birds Force SEALs to Give Ground,” Oct. 9).

If it were not for the undeveloped land of the Marine Corps’ Camp Pendleton, the Navy’s Point Mugu and Vandenberg Air Force Base at Point Arguello, there would be no undeveloped coastal terrain left on the Southern California mainland coast for any sort of wildlife. These military organizations have been very cooperative in letting us geological researchers and teachers come on their bases to teach coastal geology and to conduct our research studies.

If any blame is to be assessed for the loss of coastal habitat for the Western snowy plover and the least tern, it belongs on our federal, state and county officials who have for many decades sat on their hands when it comes to protecting our coast from urbanization. These officials have, instead, yielded our precious coastal land to development of ever-more luxury homes, golf courses and hotels. I dread to think what our coast will look like if our military is ever driven from coastal bases in Southern California. Why not ask our politicians to find appropriate habitat on the coast for the birds rather than displacing our military?

IVAN P. COLBURN

Professor Emeritus

Dept. of Geological Sciences

Cal State L.A.