This true story is set in the Coachella Valley, the desert region best known for Palm Springs, California, a glamorous and sunny resort for the rich and famous, filled with emerald green golf courses, lakes, condominiums, and sunset-capped blue mountains. Yvonne Tevis here delineates the ongoing intense battle between developers and conservationists over how this precious land should be used. Basing her tale around the fight to save the habitat of an endangered species, the fringe-toed lizard, Tevis includes: interviews, maps, illustrations, notes, and a comprehensive bibliography, with valid arguments presented on both sides of the issue. A must read for all those concerned with protecting our environment.