Why is marjory stoneman douglas famous

The book dealt largely with the construction of the Tamiami Trail, the main highway that was built around and through the Everglades in Douglas's time. The same year as the book was published, the Everglades were made a National Park. The book came out in November and sold out by Christmas-its immediate popularity catapulted Douglas into her new, and lifelong, role as a spokeswoman for the Everglades, Holmes, , p.

The Everglades: River of Grass was published when Douglas was 57 years old. Her second career as an activist, spokeswoman and grande dame of conservation spanned the next 51 years.

Her name was well-known first in Florida conservation circles and then nationally. She continued to write even as her eyesight failed, and became a sought-after speaker on conservation issues. She helped defeat proposals to build an airstrip in the middle of the Everglades, to further redirect the water that flowed through the grasslands, and helped work towards the restoration of the natural ecosystem. Douglas founded Friends of the Everglades in She founded the group because she felt that her opinions on conservation, restoration and preservation would have more weight if they came from a group, rather than from her individual person.

However, it was predominantly her forceful personality that supporters and government officials responded to. I've got white hair, I've been around here forever, and no one can afford to be rude to me. And don't think I don't take advantage of that. I say outrageous things and get away with it,'" Douglas once said Peine, , p. Through all of her work, Douglas intensified regional, national, and international understanding of the singularity of the south Florida ecosystem.

In her lifetime, it went from a wilderness on the brink of irreparable development, to a National Park, a Wetland of International Significance, an International Biosphere Preserve, and a legislatively designated wilderness area Breton, , p. Douglas herself maintained certain wild and untamable qualities that she shared with her beloved region.

Nice or not, Douglas put the Everglades on the map, in terms of conservation. Her fierce dedication to the land brought her great satisfaction and renown.

President Bill Clinton awarded her the Medal of Freedom in , saying:. Douglas, the next time I hear someone mention the timeless wonders and powers of Mother Nature, I'll be thinking of you,'" Peine, , p. Douglas lived to be Her spirit and tenacity helped to salvage the Everglades from the near certain destruction they faced when Douglas stepped off a train in Miami in This house is located in Coconut Grove, the oldest continuously occupied neighborhood in Miami.

While other houses in the neighborhood were replaced with larger residences, this cottage is original to this area. Marjory spent five years researching the book, and it was published in , just weeks before Everglades National Park officially opened. Marjory helped change public perceptions of the Everglades, showing that it was a diverse and beautiful ecosystem that should be protected.

In recognition of her tireless and successful struggle, the state of Florida named the headquarters of its Department of Natural Resources after her. Awarding Mrs. Visit Us Contact Search.

After the jetport project was stopped, the Friends of the Everglades continued on to protect the state of water in the area. She graduated from Wellesley College, then married a con man who attempted to scheme her father out of money.

That ploy brought her father back to her life, and after her divorce, she moved to Florida to live with her father and his wife. She later wrote articles for many publications, as well as fiction and plays.

In her later life, she received numerous honorary degrees and awards, notably the Presidential Medal of Freedom. We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. American musician Prince achieved worldwide fame in the s with '' and 'Purple Rain,' the latter album also serving as the soundtrack for the popular film of the same name.

Anne Sullivan was a teacher who taught Helen Keller, who was deaf, mute, and blind, how to communicate and read Braille.