Saving Florida: Women's Fight for the Environment in the Twentieth Century

by Leslie Kemp Poole

“Gives long-overdue recognition to the women who shaped the state’s environmental movement and saved Florida’s water, land, and quality of life from worse destruction.”—Cynthia Barnett, author of Blue Unmaking America’s Water Crisis
 
“Highlights the overlooked role of women in Florida’s environmental leadership. This is an exciting, important book.”—Buddy MacKay, former governor of Florida
 
“A brilliant exposition of the varied types of talent it takes to fight the battles, wars and votes which must be undertaken if even a fraction of Florida’s heritage is to be saved.”—Victoria Tschinkel, vice chairperson, 1000 Friends of Florida
 
“Shows how passionate, strong minded, independent women did what was necessary to change the hearts and minds of policy makers to keep our air and water healthy.”—Clay Henderson, former president, Florida Audubon Society
 
“Poole’s portraits of these indomitable women, many of them previously unknown, could well inspire the next generation of activists.”—Judith G. Poucher, author of State of Challenging the Johns Committee’s Assault on Civil Liberties
 
Florida is renowned for its beautiful beaches, natural springs, and subtropical wilderness, but it is widely joked that the official bird should be the construction crane. Dredge-and-fill projects, air pollution, and pesticides spread so uncontrollably during the twentieth century that they sparked an environmental movement within the state, and those who led the fight were very often women.
           
Saving Florida reveals how women’s clubs prompted legislation to establish Florida’s first state park, which became the core of Everglades National Park, in 1916—before women even had the right to vote. It tells the story of Doris Leeper, who convinced her community and federal government to protect a 24-mile stretch of sandy beach that is now the breathtaking Canaveral National Seashore. It remembers Clara Dommerich, who summoned the “Who’s Who” of Central Florida to her living room for the first meeting of the Florida Audubon Society. And it celebrates the towering environmental legacy of the three “Marjories”: author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, scientist Marjorie Harris Carr, and journalist Marjory Stoneman Douglas.

These and many other women led the fight for unprecedented changes in how the Sunshine State reveres its unique natural resources. They set the foundation for this century’s environmental agenda, which came to include the idea of sustainable development. As a collective force they forever altered how others saw women’s roles in society.

288 pages, Hardcover

First published May 5, 2015

About the author

Leslie Kemp Poole is Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at Rollins College. She is the author of Saving Florida: Women's Fight for the Environment in the Twentieth Century.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subject of this book is very important. I wish the author had written it in a more interesting manner and less like a textbook. I gave it 4 stars because I believe it should be read.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written by a professor, so it's not surprising that it reads like a textbook and that's fine; however, it wasn't organized the way a textbook usually is, which in my experience, is chronologically. Even with chronological order, I've always had trouble with reading texts that are a lot of names and dates, so jumping around in time, as this book does, made it all the more challenging for me. Personally, I remember so much more when there is more of a narrative style.
That being said, the information is important and comprehensive. All at once, it is devastating yet encouraging. It's now amazing to me that anyone who grew up in Florida before the 1970's doesn't have cancer or some other organ damaging disease. I also feel insufficient and cowardly for having fear of facing our political realities, when the women in this text faced far worse discrimination. May we all have even a smidge of their courage when we need it.

[Laurelin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saving Florida is expertly researched and a very thorough account of female environmental activism in Florida. I just wish it wasn't such a slog to get through! I enjoyed the chapter about the three Marjories the best because it had a narrower focus and flowed more cohesively.

Much of the book is a parade of names that I immediately forgot and places I've never been. I think I would have connected better to the stories of female activists if I'd actually been able to visit more of the cities, parks, and beaches here in Florida.

Overall, it's a good read for a sustainability professional - especially one who happens to call Florida home. But I wouldn't say it's required environmental reading!

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating chronology of the impact of women environmentalists in the State of Florida, going well beyond the most famous Everglades champion, Marjory Stoneman Douglas. There were areas of text that excessive with names, places, and dates that did not interweave well, but overall a good read, especially if you live in Florida.