Marjorie Harris Carr
Encyclopedia
Marjorie Harris Carr was an American
conservationist
.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Harris moved to Lee County
in southwest Florida
. In 1936, she received a B.S. in zoology
from Florida State College for Women; in 1942, she received an M.A. from the University of Florida
. She became a wildlife technician in Florida-the first woman to hold such a position. In 1937 she married Archie Carr
, who would become a world-renowned biologist and conservationist. They had five children.
During the 1960s, her early efforts led to the formation of Paynes Prairie
, now a major state park
in Florida.
, a mammoth project traversing central Florida threatening the area's ecosystem
. Marjorie Carr began fighting the project in 1962. She eventually founded the Florida Defenders of the Environment in 1969. In 1970, the organization presented an environmental impact assessment
that provided thorough scientific, technical, and economic research about the effects of the canal. It was the first such report submitted by a citizen's group. Due to growing public pressure the project was abandoned in 1971. Lawton Chiles
, Florida's governor at the time of her induction into the Florida Women's Hall of fame in 1996, remarked that “few people have Marjorie's intelligence, perseverance, scientifically based understanding of the environment, and ability to lead citizens. Her efforts to deauthorize the Cross Florida Barge Canal began with one person and ended years later with thousands of citizens convincing their elected representatives of the detrimental nature of this project.”
Today the area that was set aside for the canal is a recreational area. In honor of Marjorie Carr's conservation efforts, it is now called the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
conservationist
Conservation movement
The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental and a social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including animal, fungus and plant species as well as their habitat for the future....
.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Harris moved to Lee County
Lee County, Florida
Lee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. Located in southwest Florida, the principal cities in the county are Fort Myers and Cape Coral...
in southwest Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. In 1936, she received a B.S. in zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
from Florida State College for Women; in 1942, she received an M.A. from the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. She became a wildlife technician in Florida-the first woman to hold such a position. In 1937 she married Archie Carr
Archie Carr
Archie Fairly Carr, Jr. was an American herpetologist, ecologist and a pioneering conservationist. He was a Professor of Zoology at the University of Florida. In 1987 he was awarded the Eminent Ecologist Award by the Ecological Society of America...
, who would become a world-renowned biologist and conservationist. They had five children.
During the 1960s, her early efforts led to the formation of Paynes Prairie
Paynes Prairie
Paynes Prairie is a Florida State Park, encompassing a savanna south of Gainesville, Florida, in Micanopy. It is also a U.S. National Natural Landmark. It is crossed by both I-75 and U.S. 441 .- History :...
, now a major state park
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
in Florida.
Opposition to the Cross Florida Barge Canal
Her most significant accomplishment was the long battle to stop the construction of the Cross Florida Barge CanalCross Florida Barge Canal
The Cross Florida Barge Canal was a canal project to connect the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean across Florida for barge traffic. Two sections were built but the project was cancelled, mainly for environmental reasons. It is now a protected green belt corridor, one mile wide...
, a mammoth project traversing central Florida threatening the area's ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
. Marjorie Carr began fighting the project in 1962. She eventually founded the Florida Defenders of the Environment in 1969. In 1970, the organization presented an environmental impact assessment
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
that provided thorough scientific, technical, and economic research about the effects of the canal. It was the first such report submitted by a citizen's group. Due to growing public pressure the project was abandoned in 1971. Lawton Chiles
Lawton Chiles
Lawton Mainor Chiles, Jr. was an American politician from the US state of Florida. In a career spanning four decades, Chiles, a Democrat who never lost an election, served in the Florida House of Representatives , the Florida State Senate , the United States Senate , and as the 41st Governor of...
, Florida's governor at the time of her induction into the Florida Women's Hall of fame in 1996, remarked that “few people have Marjorie's intelligence, perseverance, scientifically based understanding of the environment, and ability to lead citizens. Her efforts to deauthorize the Cross Florida Barge Canal began with one person and ended years later with thousands of citizens convincing their elected representatives of the detrimental nature of this project.”
Today the area that was set aside for the canal is a recreational area. In honor of Marjorie Carr's conservation efforts, it is now called the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway.