Everglades Advocates Win Awards for Conservation & Public Service | Friends of the Everglades
- Naples, Florida – Two leaders in the ongoing effort to protect Florida’s Everglades have been recognized for their dedication to conservation.
- The awards acknowledge the pivotal roles Samples and McVoy have played in challenging the establishment of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center within Big Cypress National...
- In her acceptance speech, Samples drew a parallel between current conservation efforts and the work of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the founder of Friends of the Everglades.
Naples, Florida – Two leaders in the ongoing effort to protect Florida’s Everglades have been recognized for their dedication to conservation. Eve Samples, Executive Director of Friends of the Everglades, received the Conservationist of the Year award, while Dr. Christopher McVoy, a board member and hydrologist with the organization, was presented with the Public Service Award by the Everglades Coalition at their conference.
The awards acknowledge the pivotal roles Samples and McVoy have played in challenging the establishment of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center within Big Cypress National Preserve, a facility critics have dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.” The fight against the detention center continues, and both recipients expressed their commitment to seeing it dismantled.
In her acceptance speech, Samples drew a parallel between current conservation efforts and the work of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the founder of Friends of the Everglades. Douglas, a journalist and author whose 1947 book The Everglades: River of Grass brought national attention to the unique ecosystem, established the organization in to combat a proposed jetport that threatened the Everglades.
“She was a fearless diplomat. A powerful communicator. An evangelist for science and truth. She was not easily intimidated. Most of all, Marjory made a tangible difference in the Everglades,” Samples said, quoting from her speech. She reflected on a visual reminder of past battles – a framed image of the proposed jetport runway displayed in her office – as a symbol of the environmental awareness sparked by that earlier fight.
The struggle against the jetport ultimately led to the creation of Big Cypress National Preserve, and spurred the passage of landmark environmental legislation, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. These laws, according to Samples, are now facing challenges, but she remains optimistic about the future of Big Cypress, envisioning a time when the detention center is removed, its signage taken down, and its structures dismantled.
Friends of the Everglades, founded by Douglas when she was years old, has a long history of advocating for the preservation of the Everglades. The organization’s origins trace back to a book and a growing concern over the impact of development on the region’s unique ecosystem. Douglas was reportedly persuaded to formalize her activism by environmentalist Kai Marshall and Browder’s office manager Judy Wilson. The organization began with a single dollar contribution from Douglas herself, making her its first member.
The Everglades, described as North America’s only subtropical wetland, has long been recognized as a critical ecological resource. The organization’s mission, as stated in its founding principles, is to “preserve, protect, and restore the only Everglades in the world.” This mission has been consistently pursued through legislative advocacy, legal action, and scientific research, as highlighted in the Friends of the Everglades .
The current fight over the ICE detention center represents a continuation of this long-standing commitment. The facility’s presence within the preserve raises concerns about environmental damage, disruption of wildlife, and the ethical implications of housing detainees in a sensitive natural area. The Everglades Coalition, which presented the awards, is a broad alliance of organizations dedicated to the comprehensive restoration of the Everglades ecosystem.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas’s legacy extends beyond the founding of Friends of the Everglades. She was a lifelong advocate for environmental protection, and her work has inspired generations of conservationists. Her dedication was recognized nationally with an award named in her honor, presented to individuals demonstrating unwavering commitment to protecting national parks, as evidenced by the National Parks Conservation Association’s recognition of a Minnesotan advocate in .
The awards to Samples and McVoy underscore the ongoing importance of protecting the Everglades, a region facing numerous environmental challenges. The fight against the “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center, and the broader effort to preserve this unique ecosystem, will likely continue to require the dedication and expertise of individuals like these award recipients, building on the foundation laid by Marjory Stoneman Douglas over half a century ago.