| Marjorie Harris Carr | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 26, 1915 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Died | October 10, 1998 |
| Nationality | United States |
| Fields | Oceanography |
| Alma mater | University of Florida Florida State College for Women |
| Known for | Notable conservationist |
Marjorie Harris Carr (March 26, 1915 – October 10, 1998) 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.
Her most significant accomplishment was the long battle to stop the construction of the Cross Florida Barge Canal, 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.