Heroes in American Conservation: Who is the “Hawk of Mercy”?

 

Meet American Conservation Hero Rosalie Edge Who is she? Rosalie Edge (1877–1962) was a gifted, persuasive writer and speaker who used her talents to advance both the women’s suffrage movement and wildlife conservation. She led the charge to have Washington state’s Olympic peninsula protected as a National Park, and she was involved in protecting Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yosemite and Grand Teton National Parks as well. Many of the battles Edge fought continue today: old-growth forest logging, air and water pollution and development still threaten precious wild and public lands. “The time to protect a species is while it is still common." – Rosalie Edge What animals inspired Edge? Edge took up birding in her late forties and was particularly infatuated with birds of prey. Her love of raptors and efforts to help them even earned her the nickname, “the Hawk of Mercy.” For instance, when she noticed the overzealous hunting of raptors that migrated each fall along the Kittatinny Ridge in Pennsylvania, she created the first refuge for birds of prey. Today, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is the largest member-supported raptor conservation organization in the world. How can you become a conservation hero? Edge’s gift for persuasive writing and speaking helped her and her companions win many fights throughout the women’s suffrage and conservation movements. You too can write and speak out directly to your community and state leaders! A published Letter to the Editor in your local paper, for example, can alert others to what’s happening on an under-represented issue or flag lopsided coverage of a topic. Find other ways you can become a Wildlife Defender here! A note on our Heroes in American Conservation series: Our country has a long and complex history, populated with high-profile figures whose views may have been complicated or divisive in their time as well as ours. We present these conservationists in the interest of creating a greater understanding of the roots of the American conservation movement, and to inspire you to make your own contribution to ongoing conversations about how we preserve our wild world.      Defenders of Wildlife 1130 17th Street NW • Washington, DC 20036 defenders.org      Photo Credit: Broad-winged hawk © Justin Grubb/Running Wild Media