In November and December we celebrate the birthdays of three extraordinary women who became a part of not only the Commonwealth’s environmental heritage, but made an impact on the national level as well.

Mabel Rosalie Edge (1877-1962) was not content to lead the genteel life of the wealthy in New York City and became active in the conservation community and founded the world’s first preserve – Hawk Mountain in Berks County – devoted to the observation and protection of birds of prey. Her birthday was November 3.

Cynthia Shallcross Calhoun (1902-1983) used her leadership abilities to guide both the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Resources Council to advocate for the preservation of beauty and against litter and billboards. She was instrumental in getting Pennsylvania’s first billboard control law adopted. Her birthday was November 10^th.

Mira Lloyd Dock (1853-1945) was also born to wealth and educated in the finest private schools, but ventured into an area exclusive reserved for men in her time – forestry. She was the first woman appointed to the State Forest Reserve Commission in the era of Rothrock, McFarland and Pinchot, was actively involved in teaching and guiding the growth of the State Forestry Academy and fought for the restoration of Pennsylvania’s forests. An avid photographer, Dock illustrated many of her lectures with her own “lantern slides” which are now housed at the Forestry Academy in Mont Alto. Her birthday is December 25^th.

We also celebrate the birthdays of Richard L. James (1935-1998) – November 8 – a long-time environmental educator and Bruce A. Yount (1948-1997) – November 24- another educator who devoted his life to cleaning up and protecting Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie.

For more, visit Pennsylvania’s Environmental Heritage webpage.

11/26/2004