MIAMI, Feb. 4, 2025
/PRNewswire/ -- The Everglades Foundation is celebrating a
significant honor bestowed upon Mary
Barley, a Founding Director of the Foundation. This weekend,
the noted philanthropist and activist was inducted into the
prestigious Hall of Fame at the annual conference of the Everglades
Coalition. The Coalition created the Hall of Fame in 2003 to
recognize individuals who have made a substantial, lifetime
commitment to Everglades restoration.
"For three decades, Mary Barley's
commitment to the restoration and protection of America's
Everglades has been unwavering," said The Everglades Foundation's
CEO Eric Eikenberg. "She and her
late husband, George Barley, brought
unparalleled passion and dedication to saving the global
treasure."
Mary was integral in the passage of a Florida constitutional amendment requiring
polluters to bear the cost of cleaning up the effects of their
pollution. She also was instrumental in helping achieve the
bipartisan Congressional passage of the Comprehensive Everglades
Restoration Plan (CERP). The landmark legislation authorized the
world's largest ecosystem restoration effort and continues to guide
restoration projects today.
Mary served as Board Chair of The Everglades Foundation from
1995 through 2002, was Vice Chair from 2003 to 2012, and remains a
vital member of the Board today. She has served on the World
Wildlife National Council since 2007, and its Marine Leadership
Committee since 1996. She has also served on the Boards of the
National Parks Conservation Association, the Everglades Trust, the
Atlantic Salmon Federation, Clean Water Action, the Sierra
Foundation, the Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation, and
the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys.
Mary joins her late husband George
Barley as the only couple to be inducted into the Everglades
Coalition's Hall of Fame. She also joins other legendary Everglades
champions like Nathaniel Reed and
Marjory Stoneman Douglas in
receiving this prestigious recognition.
Honored twice by Time magazine – as a "Hero of the
Planet" and in a feature on Women's History Month – Mary has been
recognized as an honorary member of the Miccosukee Tribe of
Indians, and named a "Game Changer" by Women in Wild Atlantic
Salmon and Environmental Conservation. Mary has twice been
recognized on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, once
during Women's History Month as "an outstanding individual and
someone who has continuously supported South Florida and the Everglades," and
recently for her celebrated induction into the Everglades Coalition
Hall of Fame.
"Mary Barley has been more than a
beacon guiding the work of The Everglades Foundation," said
Eikenberg. "She has inspired generations of future conservationists
who have been fortunate to learn from her passion and dedication to
America's Everglades. She has set the highest standards while
remaining approachable to those seeking her guidance. There is no
one more deserving of the honor of being inducted into the
Everglades Coalition's Hall of Fame than Mary Barley."
ABOUT THE EVERGLADES FOUNDATION
The Everglades
Foundation is committed to the restoration and protection of
America's Everglades through science, advocacy, and education.
Founded in 1993 by two outdoor enthusiasts – Paul Tudor Jones II and the late George Barley – The Everglades Foundation works
tirelessly to bring people together and provide a powerful
bipartisan voice for Everglades restoration. The Foundation's team
includes renowned scientists, experienced educators, policy
experts, and professionals in communications. By coupling this
breadth of expertise with a passion for restoration, The Everglades
Foundation is leading the effort to restore and protect the flow of
clean freshwater to the Everglades through the world's largest
ecosystem restoration project. Learn more at
EvergladesFoundation.org.
Contact:
Jacqueline
Weisblum, jweisblum@evergladesfoundation.org
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SOURCE The Everglades Foundation