About Us

Friends of the Everglades was founded in 1969 by renowned journalist, author, and environmental activist Marjory Stoneman Douglas. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving America’s Everglades and its interconnected ecosystems.

“There are no other Everglades in the world. They are, they have always been, one of the unique regions of the earth; remote, never wholly known. Nothing anywhere else is like them…”

These opening words from Marjory Stoneman Douglas’ immortal book The Everglades: River of Grass crystallize the uniqueness of the Everglades. These words could also be used to describe Marjory herself, who was as rare and unique as the Everglades she worked so hard to protect.

Video Library —

Welcome to Friends of the Everglades

Friends of the Everglades was founded by Marjory Stoneman Douglas in 1969. Friends initial goal was to stop the construction of a major airport near Everglades National Park. We succeeded. Since then Friends has remained faithful to its mission to protect, preserve, and restore the only Everglades in the world.

Our Mission

The mission of Friends of the Everglades is to preserve, protect, and restore the only Everglades in the world.

Our Goals:

  • Compel government agencies to comply with existing environmental laws, and resist any efforts to weaken such laws.
  • Encourage politicians to recognize the long consequences of their actions.
  • Spread awareness of the importance of the Everglades to the South Florida ecosystem.