Rachel Carson  1907-1964

An American biologist, writer, and conservationist whose books are credited with advancing marine conservation and the global environmental movement. Carson authored the book Silent Spring (1962), which brought environmental concerns to an unprecedented share of the American people. Although Silent Spring was met with fierce opposition by chemical companies, it spurred a reversal in national pesticide policy, which led to a nationwide ban on DDT and other pesticides. It also inspired a grassroots environmental movement that led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Carson was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Jimmy Carter.

Golden-winged Warbler populations have declined by almost 2.5% per year between 1966 and 2014—amounting to an overall decline of 68%.