Clay Henderson To Discuss A History of ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ Conservation
Part the ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ Lecture Series
Oct 2, 2023
The Lawton M. Chiles Jr., Center for ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ History welcomes environmental lawyer, educator, historian, and writer Clay Henderson to the ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ Lecture Series on October 5.
Known for drafting or sponsoring many of the environmental provisions of the ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ Constitution, will discuss his new book Forces of Nature: A History of ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ Land Conservation (2022), which tells the tale of ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ's place at the beginning of the American conservation movement and celebrates the individuals and organizations that made the Sunshine State a leader in conservation and preservation.
The program will begin at 7 p.m. in Branscomb Auditorium on the ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ campus. The event is free and open to the public. A book signing will follow the lecture.
Over his long career as a lawyer, educator, and author, Henderson sponsored or co-authored most of the natural resource protection provisions in the ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ Constitution, including Amendment 1, the largest voter-approved conservation funding initiative in our nation's history. He led the development of nationally recognized land conservation programs, including Volusia Forever (1986 and 2000), ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ Communities Trust (1990), Preservation 2000 (1991) and ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ Forever (1999). He has negotiated over 300,000 acres of land now part of national and state parks, forests, and wildlife refuges—as well as critical elements of the Everglades Restoration. He has taught at the University of Central ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ, Rollins College, and Stetson University, where he was the director of the Institute of Water and Environmental Resilience.
"As a sixth-generation Floridian and a warrior for ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ's environment, Clay Henderson brings passion, commitment, and real achievement to his work," said ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ History Professor and the Director of the Lawton M. Chiles Jr., Center for ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ History James Denham. "We are delighted to welcome him as this year's Stahl lecturer."
On November 16, The Center for ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ History will welcome architect Jeff Baker to discuss Frank Lloyd Wright and the ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ Campus — Past, Present, and Future.