Getting Over Rosalie’s Edge: Tributes to Nature’s Hellcat Long Overdue from Audubon, Others

I have read Dyana's book and met Dyana - an amazing woman documenting and amazing woman. I hope you both get the recognition you deserve. Edge's ways and manners may have been "unladylike" esp. in her days - but her determination and devlotion to the cause are something we could use more of in the world today! I hope Dyana's efforts to gain recognition for Edge are as successful as her extensiver research and well written tribute.

One of my inspirations is John Muir-the others are people like Rosalie Edge-those that have a passion and the nerve to speak out for what they believe in. If you have been to the North Lookout at Hawk Mountain, you will be thankful for this woman who fought for what she believed in. We need more people who will take a stand in oppositon of those that are politically or personally motivated in different or negative directions that place our environment in jeopardy.

This Friday I came home to find a lovely note from a childhood friend, Roger, who is the son of my Mother's best friend, who is now 97yo, so I have known him all of my life. We have rare contact at this point, so receiving this was especially touching- and I want to share it with Dyana and others:Roger writes:
"What a wonderful book!
Sent me Mum a copy (along w/ the Wright/Watson book).
Doubt she'll make it through the entirety, so I noted the bits about your Dad ( and the one on your Mom!!!). Flagged his pics also.
She'll really enjoy it!
I can't believe Dyana Furmansky wrote it!
She first got my attention in High Country News while researching water rights for a screenplay. Her William Matthews book was excellent.
I loved how she set Hawk of Mercy and how she deploys language! Her delightful description(p.175) of Maurice hiring a former policeman... who packed a .38 and could order locals off of the mountain "in the vernacular' during the 10 wk hunt season.... I couldn't stop laughing.
Mother's 97...She will love the memories of your Mom and Dad.
Thanks for the mention ( of the book in our Christmas letter).
Roger"
This is yet another tribute to what a wonderful book this is- and how it is touching many people in many ways. Thank you Roger.
Deborah Edge, Granddaughter of Rosalie Edge, daughter of Peter Edge

I am one of Rosalie Edge's great-granddaughters (daughter of Deborah Edge, granddaughter of Peter Edge). I grew up visiting Hawk Mountain, and hearing stories of Rosalie's accomplishments. However, it was a fragmented history I learned. I enjoyed reading Hawk of Mercy because it gave such a detailed and complete portrait of this fascinating woman and her role in the early conservation movement. I've had the pleasure of meeting Dyana and hearing her talk about Rosalie. She is a dynamic speaker, with an incredible wealth of knowledge. She has done a remarkable job of presenting Rosalie Edge to a new generation of conservationists and activists.

Sarah Edge Mann

We enjoy Edge and her forethought and tenacity years later in nature and in this book. It is admirable of Dyana to bring true history to life and to honor Rosalie's accomplishments. Edge inspires us to act with conscience about our world – and now, at such a critical time, it is a wonderful reminder. I hope Edge is properly honored. Thank you!

The year was 1978. The phone rang. The hawks are flying was the quick message coming through. Pass it on said the voice on the other end. I jumped in the car and headed for the mountain.
This was the beginning of the migratory season at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Standing on the south lookout we would watch in silent awe as kettles of red tailed or goshawks of kestrels approached.
Only a relatively few years before hoards of local men gathered at this same spot on the flyway and gunned down thousands of birds. It is true that the valley below was covered with blood, feathers ans carcases. As a result there were far fewer birds on this day. Some locals were still unhappy about Rosalie Edge's meddling.She had disrupted their long standing sport, a practice they justified with the claim that hawks killed their chickens.
Rosalie's life was in danger many times, I am sure .My one face off with the town fathers made me aware of her vulnerability. The courage it took to stand up to the very real threats and the ignorance of the rural establishment is very much apreciated by those of us who came to this mountain in later years. It is good that now her story can be told to many more.

I had the privilege of growing up riding my bike up Hawk Mt. Amidst teen age angst, I intuitively knew that this was my refuge for walking meditation and getting my mojo back together. As a kid, I also witnessed the power of Hawk Mt to quietly educate visitors from around the world. People would enter the trail to the Lookouts loud and unobservant and return contemplative and sometimes even serene. The irony is that it took a "mouthy" woman from New York to make this national treasure a reality. It is time for us to grow up a bit and thank Rosalie Edge. Hasn't nature taught us to put aside petty egos and acknowledge that it takes all kinds of personalities to move us forward as humans walking this planet?

I am a huge fan of this biography and have given away copies to feminists, environmentalists, scientists, historians and other friends, and will continue to do so. For a myriad of reasons,including the great contributions that Rosalie Edge made to our nation's current natural wealth,we are all indebted. Even while many scientists and conservationists of her time were grateful for her efforts, they often declined to be seen with her or associate with her, and criticisms of the "scolding" style seem still to go unaswered. This woman was a brave and effective organizer at a time when it was difficult and sorely needed.

Why don't the Audubon, The Nature Conservancy, The Environmental Defense Fund and the US Fish and Wildlife Service ALL unite in paying homage to Edge, instead of ignoring her so completely?

Many thanks to Dyana for bringing her to life for me in such an enjoyable way. I am still smiling and inspired long after reading the book -- and I sure wish I'd known Rosalie Edge!

Dyana Furmansky's marvelous book on Rosalie Edge should be the start of a landslide of efforts to recognize the monumental -- and little known -- contributions of this early and fiery conservationist. Furmansky is an accomplished speaker as well as writer. Arranging for her to speak in your city will go a long way to further this significant endeavor.

I am a long-time friend of Deborah Edge, Rosalie's granddaughter, and having been acquainted with Deb's parents and brothers, I had heard a lot about Hawk Mountain, but the stories of Rosalie were limited to a few Peter told about birdwatching with her as a boy in New York City. When I learned that a biography of Rosalie was being written, I was excited to learn the real story behind a mother and grandmother who seemed so formidable and was so removed from the lives of her family.

Except for the time it took to write the book, Dyana did not disappoint me and it is now my number one all-occasion gift. This story of a most remarkable woman is beautifully told and should begin the setting of the record straight. Rosalie Edge deserves recognition for her accomplishments and young people need to know how even one person can change the world. Thank you, Dyana, and shame on Ken Burns for missing the best old new story of our national parks and environmental movement!

I was one of the student's from Bellport High School taken to Hawk Mountain in the late '50's & early '60's by Art Cooley & Dennis Puleston, founding trustees of EDF. They were memorable trips camping at the shale pit, sitting for hours on the edge of the mountain looking at hawks, hearing Maurice Bruin and Roger Tory Peterson give talks. Years later, in 1999, while thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, I again returned to Hawk Mtn and did a bit of reminiscing. I have not yet read the book, but will do so.

We recently had the pleasure of attending one of Dyana Furmansky's book events at the Tattered Cover Bookstore and were very pleased to find her an extremely articulate and entertaining speaker. Her depth of knowledge regarding the life, works, and personality of Rosalie Edge is truly astounding. She regaled her audience with fascinating anecdotes and insights into not only the life and times of Rosalie Edge, but also Dyana's own personal odessey in researching and writing this wonderful book.

Don't miss an opportunity to see Dyana speak in person. You can visit her website at www.dyanazfurmansky.com for a list of her upcoming speaking appearances.

Having read few books on conservation, this proved to be not only a fascinating biography of Rosalie Edge, but also a terrific story of the birth of the environmental movement. For me, that was just as interesting and a reason for anyone to find reading this book a rewarding experience.

How many of the ideas of conservation and protection of the environment coalesced is laid out in this book. Key parts of the physical landscape had to be purchased out from under hunter and sportsmen groups with potentially violent consequences. Control of the Audubon Society had to be seized. Rosalie Edge was fearless in challenging the existing order, but she also had help. This book tells that story in a wonderful, engaging and clear fashion.

I have been a fan of Dyana Furmansky for a long time, long before her first published book, These American Lands for the Wilderness Society, I enjoyed her magazine articles and stories in the New York Times Travel Section. With this book, a character, previously unknown to most Americans, is brought to life along along with her life's work. And, it is about time that we know about Mrs. Edge's impact on her world and how we, today, are the grateful beneficiaries of her vision. We still have hawks and eagles to marvel at and National Parks to maintain our country's primordial beauty. So daring, so bold, so truly audacious was this woman, we can be inspired by her to lead our own lives with such conviction and energy for the causes we support.
The book is a masterpiece of investigative reporting. How did Ms. Furmansky piece together, letter by letter, document by document, PR flyer by PR flyer the history that envelops us as we read this page turning book? I almost said, "novel", for Mrs. Edge does appear like a fictional heroine. It is nothing less than astonishing that this one woman's deed's and the history of her times are brought to light mainly in her own words. Hers is an epic tale of one woman battling the villanous organized forces of establishment for righteous causes.
I admire and am in awe of Mrs. Edge. Ms. Furmansky, you cannot hide your own enormous admiration for your subject, and by your dedicated and talented efforts, you have brought her to life for all of us. Did someone mention a movie? Meryl Streep as Rosalie Edge? I can see her at Hawk Mountain now....Thank you.

Dyana has done an important service in re-introducing Rosalie Edge to the world in the proper context of history. It's a shame that she was so long anonymous and that her enormous contributions to the fledgling conservation movement were so long ignored. Now she can take her rightful place in the pantheon of great names in the conservation movement. However, this book is not just for hard-core conservationists. It is beautifully written and captures the readers interest in the person that Edge was, not just in a focus on her activism. I enjoyed the book thoroughly and would love to see it as a movie as a person of Edge's stature deserves.

I read Dyana Furmansky's fascinating biography of Rosalee Edge shortly before Ken Burns multi -part special on the National Parks was shown on television. While Burns told about some conservationists whose efforts led to the creation of the parks, he overlooked Rosalee Edge. Fortunately, Dyana Furmansky has filled in that gap in beautiful fashion. Edge's role in expanding Yosemite and creating Olympic National Parks were exciting to read. She has been a much overlooked conservationist in this country. Thanks to Furmansky's moving account of Edge's life, her rightful place in the gallery of those who have preserved the beauty of this country is being secured.

Plan Jeffco, the founder of the first county open space preservation program in the U.S., is hosting an event on March 6, at 9:30 AM at the American Mountaineering Center in Golden, Co. where Dyana Furmanski will be talking about her book on the remarkable, unkown, Rosalie Edge.

She will be followed by a presentation by the Colorado Hawk Watch which monitors bird migration from a hogback just west of Denver. This area is preserved as county open space and serves as our local Hawk Mountain. Our open space program is funded by a county wide sales tax Plan Jeffco presented to the voters in 1972.

Consistent with Mrs. Edge's interests, we are inviting members of major environmental groups, the League of Women Voters, AAUW, and land preservation organizations to learn about this environmental hellcat. The general public is also invited to attend. If you are in the Denver area, please join us.

One of the most interesting insights Dyana's book gave me was a look into the restricted lives of weathy women in the early 1900's. I am very glad I did not live then. In talking to friends in the enviro. community, the NPS and USFWS, and the League, I have not found one who has ever heard of Rosalie Edge. We are pleased to help get the word out.

I

This is a truly wonderful book. I am by no means an environmentalist or conservationist but read this book based on a glowing recommendation from a friend. I am glad I did. The writing is exquisite, in a style that makes the book so easy to read. One also cannot help but notice that almost every paragrph is imbued with a level of detailed research that shows why this prjoect took the author years to complete. Thank you Dyana Furmansky for bringing to the masses the life of such an obviously influential, yet mostly unknown woman.

As a doctoral student at the University of Idaho, I had the opportunity to prepare a study on the origins of Rosalie Edge's Emergency Conservation Committee. I gained a wealth of knowledge about Mrs. Edge's contributions to conservation at archives in Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, the Denver Public Library, and the University of Washington. And I learned something about Mrs. Edge's life from various publications and especially from discussions with Mrs. Edge's son, Peter Edge. But despite the generosity of Mr. Edge, several aspects of Mrs. Edge's life remained a mystery to me until Dyana Furmansky brought the great woman behind the conservation achievements to life.

Thank you, Dyana, for your fine contribution to environmental history.

Clark Bainbridge, Ph.D.

My family definitely wants to restore Rosalee Barrow Edge to her place in history. I am the son of Mrs Edge's estranged daughter, Margaret Edge Nightingale. Because of my mother's intense hostility, I have difficulty even calling my grandmother by anything other than Mrs Edge, yet thanks to Dyana's book I now know how similar these two women were. Words such as hell cat, indomitable, incorruptible, unselfish fit mother and daughter. My huge regret was that in my adolescence I did not have the courage to personally visit Mrs Edge to pay my respects. HAWK OF MERCY has allowed me to do this, thank you, again, Dyana.
Smiles,
Charles Edge and Belinda Bell Tremper Nightingale
251 Bay Road
Rowesville, SC 29133

My branch of the Margaret Edge Nightingale family wants to support the national posthumous acclimation of Rosalie Edge. We totally support Dyana in her efforts to restore her to her place in history. After a long day at school I am trying to respond to the Audubon article. I definitely am in favor of this restoration of Mrs Edge, my grandmother, who I am still unable to call afffectionately Grandmother Rosalee due to my mother's intense hostility; yet in reading your book my mother was definitely the daughter of Mrs Edge, resolute and incorruptible, as you so well depict...s,
Charles Edge Nightingale
251 Bay Road
Rowesville, SC 29133

I am the author of the book "Hawk Mountain" (Camino Books, 2009), and only when I researched the book did I begin to understand how enormous were Rosalie Edge's contributions to the American Conservation Movement -- not just in changing the neanderthal national mind-set on hawks (which used to be: "The only good one is a dead one") but toward preserving our wild places and wildlife for generations to come.
The fearless Mrs. Edge rocked too many boats to receive the credit she deserved. Now is the time to right this wrong.

Dyana,

Your book is opening doors and opening minds. It must be gratifying for you to see the Audubon Society rolling out the red carpet for your biography of Rosalie Edge, when, during most of her life, the predecessor to the present Society was only to happy to ignore and demean her.

Congratulations on the forthcoming second edition of your splendid biography of Rosalie Edge.

Mike Foster

I find Dyana Furmansky's biography of Rosalie Edge to be the best book ever written about anything... I'll admit, my judgment is not fully objective. I'm Dyana's daughter.
What I do know better than anyone, along with my sister, is how much of her life Dyana gave to making this woman's life known. Rosalie Edge was a name I heard in the house daily from as far back as I can remember, and though life sometimes got in the way of the books consistent progress, Dyana would always return to Rosalie. I feel great pleasure today, after so many years, to hold Rosalie Edge's history beautifully packaged between two covers. I wonder if I've turned out so well.
Congratulations to my mother, for uncovering this buried past that is an important part of the development of our present and for giving life back to Rosalie Edge whose achievements deserve to live on.

As Rosalie Edge's granddaughter, daughter of Peter Edge, I have had a special connection with both Ms. Furmanksy and "Hawk of Mercy". Working w/ Dyana has been one of the most gratifying things that I have ever done. She has worked incessantly over many years on this book and the result is outstanding. I am so grateful that my father, Peter Edge, recognized her ability and dedication and gave her full access to all of Rosalie's papers- even the suitcase of her letters that he had never told me about. I am also thrilled to be able to recommend this book unabashedly to everyone-- as it truly is superbly written- reads well- and tells a good story-- all the while bring to the forefront the story of a woman who was not only a preeminent conservationist, but also a woman's suffragette, and a leader in grass roots activism. She surely shows us what a difference one person ( woman) can make. And, can do after the age of 50!. I hope that this book not only helps to place Rosalie Edge in her rightful place at the top of the history of conservation in the 20th century, but also that it inspires others to carry the flag. May many others enjoy this book- so far everyone that I have given it to, has.
Deborah Edge, MD

Dear Admirer of Rosalie Edge,

Thank you for your passionate comments about my book, and about Rosalie Edge. One of my missions is to gain for Edge the highest forms of national recognition conservation--and citizenship--offer.  As I  read in comments posted by Art Cooley, a founding trustee of EDF, Edge's work prefigured several major conservation groups, and some of their founders were directly influenced by her. I would appreciate  suggestions on how to assure that this hellcat does not vanish from history again.

I recently read Rosalie Edge: Hawk of Mercy by the very accomplished writer and journalist Dyana Z. Furmansky. As a lover of biographies, I read this book an immediately developed an imagination for what is possible. Simply put, I am in awe of this woman, Rosalie Edge. Her tenacity, bold vision, energy and clear sense of possibilities provides a template for accomplishment for all of us. The book is meticulously and lovingly researched and though there are many footnotes, I found that I read each of them to expand my understanding of this unusual woman. Learning about Rosalie has given me a mission. Many will critique the contents of the book but that is not my goal here.

Rather, I have to express my sadness that this woman-- a beacon for the conservation movement-- has not been given her due by achieving a level of stature and recognition that she so richly deserves. This wrong and misguided.

At a time when we reward and admire the strength, focus, commitment, and winning records of professional athletes-- despite their temporary stumbles from their pedestals-- we do not have the same awe or rewards for this woman who accomplished similar feats in a different context. Rosalie Edge was an important part of the diversity of this country's history and bold we-can-do- anything- if -we- believe mantra. She was role model for women and for those who put their individuality and passion to work for the greater good.

I challenge each reader, each person committed to conservation and the environment, to work hard to achieve a well-deserved formal recognition
of this remarkable woman. This would not be a misplaced or inappropriate action. Through her drive and force of personality she has touched all of us. Who will join me in this effort? She should not be one who remains cloaked in anonymity.

I hope that Ms. Furmansky will respond to this with her suggestions and feelings about gaining formal recognition for this woman. As a result of this superb book, I feel inspired to do the right thing for Ms. Edge. I feel inspired to read the book again!

Dear Audubon:

I have just finished Dyana Furmansky’s book, Hawk of Mercy, and it intersects my life as a science teacher and a founding trustee of the Environmental Defense Fund, in two significant ways.
In 1956 I began a career at Bellport High School on Long Island as a science teacher. I was interested in birds partly because I was in Dr. Arthur Allen’s last ornithology class at Cornell, and, partly, because I was befriended by Dennis Puleston, a superb naturalist, who lived in my school district. Eager to interest my students in the natural world, Dennis and I took students on weekend field trips. In the late 50s and early 60s we spent Columbus Day weekends with students at Hawk Mountain. It was there we learned about Rosalie Edge and the wonderful hawk migration. We camped in the gravel pit and spent the days on the ridge watching hawks. At the time we didn’t fully appreciate Rosalie Edge’s full significance but we had glimpses of her from talks with Maurice Broun, the first manager of Hawk Mountain.
In 1967 Dennis Puleston, Charlie Wurster, other environmentalists and I, formed the Environmental Defense Fund. Our notion was that scientists and lawyers, working together, could improve the environment. Our first issue was DDT and the detrimental effects it was having on top carnivores like ospreys. In time EDF had marshaled the facts implicating DDT (actually DDE which came from DDT) in the thinning of bird’s eggs, and urged EPA, under its first Director, William Ruckelshaus, to ban DDT. In 1972, he did just that. That decision, a policy matter, was based upon good science. Rosalie Edge had her scientist too; his name was, interestingly, Van Name. In essence, she had predated EDF by several decades, but we were unaware of this aspect of her efforts until Hawk of Mercy hit the bookshelves.
Through Dyana Furmansky’s wonderfully readable biography, Rosalie’s full range of accomplishments is on display. Her work on national parks emboldened the nation’s efforts to set aside unique lands, her efforts to protect individual species raised the significance of the national wildlife refuge system, her concept of purchasing lands for wildlife protection was a forerunner to The Nature Conservancy, and her use of scientific expertise predated EDF. I hope Hawk of Mercy will award a rightful place to Rosalie Edge in the environmental ethos of our magnificent country.

Dyana,

Everyone at Hawk Mountain is grateful for the years you sacrificed to make the idea of a Rosalie Edge biography turn into reality. I can't thank you enough for what you've done to bring her story to so many people and am continually humbled by your passion, persistance and talent.

I used quotes by Rosalie Edge on countless occassions, but not until your book could I put her words into context and see/hear her color. Thanks to you, I now have the complete picture, and my copy is a go-to-guide for all questions on Hawk Mountain history and Mrs. Edge. It sits nearby, lovingly dog-eared and highlighted.

One standout for me was the image of Van Name hissing into Mrs. Edge's ear during the congressional hearing while Pearson argued that hawks needed no laws because they were common.

I can now picture Mrs. Edge, scribbling Van Name's words and phoning the printer with her new guiding principle: "The time to save a species is while it is still common. The only way to save a species is to never let it become rare."

Thank you for bringing her to life and sharing her conservation legacy,
Mary Linkevich

I have noticed Ms. Furmansky's work in several publications in the past (including articles in small papers such as Evergreen, Colorado's Canyon Courier as well as much more well known publications like The New York Times). Her articles have often caught my eye as they tend to have a personal undertone that draws the reader into the story, regardless of the topic. A particular article from several years ago stands out in my mind which played out the horrifying story of Ms. Furmansky and her family's trip in a raft through the Idaho wildfires. Her prose style so envelops the reader that any person who gets a taste of her writing would only want more.
While I have only recently started reading about Ms. Edge, I feel that I have followed Ms. Furmansky on her journey learning about Ms. Edge and dedicating thirteen years of her life to make sure that a woman who made a difference is not forgotten.

Thank you Ms. Furmansky for another great read and I look forward to any of your future publications.

Audubon Greenwich hosted Ms. Furmansky for a talk and book signing in Greenwich, Connecticut. It was an excellent presentation and fit well at our Audubon Center - the site of the first education center created by the National Audubon Society. (http://greenwich.audubon.org)

If you ever hear of this author coming to your region, you would be smart to try to get on her list of stops whereas she is a consummate story teller and the book is a superb read.

Your book was recommended to me by someone that knows
I typically avoid biographies, often finding them pedantic. Admittedly when I began reading Rosalie Edge: Hawk of Mercy and saw the extensive footnotes, I was less than excited. I decided I would read the first few chapters and then set it aside, satisfied that I had given it a chance.

By the end of chapter two, I was in love with Rosalie Edge. Not just the person but the language Furmansky chose to tell Rosalie's story. Through the words on the page, her demeanor and manner of speaking, her intelligence and humor were clear to me - and at night after each reading, I laid in bed imagining Rosalie - young and impetus, in love and a mother, betrayed and passionate, irreverent and strategic. While there were times when Rosalie took the "squeeky wheel" strategy to unbearable heights for those were refused to do the right thing or simply didn't move fast enough, she did it all mostly behind the scenes; losing friends and loved ones along the way. And while the author gives us the story of the environmental movement as Rosalie experienced it, Furmansky doesn't shy away from the parts of her story that aren't always flattering of our heroine.

Okay, the footnotes - well, I ended up reading then all as I went along. They help fill in blanks, answer questions, and let you know that Furmansky isn't making this story up. She has created not only an exciting and thoroughly readable account of an unsung heroine's life. Furmansky has created a scholarly record that dispels the notion that the environmental movement in the United States has always been shepherded by well placed, well intentioned white men. Rosalie Edge: Hawk of Mercy reminds us of the importance of women in the development of the best parts of who we are as Americans.

Thank you, Ms. Furmansky,for a tremendous ride. I may venture over to the biography aisle at the bookstore more often now. What's your next project?