Toggle Menu
News >

Poole featured in PBS documentary on the Everglades

January 08, 2019

By Office of Marketing

Environmental studies professor Leslie Poole is featured in a PBS documentary on the Everglades.

Leslie Poole
Photo by Scott Cook.

In The Swamp, a documentary about the Everglades that will air on PBS on Tuesday, January 15, environmental studies professor Leslie Poole discusses her research on women’s conservation work in Florida in the early 20th century. Citing women as the first preservationists in the Everglades, Poole explains how the Florida Federation of Women’s Clubs helped create, fund, and run Royal Palm State Park—Florida’s first state park—which would become the nucleus of the Everglades.

The Swamp tells the dramatic story of humanity’s attempts to conquer the Florida Everglades, one of nature’s most mysterious and unique ecosystems. In the 19th century, the idea of draining the Everglades became the goal of many entrepreneurs, politicians, and salesmen who saw great potential in turning the massive wetland into a profitable enterprise. Altering the landscape of the Everglades unleashed a torrent of unintended consequences, from catastrophic floods to brutal droughts. Told through the lives of a handful of colorful and resolute characters, The Swamp explores the repeated efforts to transform what was seen as a vast and useless wasteland into an agricultural and urban paradise, ultimately leading to a passionate campaign to preserve America’s greatest wetland.

As part of the “American Experience” series, The Swamp will air on PBS on January 15 from 9 to 11 p.m. and will be available to stream online for several weeks. Watch the trailer on the PBS website.


Related News

July 07, 2025

President Barnett Weighs in on Brunch Favorites in Orlando Magazine

President Brooke Barnett joined other Central Florida notables to share her brunch favorites in Orlando Magazine's feature.

President Barnett Weighs in on Brunch Favorites in Orlando Magazine

July 06, 2025

Environmental Studies Professor Raises Concerns About Alligator Alcatraz

Victoria Machado, an assistant professor of environmental studies, provided commentary to the Orlando Sentinel about the environmental consequences of Alligator Alcatraz.

Environmental Studies Professor Raises Concerns About Alligator Alcatraz

July 01, 2025

Winter Park Magazine Features Incoming and Outgoing Rollins College Presidents

Winter Park Magazine welcomed Brooke Barnett as the 16th president of Rollins College and published a farewell letter from outgoing president Grant Cornwell in this feature.

Winter Park Magazine Features Incoming and Outgoing Rollins College Presidents