Audubo Women's Role In The Conservation Movement

In the 19th century, millions of birds from North America were killed for their feathers. In the 1600s’ men prominent men wore hats that had an ostrich feather on it and women started to implement that fashion. Feathers that were collected, were sold or traded between millinery industries to make woman’s hats. Hats that displayed more vibrant colors and uniqueness made the most revenue. Hunters typically hunted birds during their nesting season because the feathers displayed more beauty. This left the young birds to fend for themselves. The most popular birds hunted were herons and egrets. The Reddish Egret was prized for its feathers; their population in places like the Florida was starting to plummet. The peak of the feather-trade years were 1870-1920, where millions of birds were killed. This brought awareness to many and that lead to the evolution of the conservation movement began.
Moreover, the conservation movement began in 1850 and lasted to about 1920. The Audubon Movement and the Lacey Act pushed for preserving nature and wildlife. The

They led efforts to save non-game animals, historical sites, forests, and aesthetics. According to Wellock, women campaigned for the establishment of Mesa Verde National Park, purchasing lands for protection against development, and campaigning against slaughter of birds for feathers (Wellock, 2007). Harriett L. Hemenway was one of the most important woman of this time. She became angry about an article she read about the killing of birds and after that it was all history. In 1896, Hemenway along with her sister started the Massachusetts Audubon Society; together they recruited more women and men to convince legislators to outlaw the feather trade. The wealthy women that attended the groups were asked to not wear hats with feathers on them. This group talked to millinery industries and asked if they could use ribbon instead of feathers in their