Johnny Jones a Great Environmentalist. By Geniusofdespair

Johnny was placed in hospice this afternoon, and passed away peacefully about 7:50 PM, with Mariana at his side, and a few others. Regrets at the loss of a great conservationist. - John Arthur Marshall 7/11/2010

From the Everglades Coalition website - When Johnny Jones won the Hall of Fame Award: Johnny Jones grew up in and around the Everglades. And he would have lived out his life as a happy hunting plumber if people had only left the Everglades alone. But he had to wage endless battles to defend it.

He was born in West Palm Beach in the depression year of 1932. Seventeen years later married Marianna Beebe, who became an active and invaluable partner in all his crusades.

In the late 1960s Johnny left his trade as a master plumber to lead the Florida Wildlife Federation. There for 14 years he rattled state and local government with demands for protection of the states diminishing natural resources.

By the 1980s it became painfully apparent that the Everglades was in trouble. Plans for its rescue began to emerge, some of them at meetings in Johnnys back yard. With Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Art Marshall he drew a plan and took it to his friend Governor Bob Graham. The Governor responded with his Save Our Everglades campaign.

To an amazing degree Johnny knows how to charm people, especially lawmakers and media reporters. That won for us the Big Cypress National Preserve, the Rotenberger and much other habitat for wildlife and people. He wrote the successful Kissimmee River Restoration Act and the still struggling Lake Okeechobee Restoration Act. He wrote the Conservation and Recreation Lands Act. He helped pass the Environmental Lands Act, the Environmental Education Act and the Water Resources Act.

In all, he lobbied 66 environmental bills through the Florida Legislature. No one else in the fight to save the Everglades can boast such an array of trophies.