Caroline Dormon (1888 – 1971)

All I ask of life is to be able to stay in the woods, fooling with plants and birds.

Celebrated as Louisiana’s first true conservationist, Caroline Dormon, or “Miss Carrie,” was an American botanist, horticulturist, ornithologist, historian, archeologist, conservationist, artist, and author. Born at Briarwood in Saline, Louisiana, Dormon began her career teaching in Louisiana’s schools. Her passion to preserve native flora led her back home to Briarwood in 1918, where she began a noteworthy career conserving and promoting the native plant communities of Louisiana.

In 1921, Dormon was the first woman ever hired by the Louisiana Department of Forestry. She wrote and illustrated numerous books on the flora and fauna of Louisiana, and was a strong advocate for preserving archaeological resources and Native American culture. She worked as a landscaping consultant for several organizations, including the Louisiana Highway Department and State Parks. Dormon’s work resulted in the establishment of the Louisiana State Arboretum, the first of its kind in the United States.