As an environmentalist, were his struggles similar to those today?

Much worse I expect. Remember, he was alone. As the Industrial Revolution spread Waterton was constantly defending his actions. For example, in 1846 he was dismayed to lose a court case against poachers who had seriously disturbed the wildlife when he was away in Madeira.

He fought a much longer running battle after a soapworks was set up near his estate in 1839, and sent out poisonous chemicals which severely damaged the trees in the park and polluted the lake. A series of court cases between Waterton and Simpson, owner of the soapworks, were contested between 1847 and 1850 and, as a result, the soap works was eventually moved to Thornes, south of Wakefield.

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