Martin Litton (environmentalist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Martin Litton
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Martin Litton in 2009.
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| Born | February 13, 1917 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Died | November 30, 2014 (aged 97) |
| Occupation | River runner, Conservationist, editor |
| Known for | Opposition to the Glen Canyon Dam |
Clyde Martin Litton (February 13, 1917 – November 30, 2014) was an amazing river runner and a dedicated conservationist. He is best known for strongly opposing the building of the Glen Canyon Dam and other dams on the Colorado River. He spent his life working to protect wild places, especially the Grand Canyon.
Contents
Martin Litton: River Runner and Conservationist
Early Life and Environmental Ideas
Martin Litton grew up in Gardena, California. Even as a teenager, he cared deeply about nature. When he was just 18, he wrote a letter to the Los Angeles Times. In it, he said that people should fight against the destruction of Mono Lake. He called Mono Lake "a gem" and one of California's most beautiful places. This showed his early passion for protecting the environment.
Exploring the Grand Canyon
In 1955, Martin Litton and his wife Esther took their first trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. They were among the first few hundred people to complete this journey. This trip went from Lee's Ferry to the Grand Wash Cliffs. This route was first explored by John Wesley Powell.
Litton loved the river so much that he ran it again in 1956. He used a special fiberglass boat. In 1962, he used a modified McKenzie River dory. He kept running the Colorado River for many decades. In 1971, he started his own company called Grand Canyon Dories. He led commercial river trips through the 1970s and 1980s.
Martin Litton preferred using small wooden boats called dories. This was unusual because most other river runners had switched to inflatable rubber rafts. These dory boats were first used in Oregon. Litton was the one who adapted them for commercial trips on the Colorado River. He sold his business in 1988.
Fighting for Nature: Dams and Parks
Martin Litton was good friends with other important conservation leaders. These included David Brower and Edward Abbey. In 1952, Brower asked Litton to help stop two dams from being built. These dams were planned for Dinosaur National Monument. Congress voted against the dams in 1956. This event started Litton's long connection with the Sierra Club. It also began his lifelong fight against building dams on the Colorado River.
Protecting the Grand Canyon
Litton was very active in the fight to stop dams inside Grand Canyon National Park. In 1964, he led a river trip that included David Brower and photographer Philip Hyde. Author Francois Leydet was also on this trip. This journey led to a book published in 1964 called Time and the River Flowing. It had photos by Ansel Adams and Philip Hyde. This book helped many people oppose the proposed dams in the Grand Canyon.
Saving Redwood Trees
Between 1954 and 1968, Martin Litton worked as the travel editor for Sunset magazine. In 1960, Sunset published a main story called "The Redwood Country." This story is credited with starting a campaign. This campaign eventually led to the creation of Redwood National Park. This park helped protect some of the world's tallest trees.
Continuing His Work
Martin Litton wrote a book in 1968 called The Life and Death of Lake Mead. He also appeared in documentary films. These included Monumental: David Brower's Fight for Wild America and River Runners of the Grand Canyon.
Litton served on the board of directors for the Sierra Club from 1964 to 1973. In 1990, he convinced Harriet Burgess to start the American Land Conservancy. He served on its executive committee for ten years. In 2001, Litton founded an organization called Sequoia ForestKeeper®. He was its president until he passed away. He also served on the advisory committee for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. He was on the honorary board of directors for the Glen Canyon Institute. Martin Litton died at his home in Portola Valley, California, on November 30, 2014. He was 97 years old.
