"Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed."
~Mahatma Gandhi
Today, I would like to take some time out to honor a couple of true heroes, who's work can be seen and appreciated today, in a very real, physical way. These men were indeed heroes, although it is not because of bravery or glory won on the battlefield. Neither of them served as president, or even as a member of Congress. To my knowledge, they did not hold any titles or military distinctions that traditionally are almost mandatory for Americans to receive recognition as heroes. Nor were they rock stars, or celebrated athletes with records or rings or medals. They were not even actors, and neither man ever made a fortune or put his own name up on skyscrapers, like the demagogue currently residing in the White House.
Yet, undeniably, a hero each of these two men were. And their work left a legacy that we can and should all strive for and benefit from today.
One man's name is David Brower, and he wound up being the first executive director of the Sierra Club. But prior to the time that we are going to talk about, the Sierra Club was still a small, private club of people who were fond of hiking, and not the strong environmental advocacy group that we know it to be these days. All of that changed with the events that allowed these men to be heroes. The other man's name is Martin Litton, and it is okay if you never heard of either of them before. Neither had I, admittedly. But we should have. Their story should be celebrated every bit as much as the heroes that we now celebrate in our culture. The contributions by these two men were almost beyond measure, and far exceeded the vast fortunes gained by this or that billionaire, or the championships won by this or that star athlete. Indeed, they did something that had an impact that we all can and should appreciate, and for the most part, they did these things selflessly, not for their own personal profit or glory, but so that future generations could benefit and enjoy this land's immense natural beauty to the fullest extent possible.
Yet, undeniably, a hero each of these two men were. And their work left a legacy that we can and should all strive for and benefit from today.
One man's name is David Brower, and he wound up being the first executive director of the Sierra Club. But prior to the time that we are going to talk about, the Sierra Club was still a small, private club of people who were fond of hiking, and not the strong environmental advocacy group that we know it to be these days. All of that changed with the events that allowed these men to be heroes. The other man's name is Martin Litton, and it is okay if you never heard of either of them before. Neither had I, admittedly. But we should have. Their story should be celebrated every bit as much as the heroes that we now celebrate in our culture. The contributions by these two men were almost beyond measure, and far exceeded the vast fortunes gained by this or that billionaire, or the championships won by this or that star athlete. Indeed, they did something that had an impact that we all can and should appreciate, and for the most part, they did these things selflessly, not for their own personal profit or glory, but so that future generations could benefit and enjoy this land's immense natural beauty to the fullest extent possible.
I mentioned a couple of days or so ago that some friends have been posting about their recent trips (separate, to be sure) to the Grand Canyon, and that this got me in the mood to think back to my own trips there with my son over the summers of 2015 and again in 2016 (the South Rim first, then the North Rim last year).
However, one of those friends posted an interesting tidbit in history that I was not familiar with.
As it turns out, the Grand Canyon came close to being wiped out, and I am not talking about an impossibly long time ago, or through natural means.
No, I am talking about all too human activity. Activity much like we still see very much of in the present world.
And the men who stopped it was - yes, you guessed it - were David Brower and Martin Litton.
You see, the government, in it's infinite wisdom, had many dam projects scattered throughout the American west - particularly the Southwest. That included one at Marble Canyon, which is very near the Grand Canyon. Trust me, it was not a far drive from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, which we visited last year, to the Marble Canyon. It most certainly would have affected the Grand Canyon, if it had gone through. But Brower and Litton saw what was coming, and they stopped it.
This marked the first time that American citizens had managed to stop a proposed dam project by big government. This success catapulted the Sierra Club into prominence. If it is now known as a major environmental advocacy group with some history of successes behind it, then these two men were the major players to help make it so. The first victory was largely due to their efforts, and their vision. They took on big power and big money in their day, and they won. Indeed, this is almost like a real life David and Goliath story.
For the most part, it was Litton who saw the dangers of these proposed dam projects. Brewer felt that Litton served as his conscience, and indeed, Litton was the man most uncompromising in regards to the environmental battles that they waged. He stopped that proposed Marble Canyon dam from destroying the Grand Canyon, but he also saw other dangers and stopped them, too. He recognized that the U.S. Forest Service was mishandling the giant sequoias in California, and he was the one who traveled on foot to find the best grounds for Redwood National Park. He also saw what had happened at Kings Canyon National Park, and correctly diagnosed what the problem was there.
It was in large part due to this vision, and the efforts of these men, that the modern environmental movement was born. As Kenneth Brower, the son of the aforementioned David Brower, suggests in his National Geographic article (see link below):
"Litton's generation brought us the Wilderness Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the Environmental Protection Act, a great expansion of national parks, and a raft of other good environmental legislation. We could use that sort of explosion again."
Yes, indeed.
And their efforts reminded me of another prominent American figure who went quite far in introducing Americans to the concept of setting aside land and natural wonders for national parks, with an eye towards preserving the natural beauty, and conserving the land for future generations. This man did hold a title, though, and you have surely heard of him.
Please take a moment to look at this article by Kenneth Brower, who not only delves into the history behind the actions taken by his father and Litton, which likely preserved the Grand Canyon as we know it, as well as his unique perspective and diagnosis of the modern environmental movement, and his diagnosis of why it seems more ineffective than ever before:
Appreciation: Lessons From the Man Who Stopped Grand Canyon Dams Martin Litton, who died this week, was passionate, combative—and effective. By Kenneth Brower, for National Geographic PUBLISHED December 2, 2014
Take a look at this, too! Here are links to newspaper from decades ago, while these environmental battles were being waged. The threat was very real then, as it is now. And yes, by all means, we can take lessons from the past and apply them to our own situation today:
DAVID BROWER (1912-2000) GRAND CANYON BATTLE ADS:
And the men who stopped it was - yes, you guessed it - were David Brower and Martin Litton.
You see, the government, in it's infinite wisdom, had many dam projects scattered throughout the American west - particularly the Southwest. That included one at Marble Canyon, which is very near the Grand Canyon. Trust me, it was not a far drive from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, which we visited last year, to the Marble Canyon. It most certainly would have affected the Grand Canyon, if it had gone through. But Brower and Litton saw what was coming, and they stopped it.
This marked the first time that American citizens had managed to stop a proposed dam project by big government. This success catapulted the Sierra Club into prominence. If it is now known as a major environmental advocacy group with some history of successes behind it, then these two men were the major players to help make it so. The first victory was largely due to their efforts, and their vision. They took on big power and big money in their day, and they won. Indeed, this is almost like a real life David and Goliath story.
For the most part, it was Litton who saw the dangers of these proposed dam projects. Brewer felt that Litton served as his conscience, and indeed, Litton was the man most uncompromising in regards to the environmental battles that they waged. He stopped that proposed Marble Canyon dam from destroying the Grand Canyon, but he also saw other dangers and stopped them, too. He recognized that the U.S. Forest Service was mishandling the giant sequoias in California, and he was the one who traveled on foot to find the best grounds for Redwood National Park. He also saw what had happened at Kings Canyon National Park, and correctly diagnosed what the problem was there.
It was in large part due to this vision, and the efforts of these men, that the modern environmental movement was born. As Kenneth Brower, the son of the aforementioned David Brower, suggests in his National Geographic article (see link below):
"Litton's generation brought us the Wilderness Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the Environmental Protection Act, a great expansion of national parks, and a raft of other good environmental legislation. We could use that sort of explosion again."
Yes, indeed.
And their efforts reminded me of another prominent American figure who went quite far in introducing Americans to the concept of setting aside land and natural wonders for national parks, with an eye towards preserving the natural beauty, and conserving the land for future generations. This man did hold a title, though, and you have surely heard of him.
Of course, I am speaking of none other than Theodore Roosevelt.
And so, I will close this particular post with a quote that I have used before here, but which never seemed more fitting to conclude a blog entry with than right now, as we remember and honor the work of two visionary men, and the hard work and tenacity on their end that just might have preserved some of the beauty and integrity of these natural wonders for us to enjoy today:
"There can be nothing in the world more beautiful than the Yosemite, the groves of the giant sequoias and redwoods, the Canyon of the Colorado, the Canyon of the Yellowstone, the Three Tetons; and our people should see to it that they are preserved for their children and their children's children forever, with their majestic beauty all unmarred."
"I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use the natural resources of our land; but I do not recognize the right to waste them, or to rob, by wasteful use, the generations that come after us."
"In the Grand Canyon, Arizona has a natural wonder which is in kind absolutely unparalleled throughout the rest of the world. I want to ask you to keep this great wonder of nature as it now is. I hope you will not have a building of any kind, not a summer cottage, a hotel or anything else, to mar the wonderful grandeur, the sublimity, the great loneliness and beauty of the canyon. Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it."
Please take a moment to look at this article by Kenneth Brower, who not only delves into the history behind the actions taken by his father and Litton, which likely preserved the Grand Canyon as we know it, as well as his unique perspective and diagnosis of the modern environmental movement, and his diagnosis of why it seems more ineffective than ever before:
Appreciation: Lessons From the Man Who Stopped Grand Canyon Dams Martin Litton, who died this week, was passionate, combative—and effective. By Kenneth Brower, for National Geographic PUBLISHED December 2, 2014
Take a look at this, too! Here are links to newspaper from decades ago, while these environmental battles were being waged. The threat was very real then, as it is now. And yes, by all means, we can take lessons from the past and apply them to our own situation today:
DAVID BROWER (1912-2000) GRAND CANYON BATTLE ADS:
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