McMartin, Barbara 1931–2005

(Barbara McMartin Patterson)

OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for CA sketch: Born November 11 (one source says November 18), 1931, in Boston, MA; died of breast cancer, September 27, 2005, in Canada Lake, NY. Conservationist and author. McMartin was best known for her work preserving Adirondack Park, about which she wrote many histories and guides. Initially interested in mathematics, she earned a B.A. from Vassar College in 1962, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the City University of New York in 1964 and 1971 respectively. By the time she had completed her doctorate, however, McMartin was already involved in environmental activism. She would soon switch her entire focus to preserving the wild country of New York. Over the years, she became extremely knowledgeable of the six-million-acre Adirondacks, publishing over two-dozen books on the subject. She was also active in environmental groups, such as the Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks and the Adirondack Mountain Club. Bridging gaps between government agencies and private environmental groups, McMartin was on advisory committees for the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, including the Forest Preserve Action Committee, which she chaired from 1979 to 2003, and the High Peaks Action Committee; she was respected by both state officials and private groups for her extensive knowledge. Among her many publications are Old Roads and Open Peaks: A Guide to the Southeastern Adirondacks (1977), Hides, Hemlocks and Adirondack History: How the Tanning Industry Influenced the Region's Growth (1992), The Adirondack Park: A Wildlands Quilt (1999), and Perspectives on the Adirondacks: A Thirty-Year Struggle by People Protecting Their Treasure (2002).

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Los Angeles Times, September 30, 2005, p. B11.