Conservation was not of great importance in 1917, but Mr Martin's efforts to preserve 404.69ha of bush have been memorialised with a wooden seat.
It sits at the northern end of the bridge over the Tahakopa River, backed by the native forest Mr Martin helped preserve, and looking out on the Tahakopa estuary.
Mary Sutherland, secretary and treasurer for Papatowai District Community Assets, said the location of the seat was a lovely place to sit.
At a time in history when saving forests was not fashionable, Claude Martin was on the Papatowai Scenic Reserves Board, which he was still secretary of at the time of his death in 1945, Mrs Sutherland said.
"Friends and family thought he should get recognised."
Mrs Sutherland said this seat was the second to be erected in his memory.
"There used to be a seat at the old [Papatowai] changing sheds . . . the whole thing was destroyed in the 1970s.
"Where it is now is probably a better place for it, it's at the entrance of the block of bush that he is credited with saving."
Mr Martin's grandson, Grant Martin, said his father told him anecdotal stories about Mr Martin senior blocking attempts from the local saw mills to log the bush.
"That in itself is a bit unusual, because no-one was really thinking about conservation."
Mr Martin believes his grandfather's passion for preserving the bush was inspired more by its beauty than by a conscious need to conserve it.
"A lot of the farmers in those days had a sense of the beauty of the bush and wanted to save it.
"I don't think he would have imagined it would have become the tourist attraction it is today," he said.
"He just loved the area . . . I imagine he had a sense of wanting to keep the bush."
