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American Travis Winn first stepped foot in China 15 years ago with his father on a first descent of Tibet’s Salween River, a massive body of water shared by China, Thailand and Myanmar.
On that first foray into the region, Winn learned not only about the lack of oppurtunity for local people to access and enjoy rivers, but also that the rapid growth of dam projects meant this was unlikely to change or improve as time went on. “At the rate they were being dammed, very few people would ever have the chance to see any rivers in their pristine or natural environment.” Today Winn’s company, Last Descents River Expeditions, works to share his connection with rivers with the local population through kayaking and rafting.
The poignant Salween Spring by filmaker Will Stauffer-Norris and Last Descents River Expeditions, highlights the struggle to preserve rivers in this part of the world, but also on the compassion and positive effects Winn sees coming from engaging with whitewater.
“Before I just felt pain at all of the changes, but now I feel like all that’s important now is the rivers are here.”
