Thursday June 12, 2025
  • Venezuela
  • Mexico
  • Colombia
  • Chile
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Podcast
Versión Español
PanAm Post
  • Home
  • Regions
    • South America
    • North America
    • Central America
    • Caribbean
  • Politics
  • Economics
  • Opinion
  • Podcast
  • Authors
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Regions
    • South America
    • North America
    • Central America
    • Caribbean
  • Politics
  • Economics
  • Opinion
  • Podcast
  • Authors
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
PanAm Post
No Result
View All Result

Home » The North Face Founder Bankrolls New National Park in Chile

The North Face Founder Bankrolls New National Park in Chile

Joel Fensch by Joel Fensch
December 17, 2013
in Chile, Economics, Free Markets, News, Society, South America
FacebookTwitterTelegramWhatsapp

EspañolUS billionaire Douglas Tompkins, co-founder of The North Face, has donated 94,000 acres (38,040 hectares) to help create the newly formed Yendegaia National Park in Patagonia, along with 276,342 acres donated by Chile’s Piñera administration.

chile-park
Yendegaia National Park, Southern Chile. Source: legado bicentenario.

At nearly half the size of Yosemite National Park in California, the park is strategically located next to Chile’s Agostini National Park, and will serve to create the “first transboundary conservation area.” That is along the Chile-Argentina border, aligned with Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego National Park. Located near the Beagle Channel in southern Patagonia, the name “Yendegaia,” which means “deep bay” in the indigenous Yámana language, is derived from a protected bay of the same name within the new boundary.

RelatedArticles

CNN Fake News: The Network’s Efforts to Justify Its Actions May Be Worse than Its Actual Flawed Reporting

CNN’s audience in 2024 was the lowest in its history

December 21, 2024
These are the 21 individuals sanctioned by the U.S. for fraud and repression in Venezuela

These are the 21 individuals sanctioned by the U.S. for fraud and repression in Venezuela

November 27, 2024

To the east, neighboring Alberto de Agostini National Park in Chile is already an impressive 5,637 sq mi — 10 times the size of the newly created Parque Nacional Yendegaia.

The portion of the Yendegaia property donated by Tompkins was owned by a jailed drug dealer until 1998, when Doug and his wife, Kristine Tompkins, created a Chilean non-profit and gathered the necessary funds to purchase the area.

The couple approached Chile’s President Sebastian Piñera with a proposal to create the park in March, 2011, and the new park was signed into law on November 29, 2013.

Piñera, a conservationist himself, had already acquired approximately 285,000 acres of terrain in 2004, which he converted into a private park with access to the public. “Piñera is the only conservationist President of the world,” said Tompkins.

Tompkins made attempts at conservation partnerships with the previous administrations of Ricardo Lagos, and the first administration of Chile’s president-elect, Michelle Bachelet. However, while both administrations were receptive to conversations with Tompkins and his foundation, the result was that, “unfortunately nothing materialized,” he said.

According to Kristine Tompkins, every Chilean president for nearly a century has created a national park — a list that now includes Piñera.

Tompkins founded both The North Face and ESPRIT clothing companies, but he left the business world to focus on conservation. Since founding his first environmental foundation in 1990, he has preserved an estimated 4 million acres of wilderness, in both Chile and Argentina, according to the Santiago Times.

“Yendegaia is the best Christmas present ever, for us, and I hope for the Chilean people,” said Kristine Tompkins.

Tags: AgostiniDouglas TompkinsESPRITPatagoniaSebastián PiñeraThe North FaceYendegaia
Joel Fensch

Joel Fensch

Editor of InsightSur, Fensch covers geopolitical and historical events in Latin America with the PanAm Post.

Related Posts

CNN Fake News: The Network’s Efforts to Justify Its Actions May Be Worse than Its Actual Flawed Reporting
Ideology

CNN’s audience in 2024 was the lowest in its history

December 21, 2024
These are the 21 individuals sanctioned by the U.S. for fraud and repression in Venezuela
Elections

These are the 21 individuals sanctioned by the U.S. for fraud and repression in Venezuela

November 27, 2024
Yamandú Orsi, from the leftist Frente Amplio, wins the Presidency of Uruguay
Elections

Yamandú Orsi, from the leftist Frente Amplio, wins the Presidency of Uruguay

November 24, 2024
Can Socialism Compete “On Equal Terms” in the Field of Ideas?
Argentina

Can Socialism Compete “On Equal Terms” in the Field of Ideas?

November 20, 2024
"The people must come to an agreement," said Colombian President Gustavo Petro regarding the outcome of the elections in Venezuela, ignoring the fact that Venezuelans had already expressed themselves at the polls. (File photo)
Colombia

Petro Calls Venezuelan Elections a “Mistake”: What Lies Ahead for Colombia?

November 19, 2024
In one of Palermo's most iconic venues, Paul Corban played for an intimate audience, surrounded by flickering candles and the rhythmic murmur of Malbec glasses clinking together.
Culture

The Paul Corban Experience: A Night to Be Thankful For

November 17, 2024
Next Post
Venezuela: Controlled Currency Devaluation on the Way

Venezuela: Controlled Currency Devaluation on the Way

Subscribe free and never miss another breaking story

  • Venezuela
  • Mexico
  • Colombia
  • Chile
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Podcast

© 2024 PanAm Post - Design & Develop by NEW DREAM GLOBAL CORP. - Privacy policy

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Regions
    • South America
    • North America
    • Central America
    • Caribbean
  • Politics
  • Economics
  • Opinion
  • Podcast
  • Authors
  • Contact

© 2024 PanAm Post - Design & Develop by NEW DREAM GLOBAL CORP. - Privacy policy

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Privacy and Cookie Policy.