Draft:Rewilding Chile

• Comment: No sources = no article. • Quinn (talk) 17:19, 15 April 2026 (UTC)

• Comment: In accordance with the Wikimedia Foundation's Terms of Use, I disclose that I have been paid by my employer for my contributions to this article. Carlosroth (talk) 19:56, 13 April 2026 (UTC)

---

Rewilding Chile Foundation, formerly known as Tompkins Conservation Chile, is a non-profit non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to promoting rewilding as a comprehensive conservation strategy within the Patagonia Parks Route. Headquartered in Puerto Varas, Los Lagos Region, the foundation addresses the species extinction crisis and climate change through the creation of national and marine parks, ecosystem restoration, active management of native species, and community engagement.

One of its flagship initiatives is the Patagonia Parks Route (Ruta de los Parques de la Patagonia), a network of 17 national parks spanning 2,800 kilometers between Puerto Montt and Cape Horn, protecting over 11 million hectares.

About Rewilding Chile

History

The origins of Rewilding Chile date back to the early 1990s, when conservationists Douglas Tompkins (1943–2015) and Kristine Tompkins committed to preserving the biodiversity of Chilean Patagonia to counteract environmental crises.

Tompkins Conservation

The organization’s evolution began when the Tompkins settled in southern Chile and started acquiring vast tracts of private land to protect original ecosystems, initially establishing Pumalín Park. Over the years, this private protection effort transitioned into a major philanthropic initiative focused on donating these lands to the Chilean State for the creation and expansion of national parks. Following Douglas Tompkins’ death in 2015, the work continued under Kristine’s leadership. In 2021, the Chilean branch officially became an independent entity under the name Fundación Rewilding Chile.

This transition marked a strategic shift: the organization moved beyond protecting pristine landscapes to embrace active ecological restoration and rewilding. Current efforts focus on reintroducing threatened or missing species to their natural habitats along the Patagonia Parks Route and fostering economic development in local communities through conservation.

Land Donations

The land donations by Tompkins Conservation and Rewilding Chile represent the largest private-to-state land transfer for conservation purposes in history, with over 500,000 hectares donated free of charge to the State of Chile.

Significant contributions include:

• Pumalín Douglas Tompkins National Park: 293,338 hectares.
• Patagonia National Park: Over 83,000 hectares (formerly Estancia Valle Chacabuco).
• Corcovado National Park: Approximately 85,000 hectares.
• Yendegaia National Park: Approximately 38,000 hectares.

Over 30 years, the organization has helped protect more than 5.7 million hectares across Chile and Argentina through government collaboration and support from other philanthropists.

Current Status

Rewilding Chile continues to expand its scope, recently committing to the donation of an additional 127,302 hectares to establish the future Cabo Froward National Park in the Magallanes Region, at the southern tip of the continent.

Founders

Douglas Tompkins

Douglas R. Tompkins (1943–2015) was an activist, outdoorsman, organic farmer, and philanthropist. He co-founded the outdoor brands The North Face and Esprit. An accomplished mountaineer and kayaker, he completed several first descents and routes globally. After leaving the business world, he dedicated his resources to land acquisition and park creation in the Southern Cone. He died in 2015 following a kayaking accident in Patagonia.

Kristine Tompkins

Kristine Tompkins is the former CEO of Patagonia, Inc., co-founder of Tompkins Conservation, and President of the Board of Rewilding Chile. Born in Southern California, she spent her childhood on her great-grandfather's ranch, which fostered her connection to nature. After graduating from the University of Idaho, she joined her friend Yvon Chouinard at the newly formed Patagonia, Inc., eventually becoming CEO and helping shape its "anti-corporate" business model. She retired in 1993 to marry Douglas Tompkins and apply her entrepreneurial expertise to large-scale conservation.