Kris Tompkins
Encyclopedia
Kristine McDivitt Tompkins (born in 1950) is an American conservationist
and former CEO of Patagonia, Inc.. Since 1993, she has worked with her husband, Douglas Tompkins
, to create large wilderness conservation areas in Chile and Argentina.
; he gave her a summer job working for Chouinard Equipment. After finishing college in Idaho, where she ski-raced competitively, she started to work full time for what then became Patagonia, Inc..
, in Los Lagos Region.. The park, a project of the Conservation Land Trust, represents an innovative private initiative to create a public-access nature preserve in the threatened Valdivian temperate rainforest. The Tompkins later launched conservation efforts in the Ibera wetlands of Northeastern Argentina, where they now live part-time. In the biodiversity-rich wetland ecosystem, they have launched innovative projects to reintroduce extirpated species, such as the giant anteater.
The Tompkins' conservation projects center around the aim of conserving and restoring biodiversity
, taking the position that the mass extinction of species represents an ecological crisis as profound as global climate change. Their work encompasses wild lands conservation, ecological restoration, sustainable organic agriculture, and environmental activism.
(CP), a land trust focused exclusively on conserving land within the Patagonia region – an area depleted by intensive overgrazing, mining, oil drilling and logging. In 2001, CP purchased Estancia Monte León, one of the oldest sheep ranches in the Argentine Patagonia, located on the southern Atlantic shoreline a few hundred miles north of the Strait of Magellan. Monte León had long been one of the priorities for Argentine National Parks because of its richness and diversity of species, including Magellanic penguins, sea lions, elephant seals, leopard seals and several migratory seabirds. CP purchased this 155000 acres (627.3 km²) estancia, crafted a master plan for its transition to a national park and, in 2002, donated the property to the Argentine National Parks Administration, creating the first coastal national park in Argentina.
In 2003, CP had the opportunity to purchase Estancia Valle Chacabuco, a historic sheep ranch in Chile's Aysen Region
. The Chilean National Parks had made this ranch their number-one conservation priority for over 35 years because it sits between two existing National Reserves, together 460000 acres (1,861.6 km²). This area is prime habitat for the endangered huemul deer, one of Chile's national animals. After developing a public-access infrastructure system, including a trail system, visitor center, campgrounds, lodging, and a restaurant, CP will donate this property to the Chilean park service. Along with the two adjoining National Reserves, this will become the Patagonia National Park, a flagship park for Latin America. Stretching between two of the country's largest lakes, Lago General Carrera and Lago Cochrane, the future park contains an impressive diversity of landscapes: arid Patagonian steppe, Southern Beech forests, wetlands, high peaks, alpine lakes, and streams. As the president of CP, Tompkins has been heavily involved in every aspect of this project, from landscape restoration to infrastructure construction.
Conservationist
Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
and former CEO of Patagonia, Inc.. Since 1993, she has worked with her husband, Douglas Tompkins
Douglas Tompkins
Douglas Tompkins is an American environmentalist, conservationist and a former businessman.Tompkins co-founded and ran two clothing companies: the outdoor clothing company The North Face; and with his then-wife Susie, the ESPRIT clothing company. Since leaving the business world in 1989, Tompkins...
, to create large wilderness conservation areas in Chile and Argentina.
Early life
For the most part, Tompkins grew up on her family ranch south of Santa Barbara, California, although she spent some early years in Venezuela, where her father worked for an oil company. At age 15, she met and befriended rock climbing legend and equipment manufacturer Yvon ChouinardYvon Chouinard
Yvon Chouinard is a rock climber, environmentalist and outdoor industry businessman, noted for his contributions to climbing, climbing equipment and the outdoor gear business. His second company, Patagonia is known for its environmental focus...
; he gave her a summer job working for Chouinard Equipment. After finishing college in Idaho, where she ski-raced competitively, she started to work full time for what then became Patagonia, Inc..
At Patagonia
Beginning in 1973, Tompkins helped Yvon Chouinard turn his fledging piton business into the renowned anti-corporation Patagonia, Inc.. During her over 20 years at Patagonia, Tompkins pushed the company expand and establish itself as a leader in both the outdoor apparel industry and the environmental movement. Creating a new corporate culture and ethic was central to this effort. In 1980 Patagonia came up with the idea of donating 10 percent of their profits to radical environmental organizations such as Earth First! Recognizing that manufacturing inherently causes some pollution of the earth, they sought to create a model for how companies could mitigate their ecological impacts and put ethics into action. In 1984, the company formed what was called the "One Percent for the Planet Club," which donates either 1% of sales or 10% of profits—whichever is greater—to environmental causes.Conservation Work
Since retiring from Patagonia, Tompkins has, with her husband Doug, protected more land than any other private individual—almost one million hectares (two million acres). She married Doug in 1993 and moved to south Chile, where she helped create Pumalin ParkPumalín Park
Pumalín Park is a private nature reserve in the Palena Province of Chile, created by the United States environmental foundation The Conservation Land Trust, which is endowed and led by the American business magnate Douglas Tompkins...
, in Los Lagos Region.. The park, a project of the Conservation Land Trust, represents an innovative private initiative to create a public-access nature preserve in the threatened Valdivian temperate rainforest. The Tompkins later launched conservation efforts in the Ibera wetlands of Northeastern Argentina, where they now live part-time. In the biodiversity-rich wetland ecosystem, they have launched innovative projects to reintroduce extirpated species, such as the giant anteater.
The Tompkins' conservation projects center around the aim of conserving and restoring biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
, taking the position that the mass extinction of species represents an ecological crisis as profound as global climate change. Their work encompasses wild lands conservation, ecological restoration, sustainable organic agriculture, and environmental activism.
Conservacion Patagonica
In 2000, Tompkins founded Conservacion PatagonicaConservacion Patagonica
Conservacion Patagonica is a conservation group whose mission is "protecting and restoring wildland ecosystems, biodiversity, and healthy communities in Patagonia through the formation of new national parks." Founded in 2000 by Kristine Tompkins, former CEO of Patagonia, Inc, Conservacion...
(CP), a land trust focused exclusively on conserving land within the Patagonia region – an area depleted by intensive overgrazing, mining, oil drilling and logging. In 2001, CP purchased Estancia Monte León, one of the oldest sheep ranches in the Argentine Patagonia, located on the southern Atlantic shoreline a few hundred miles north of the Strait of Magellan. Monte León had long been one of the priorities for Argentine National Parks because of its richness and diversity of species, including Magellanic penguins, sea lions, elephant seals, leopard seals and several migratory seabirds. CP purchased this 155000 acres (627.3 km²) estancia, crafted a master plan for its transition to a national park and, in 2002, donated the property to the Argentine National Parks Administration, creating the first coastal national park in Argentina.
In 2003, CP had the opportunity to purchase Estancia Valle Chacabuco, a historic sheep ranch in Chile's Aysen Region
Aysen Region
The XI Aisén Region of General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo , also spelled Aysén, is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Although the third largest in area, the region is Chile's most sparsely populated region with a population of 105,000. The capital of the region is Coihaique, the...
. The Chilean National Parks had made this ranch their number-one conservation priority for over 35 years because it sits between two existing National Reserves, together 460000 acres (1,861.6 km²). This area is prime habitat for the endangered huemul deer, one of Chile's national animals. After developing a public-access infrastructure system, including a trail system, visitor center, campgrounds, lodging, and a restaurant, CP will donate this property to the Chilean park service. Along with the two adjoining National Reserves, this will become the Patagonia National Park, a flagship park for Latin America. Stretching between two of the country's largest lakes, Lago General Carrera and Lago Cochrane, the future park contains an impressive diversity of landscapes: arid Patagonian steppe, Southern Beech forests, wetlands, high peaks, alpine lakes, and streams. As the president of CP, Tompkins has been heavily involved in every aspect of this project, from landscape restoration to infrastructure construction.