Douglas Tompkins

Douglas ( Doug ) Tompkins ( born 1943 in New York, NY, USA) is an American environmental activist and eco- entrepreneur and founder and former head of the textile brands The North Face and Esprit Holdings Limited.

Biography

The founder and manager of "The North Face " and " Esprit ", Douglas Tompkins, has become the largest private landowner in Chile. In 1990 he sold his shares of the two companies for $ 250 million acquiring since in Patagonia (southern Argentina and Chile) vast areas in order to create national parks. 1991 Douglas Tompkins bought the Reñihué ranch with the intention to protect the vegetated with rainforest terrain. In the following years he acquired with the U.S. environmental foundation The Conservation Land Trust more contiguous areas.

From 1992 to 1994 Tompkins bought in Chile around 3000 km ² of land on an area that stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the mountain ranges of the Andes on the border with Argentina. His goal was to create a contiguous protected area with the official status of a reserve. With his Chilean Foundation EDUCEC (Education, Ciencia y Ecologia ) he has acquired large areas for the " Pumalín Park". The park is situated in the Región de los Lagos in Chaitén. Overall, Tompkins has bought 10,000 km ² of land in Chile and Argentina. The area is about half of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Conservative forces in Chile and business associations fought for many years against its projects. They saw in Tompkins a danger to the national Chilean interests, especially for the country's development and economic exploitation of the rain forest areas.

In its environmental philosophy, Tompkins cites the Norwegian Arne Næss environmentalists and hopes for many imitators among the rich.

Tompkins since 1993, married his second wife, Kristine McDivitt, former head of the clothing brand Patagonia.

Among the numerous engagements of Tompkins includes supporting founded by Kalle Lasn adbusters.

Awards

  • 2008 Bruno H. Schubert Price ( together with his wife Kristine McDivitt Tompkins )
  • 2010 International B.A.U.M. Special Price

Films about Douglas Tompkins

  • Chile: The rainforest of the fashion king. Documentation, Author: Michael Stocks, Production: ARD Weltspiegel 18 December, 2005, Video and Summary of NDR
  • The makers paradise. Doug Tompkins brave new world. Documentation, 3sat, first broadcast January 13, 2006, repeat: September 22, 2007 Summary of 3sat
  • The Tompkins empire. Nature parks instead of fashion trends. Documentation, Phoenix, Air Date: March 4, 2007, Summary of Phoenix
  • The "Jungle savior ". Fashion King is conservationists. Documentation, 30 min, a film by Michael Stocks, Production: SWR, broadcast date: June 3, 2007 Summary from NDR
  • A Gringo in green mission - How Doug Tompkins wants to save the wilderness. Director: Ralf Breier, Claudia Kuhland. A Dream Team Media Production, 2010 in co-production with WDR, NDR and arte.
  • A millionaire as a conservationist. Documentation, 45 min, Director: Ralf Breier, Claudia Kuhland, NDR, send data: March 31, 2011 and 10 January 2013.
  • Speed ​​- In Search of Lost Time. Director: Florian Opitz, Documentary, in 2012.
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