Douglas Tompkins
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Doug Tompkins | |
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Born | Douglas Rainsford Tompkins March 20, 1943 Conneaut, Ohio, U.S.[1] |
Died | December 8, 2015 Coyhaique, Chile | (aged 72)
Occupation(s) | businessman, conservationist |
Known for | North Face, Esprit, Tompkins Conservation |
Spouses | |
Children | 2[2] |
Awards | New Species Award, Good Steward Award, David R. Brower Award |
Website | www |
Douglas Rainsford Tompkins (March 20, 1943 – December 8, 2015) was an American businessman,
Beginning in the mid-1960s, he and Susie Tompkins Buell (née Russell), his first wife, co-founded and ran two companies: the outdoor equipment and clothing company The North Face and the Esprit clothing company. Following their divorce and Tompkins' departure from the business world in 1989, he became active in environmental and land conservation causes. In the 1990s Tompkins and his second wife, Kris McDivitt Tompkins bought and conserved more than 2 million acres (810,000 ha) of wilderness in Chile and Argentina, exceeding that of any other private individuals in the region, thus becoming among the largest private land-owners in the world.[4] The Tompkinses were focused on park creation, wildlife recovery, ecological agriculture, and activism, with the goal of saving biodiversity.
He had assembled and preserved the land which became the largest gift of private land to any South American government.[5] Due to this, he was posthumously naturalized Chilean.[6]
Early life
Tompkins was born in Conneaut, Ohio on March 20, 1943, the son of an antiques dealer and decorator.[1] He spent the first few years of his life in New York City before his family moved to Millbrook, New York. He graduated from Indian Mountain School, a pre-prep school in Lakeville, Connecticut, in 1957. In his senior year at Pomfret School in Connecticut, Tompkins was expelled for various minor infractions. He returned to his hometown in Millbrook, but did not graduate from high school.[7]
Tompkins spent the years between 1960 and 1962 ski racing and rock climbing in Colorado, Europe, and South America.[8] In 1963, Tompkins founded the California Mountaineering Guide Service.[9] It was during this time he met Susie Russell, a casino employee who gave him a lift while hitch-hiking to Lake Tahoe.[10] They married in 1964 in San Francisco.[11]
The North Face, Inc.
In 1964, Tompkins borrowed $5,000 from a bank to found
Adventure filmmaking - Mountain of Storms
In 1968, Tompkins headed off on a six-month road-adventure trip from California to
Tompkins also became a skilled whitewater kayaker, claiming first descents of rivers in California, Africa, and South America. In addition, he was a skilled bush pilot.[17]
Esprit
In 1968, Tompkins, his wife Susie, and her friend Jane Tise began selling girls dresses, which they had planned on the kitchen table, out of the back of a VW bus. In 1971 they incorporated the booming business under the name "Plain Jane", which later became Esprit.[18] By 1978, sales topped $100 million a year and the company had formed partnerships in Germany and Hong Kong. Tompkins appointed himself "image director", developing his own marketing approach: overseeing all aspects of the company's image, from store design to catalogue layout, while his wife served as design director.
Emerging as one of the hottest brands of the era, the company grew into a transnational company operating in 60 countries. In 1989, the Japanese art publisher Robundo published Esprit, the Comprehensive Design Principle (
Growing increasingly concerned about the ecological impacts of the fashion industry, Tompkins decided to leave the business world in the late 1980s. In 1989, he sold his share of the American company back to Susie, from whom he had separated, putting most of his profits into land conservation.[19] Subsequently, in 1989 and 1994, he sold his interests in the other Esprit entities around the world.
Land conservation - Tompkins Conservation
After selling his interest in Esprit, Tompkins turned his efforts toward southern Chile, where he had spent much time climbing, kayaking, and skiing, to focus on land conservation and environmental activism. He founded the Foundation for Deep Ecology in 1990, which supports environmental activism (see deep ecology), and The Conservation Land Trust in 1992, now called Tompkins Conservation, which works to protect wildlands, primarily in Chile and Argentina.[17][20]
In 1993, he married Kristine L. McDivitt, a former chief executive of Patagonia; the two worked together on conservation projects.[21] The Tompkinses' conservation efforts focused on preserving wild landscapes and biodiversity. After purchasing large blocks of wilderness, they worked to create national parks, believing that this governmental designation serves as the best mode of guaranteeing long-term conservation. Kris Tompkins continues the work they started together as president of Tompkins Conservation.
Pumalín Park
Tompkins's first major conservation project was
In 2005, then-president
In March 2018, the Chilean president Michelle Bachelet announced that the government was accepting the gift of 1 million acres from Tompkins Conservation and creating five new national parks and expanding three more, covering 11 million acres in all, the largest private land donation in history. At a ceremony for signing of the accord between government and the foundation, Tompkins' long-term friend Yvon Chouinard claimed that “No other human has ever created this many acres of protected wildlands".[5]
Corcovado National Park
Just to the south of Pumalin,
Iberá National Park
The Iberá project was a private conservation enterprise that was spearheaded by Tompkins, working with George Soros, Harvard University,[23] and Rewilding Argentina.[24] Its goal was to strengthen protection and restore habitat and biodiversity in the Iberá Wetlands in Corrientes Province, Argentina.
Iberá Provincial Reserve, established in 1983, encompasses 1,300,000 ha of wetlands, grasslands, forest, and rangelands, including both publicly-owned lands and private cattle ranches. The Iberá project advocated for enhanced protection of government-owned floodplain lands, and in 2009 the provincial government created Iberá Provincial Park on 553,000 hectares of public land in the reserve.[25]
Led by Tompkins, the Conservation Land Trust acquired 150,000 hectares of old cattle ranches bordering the provincial park, including habitats not then represented in the park. Most cattle and internal fences were removed, and a land management program was developed to restore native vegetation and habitat.[25][26] In December 2015 the Trust donated these lands, including espinal, malezal grasslands, and forests, to the Argentine government to create a strictly-conserved national park to be called Iberá National Park. The proposed park, which would total 700,000 hectares, would be the largest national park in Argentina and home to hundreds of bird species, giant anteaters, and macaw parrots. It would provide safe habitat for a range of native species, and encourage a transition from "an exploitative economy" to "an economy of conservation and ecotourism".[27][28] In 2018 the Argentine government created Iberá National Park from the donated lands, while the provincial park is administered separately.[26]
In 2007 the Conservation Land Trust established a
Other conservation projects
Other conservation projects that Tompkins spearheaded include:
- The Melimoyu and Isla Magdalena conservation projects in coastal Chile, 200 km and 300 km respectively south of Pumalín Park
- The Yendegaia project in Chile's Tierra del Fuego[citation needed]
- and 800 km south of Pumalín Park
Organic agriculture
Envisioning "conservation as a consequence of production," Tompkins developed models of sustainable organic farming, which maintain soil health and ecological integrity at the same time that they provide for families and support the local economy.[30]
In the area around Pumalin, the Hornopiren, Vodudahue, Ventisquero, Pillan, and Reñihué farms serve as exemplars of small-scale ecological agriculture and as informal park ranger stations. Each of these farms produces a variety of products, including sheep, cattle, honey, berries, and organic vegetables. A small facility in the Pillan farm processes honey and berries for jams, which are sold under the name Pillan Organics.[31]
In northeastern Argentina, Tompkins managed cattle ranches in Corrientes Province and polyculture grain and fruit farms in Entre Ríos Province. Each farm pays close attention to developing sustainable practices.[32]
Environmental activism
Through the Foundation for Deep Ecology, Tompkins published a series of large-format, activist photograph books on environmental issues, including:
- Clearcut: The Tragedy of Industrial Forestry (ed. Bill Devall, 1993, ISBN 0871564947)
- Fatal Harvest: The Tragedy of Industrial Agriculture (ed. Andrew Kimbrell, 2002, ISBN 1559639407)
- Welfare Ranching: The Subsidized Destruction of the American West (eds. George Weurthner and Mollie Yoneko Madison, 2002, ISBN 1559639423)
- Wildfire: A Century of Failed Forest Policy (ed. George Weurthner, 2006, ISBN 159726069X)
In addition, The Foundation for Deep Ecology had a long history as a grant-maker in categories such as Biodiversity and Wilderness, Ecological Agriculture, and Megatechnology and Economic Globalization, although in-house publishing is now its main focus.[citation needed]
Tompkins also was involved in several large environmental campaigns in Chile and Argentina, such as the "Patagonia Sin Represas" campaign, which opposed the construction of dams on two of the largest and wildest rivers in the Patagonia region of Chile.[33]
Honors
Tompkins' environmental work won him respect and accolades outside of South America: in 2012, the African Rainforest Conservancy awarded Tompkins and his wife its "New Species Award";[34] in 2007, the International Conservation Caucus Foundation awarded its "Good Steward" award to him and his wife, Kris;[35] in 2008, the American Alpine Club awarded him the David R. Brower Award, for his work preserving mountain regions; in 2009, Latin Trade named him the "Environmental Leader of the Year".[36]
In 2007, he was appointed as an honorary member of the American Society of Landscape Architects, in recognition of his work restoring damaged landscapes.[37] Eco Barons, Edward Humes' 2009 account of the "dreamers, schemers, and millionaires who are saving our planet," uses Tompkins as the first example of this new group of philanthropists.[38]
In Brazil, the environmentalist Douglas Tompkins was specially honored during the celebrations of 30 years of the Society for the Protection of Wildlife with the video “A Natureza do Brasil” with images of Haroldo Pallo Júnior and the Brazilian pianist Salete Chiamulera.[39]
Death
On December 8, 2015, Tompkins was kayaking with five others (including Patagonia, Inc. founder Yvon Chouinard) on General Carrera Lake in southern Chile when strong waves caused their kayaks to capsize. Tompkins spent a "considerable amount of time" in 40 °F (4 °C) waters.
He was flown, by helicopter, to a hospital in nearby Coyhaique, where he died hours later from severe hypothermia.[40][41] He was 72 years old and died by his second wife, Kristine (McDivitt), two daughters, brother and mother.[14][42]
Tompkins is buried at a small cemetery near the Lodge at Valle Chacabuco in Parque Patagonia.[43]
See also
- Wild Life – 2023 film by Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin
References
- ^ a b Pearson, Stephanie (December 9, 2015). "Obituary: Doug Tompkins (1943-2015)". Outside magazine. Archived from the original on February 7, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
- ^ Abrams, Rachel; Southall, Ashley (December 9, 2015). "Douglas Tompkins, 72, Founder of North Face, Dies in Kayak Accident". The New York Times. p. B14. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
- ^ "This idea proved less wild than it first appeared". Australian Financial Review. September 22, 2021. Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
- ^ “Pleistocene Park” emerges from Patagonia's rescued grasslands Archived February 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, nationalgeographic, January 23, 2010
- ^ a b Franklin, Jonathan (March 19, 2017). "Chile's new 'route of parks' aims to save the wild beauty of Patagonia". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 19, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
- ^ "Nacionalidad por gracia: Comisión revoca por unanimidad reconocimiento al cardenal Ezzati" (in Spanish). January 7, 2019. Archived from the original on January 8, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
- ^ The Daily Telegraph, Thursday 10 December 2015, Obituaries [paper only], p.37
- ^ "Douglas Tompkins, The North Face Founder, Dies After Kayaking Accident". www.snowindustrynews.com. Archived from the original on June 24, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ The Conservation Land Trust
- ^ Nelson, Andrew (2002). "Another Roadside Attraction". Intersections: True Tales of San Francisco (blog). Archived from the original on August 12, 2011. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
- ^ Writer, Martha Groves Times Staff (May 30, 1990). "Estranged Co-Owners of Esprit See 'Baby' Go on Auction Block : * Retailing: Both Doug and Susie Tompkins plan to bid on the trendy San Francisco firm. An outsider could snap up the operation, which is finally rebounding after suffering from the couple's long-running feud". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
- ^ Face, The North. "The North Face Unveils Global Retail Strategy with Opening of New SoHo Location". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
- ^ Synnott, Mark M. (December 9, 2015). "How The North Face Founder Went From High School Dropout to Millionaire Conservationist". National Geographic. Archived from the original on December 12, 2015. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
- ^ a b Sarah Kaplan (December 9, 2015). "North Face co-founder turned 'eco baron' Douglas Tompkins is killed in Chile kayaking accident". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 5, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
- ^ a b Patagonia. "Mountain of Storms". Patagonia. Archived from the original on April 7, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- ^ "Patagonia Mountain of Storms DVD". www.patagonia.com. Archived from the original on April 10, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ a b c Diana Saverin (September 15, 2014). "The Entrepreneur Who Wants to Save Paradise". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on December 11, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
- ^ a b "company :: about us :: History". E S P R I T. September 16, 2010. Archived from the original on March 3, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
- ^ Humus, Edward. Eco Barons New York: Harper Collins, 2009 [ISBN missing][page needed]
- ^ "North Face founder Douglas Tompkins dies in kayaking accident in Chile". USA Today. Archived from the original on February 15, 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
- ^ "Kris Tompkins North Face Founder Doug Tompkins' Wife". DailyEntertainmentNews.com. December 9, 2015. Archived from the original on December 10, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
- ^ a b "Parque Pumalín". Parquepumalin.cl. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
- ^ "Página/12 :: Sociedad :: Reclamos en los esteros". Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
- ^ "The Conservation Land Trust". Archived from the original on May 15, 2012.
- ^ a b c Zamboni, Talía, Sebastián Di Martino, and Ignacio Jiménez-Pérez (2017). "A review of a multispecies reintroduction to restore a large ecosystem: The Iberá Rewilding Program (Argentina)". Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation Volume 15, Issue 4, October–December 2017, Pages 248-256.
- ^ a b "The Iberá Wetlands: Argentina’s Preeminent Wildlife Reserve". Conservation Finance Network. Accessed 19 July 2020. [1] Archived July 19, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "What is the Great Ibera Park?". Archived from the original on December 24, 2013.
- ^ Franklin, Jonathan (January 29, 2018). "Chile creates five national parks over 10m acres in historic act of conservation". The Guardian. Archived from the original on March 13, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
- ^ "Parque Patagonia, Outside the Park". www.patagoniapark.org. Archived from the original on March 22, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
- ^ "(Re)Born to Be Wild: Coaxing Patagonia Back to Its Natural State". Modern Farmer. October 19, 2015. Archived from the original on December 10, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
- ^ "Pillan Organics - Chile". Pillanorganics.cl. Archived from the original on March 3, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
- ^ "Founder of The North Face Dies After Kayaking Incident in Chile, Apparently With Other Outdoor Legends". KTLA. December 9, 2015. Archived from the original on December 9, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
- ^ "Página Principal Patagonia Chilena ¡Sin Represas!". Patagoniasinrepresas.cl. Archived from the original on August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
- ^ "Kris and Doug Tompkins receive the new - Species award from african rainforest conservancy". April 30, 2012. Archived from the original on September 10, 2014. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
- ^ http://www.iccfoundation.us/2007Gala/DinnerProgram.pdf[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Environmental Leader of the Year: Douglas Tompkins – Preserver of the Land". Latin Trade. October 1, 2009. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
- ^ "ASLA Names 13 New Honorary Members". asla.org. May 1, 2007. Archived from the original on March 5, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
- ^ Edward Humes, Eco Barons (New York: Harper Collins, 2009)
- ^ "Filme de Haroldo Palo Jr. Mostra belezas naturais brasileiras". January 5, 2016. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ "Doug Tompkins Dead in Kayak Accident". Backpacker. December 8, 2015. Archived from the original on December 11, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
- ^ "Press Release" Archived June 1, 2023, at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish)
- ^ Jonathan Franklin (December 9, 2015). "Douglas Tompkins, co-founder of North Face, dies after Chile kayak accident". The Guardian. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
- ^ Guerrero, Susana. "Funeral service for Douglas Tompkins held in Chile". SFGATE. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
External links
- Tompkins Conservation Archived December 15, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
- Douglas Tompkins at FMD
- Spanish Language BBC interview
- Rebel With A Cause – Doug Tompkins' quest to save the wilderness (film by DreamTeam medienproduktion, arte, WDR, NDR, 2010)
- YouTube Playlist - Our Founder: Douglas Tompkins