“Whoever you are, wherever your interest lies, whatever you’ve fallen in love with, get out of bed every morning and do something. Act, step into the fray—fight for a human society in balance with the natural world.” —Kristine McDivitt Tompkins

Kris Tompkins is the president and co-founder of Tompkins Conservation, an American conservationist, and former CEO of Patagonia, Inc. For three decades, she has committed to protecting and restoring wild beauty and biodiversity by creating national parks, restoring wildlife, inspiring activism, and fostering economic vitality as a result of conservation. Kristine and her late husband Douglas Tompkins have protected approximately 15 million acres of parklands in Chile and Argentina through Tompkins Conservation and its partners, making them among the most successful national park-oriented philanthropists in history. Kristine served as Patron for Protected Areas for the UN Environmental Programme from 2018-2022. The recipient of numerous honors, she was the first conservationist to be awarded the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.

Show Notes

Rewilding the Southern Cone: A Conversation with Kris Tompkins

In this episode of the Rewilding Earth podcast, Kris Tompkins discusses her visionary efforts in rewilding South America, particularly focusing on the Southern Cone’s ecological reconnection. Kris reflects on various projects, including reintroducing large predators like jaguars and restoring ecosystems across vast territories in Argentina and Chile. (Almost 15 million acres in total. That’s 5 million acres larger than Switzerland!) Kris knows how to think BIG. She shares insights on conservation strategies, the importance of thinking on a continental scale, and the role of local communities and the new generation in these initiatives. With a drive to reconnect ecosystems from Chile to Colombia and beyond, Kris emphasizes the significance of working with natural systems and engaging local populations to ensure success.

Timeline

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:39 Rewilding Achievements and Future Goals

04:17 Challenges and Strategies in Rewilding

09:47 Generational Leadership in Conservation

12:56 Continental Rewilding Vision

20:50 Community Involvement and Success Stories

34:18 Concluding Thoughts and Future Aspirations

“National parks are the gold standard of conservation in these days of severe ecological crisis.” —Douglas Tompkins

Extra Credit

If you’re new to Kris’ work with Tompkins Conservation, you’ll find everything you need below to get caught up on over 30 years of some of the best wildlands conservation work ever done and the fantastic team of people behind it!

By the numbers: Read about the national parks and the species Tompkins Conservation, Rewilding Chile, and Rewilding Argentina are working to protect.

Visit: Rewilding Chile and Rewilding Argentina

Watch: Kris Tompkins Inspiring 2024 Ted Talk



Last Wild Places: Ibera



Rewilding Patagonia | BBC Travel Show



Additional Media of Interest:



Time Magazine op-ed on rewilding

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