Kris Tompkins’ group bought a 174,500-acre Chilean ranch in 2004; it became a park in 2018

Patagonia National Park represents one part of a much larger effort by the Tompkinses to protect land across Chile and Argentina (Image Credit: Linde Waidhofer) A vast Chilean ranch once used for livestock farming took a different path when Kris Tompkins arranged for her nonprofit, Conservación Patagónica, to acquire the property in 2004. The conservation project aimed to restore its grasslands, bring back native wildlife and protect the landscape for future generations. According to Tompkins Conservation, the ranch became a central part of Patagonia National Park, which was established in 2018 through a process that combined donated private land with existing protected areas. The project formed part of a much wider conservation initiative across Chile and Argentina, where the couple's conservation work has helped protect nearly 15 million acres.From a livestock ranch to a restoration projectThe property was located in Valle Chacabuco, in Chile's Aysén region, an area known for its open grasslands, rivers and mountain landscapes. Before conservation work began, the land had been used for livestock grazing, which had affected parts of the natural environment. Douglas Tompkins, co-fo...