Milestones | 1990 - Present |
2023
January
Charitos (Darwin’s rhea chicks), born in an incubator, were transferred to Reserva Quimán, where male rhea adopted them.
Launch of Corfo’s Strategic Mesoregional Programme (PEM) Patagonia Parks Route.
February
The first images are obtained from the camera traps of the Douglas Tompkins Pumalín National Park after the removal of the 100 cameras that were installed thanks to the collaborative work with Panthera.
March
In a meeting with President Gabriel Boric, the offer to donate 93,000 hectares of land on the Brunswick Peninsula to the State of Chile to trigger the creation of a future National Park at Cape Froward was made official. Tompkins Conservation and Rewilding Chile acquired these lands thanks to the efforts of both foundations and the contribution of 9 philanthropists, two Chilean.
Launch of the Huemul National Corridor with the Ministry of Agriculture, which includes the first rescue center in the Aysén region.
Wildlife film premiere in Chile Directed by Oscar winners Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, “Wild Life” depicts the epic love story of American conservationists who made the world’s largest private donation to conserve Chilean Patagonia.
April
We launched our Friends of Cerro Castillo National Park program, which focuses on strengthening the relationship between communities and the protected area and contributing to ecosystem conservation through a participatory, community-based process.
June
We launched our first Storymap about our Marine Programme. This innovative ESRI tool allows you to take an interactive tour to learn about the work we have been doing to protect Patagonia’s seas.
The Wildlife team managed to capture a female huemul named Frutilla in the northern sector of Patagonia National Park.
A collaboration agreement is signed between Rewilding Chile, the Universidad de los Lagos Centro Mar, the Universidad Austral de Chile, Puerto Montt, and the state agency Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas through the Spanish Institute of Oceanography to promote scientific collaboration between the entities.
July
We signed a collaboration agreement with Conaf Magallanes.
We launched the “Hazte Responsable” campaign to raise awareness of the danger posed by dogs and domestic livestock within protected areas.
This time, we conducted a new marine expedition to Bahía Inútil, led by Ingrid Espinoza, Director of Conservation at Rewilding Chile, and a team of underwater biologists and photographers.
Start of training program: “Crafts and Nature”.
Through a structured collaborative program developed by Pulso Austral, the first class was given to a group of women from Chile Chico under the auspices of the Friends of Patagonia National Park program of the Rewilding Chile Foundation.
September
Real-time monitoring with AI camera traps thanks to a collaboration between the National Geographic Society’s Exploration Technology Lab and Corey Jaskolski, National Geographic explorer and founder of Synthetaic.
Rewilding Chile received the award in the category “Civil Society Organisations that support the management of Protected Areas.”
October
First exploratory outing to restore the native forests of Cape Froward.
Start of conservation guide training program.
StoryMap “Get to know the intimacy of Patagonia” was selected as one of the finalists in the 2023 ArcGIS StoryMaps Contest.
November
Transfer of two breeding male rheas to the Quimán reserve to strengthen genetic diversity.
2022
January
Launch of the Passport of the Route of Parks of Patagonia.
Transfer of 26 charitos from Reserva Quimán to Patagonia National Park.
February
We released Pumalín and Liquiñe, two rehabilitated condors, in Patagonia National Park, thanks to the collaborative work with Fundación Meri and the Manku project and the support of SAG and CONAF.
April
‘Our Great National Parks’ premieres on Netflix, highlighting Patagonia National Park.
We signed a collaboration agreement with the University of Chile, emphasizing our support for scientific research and education.
Marine expedition in Chaitén Costa
We acquired over 93,000 hectares in Cabo Froward to create a new national park project in Magallanes.
May
Fourteen young rheas were released from the Patagonia National Park breeding center into the wild in the Aysén region.
August
Marine Expedition in the Strait of Magellan
September
Launch of the Passport of Route of Parks of Patagonia during ATTA event.
October
Installation of camera traps in Patagonia National Park in the Nat Geo / Synthetaic collaboration framework.
December
Marine expedition in the Beagle Channel.
Following a report of a nest with abandoned rhea eggs at Estancia Baño Nuevo, the eggs were transferred to an incubator. After 17 days, 14 chicks hatched, which will help us reverse the local extinction of rhea in Patagonia National Park.
2021
Rewilding Chile is born as an independent foundation.
Launch of new website www.rewildingchile.org
Launch of the Community Outreach Program Friends of the Parks, in Alerce Andino National Park and Patagonia National Park.
Two condors with serious injuries arrive in Patagonia National Park from the Bird of Prey Rehabilitation Centre to acclimatize and then be released.
Conduct of environmental education workshops focused on the condor in alliance with Fundación Meri and the Manku project.
Translocation of 10 juvenile Darwin’s Rhea from the region of Los Ríos to the reproduction centre in Patagonia National Park thanks to an alliance with Reserva Quimán, to improve genetics.
Release of 26 Rheas into the wild from the breeding center in Patagonia National Park.
4 marine expedition for the generation of new conservation proposals
Acquisition of 93,492 hectares in the Brunswick Peninsula, Magallanes region, for the creation of the end of the world parks.
Transfer of the management of the tourism infrastructure of the Pumalín Douglas Tompkins and Patagonia National Parks to new concessionaires.
IUCN highlights Rewilding Chile’s Rhea Programme in its report “Global Conservation Translocation Perspectives: 2021 Case studies from around the globe”.
We installed, together with Conaf, 17 trap cameras in Patagonia National Park to study pumas’ interaction in public areas.
Publication of two books: Pumalín National Park Douglas Tompkins and El Amarillo, the rebirth of a people donation of 1,000 conservation books to the network of public libraries in Chile.
We installed 100 trap cameras to monitor small felines in Pumalin Douglas Tompkins National Park thanks to the alliance with Panthera and Conaf.
2020
The book Pumalín Douglas Tompkins National Park is published.
The alliance between Tompkins Conservation Chile and the National Cultural Heritage Service is formalized, allowing for the donation of more than one thousand books to Chile’s network of public libraries, including the books Yendegaia National Park, Corcovado National Park, and Tompkins Conservation: 25 Years, A Retrospective.
Fourteen ñandúes are released into the wild from the rhea breeding center in Patagonia National Park.
Tompkins Conservation Chile signs a formal partnership with Conaf, Chile’s National Forest Corporation (part of the Chilean government) in Aysén and Los Lagos, with the goal of protecting the huemul (South Andean deer), protecting huemul habitats, and reducing the threats this endangered species is facing.
Tompkins Conservation Chile signs an agreement with Chile’s Agriculture and Livestock Service (part of the Chilean government) to work collaboratively to protect the huemul.
Tompkins Conservation Chile signs an agreement with the Ornithological Union of Chile with the goal of developing a collaborative project focused on releasing condors in Patagonia National Park.
In August 2020, Tompkins Conservation Chile signs a regional biodiversity cooperation agreement with Conaf. The project’s goal is to work together to identify and carry out key conservation strategies, including species monitoring and habit restoration, all focused on the habitats of protected species living in State-Protected Wild Areas in the Los Lagos Region. This milestone marks the beginning of Tompkins Conservation’s work supporting the monitoring of the huemul in Futaleufú National Reserve.
2019
Tompkins Conservation Chile acquires three farms in the Las Horquetas sector near Cerro Castillo National Park, converting them into areas for protecting the huemul and for public use.
The Lucas Bridges Museum House opens in Patagonia National Park, honoring the contributions of the area’s first settlers.
The renewable energy system (hydraulic and solar) is inaugurated in Patagonia National Park, becoming the most advanced system of its kind in a national park in Chile.
The Route of Parks of Patagonia Committee is created and includes the Tourism Service of the Los Lagos, Aysén, and Magallanes regions, along with Tompkins Conservation Chile.
Tompkins Conservation Chile transfers the administration of Pumalín Douglas Tompkins National Park and Patagonia National Park to the state of Chile, through Conaf.
Tompkins Conservation Chile, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Chilean government announce an agreement creating an innovative fund called “Route of Parks: Protecting Patagonia Forever.” The fund’s objective is to guarantee the future conservation of Patagonia’s national parks and to strengthen the park’s nearby communities. The project is put on pause due to Chile’s social crisis.
Ten ñandúes are released into the wild from the nursery in Patagonia National Park.
2018
The Chilean president, Michelle Bachelet, meets Kristine Tompkins in Patagonia National Park to sign the decree creating five new national parks in Chile, in addition to expanding three more, incorporating more than 9.8 million acres into the protected areas system. This agreement is spurred by the donation of more than one million acres by Tompkins Conservation Chile. In honor of this initiative’s late founder, Pumalín National Park is renamed Pumalín Douglas Tompkins National Park.
The Visitors’ Center and Museum in Patagonia National Park in Chile opens to the public.
Kristine Tompkins is named United Nations Environment Patron of Protected Areas and receives the Luis Oyarzún Award from the Universidad Austral de Chile.
Conaf and Tompkins Conservation Chile establish the Patagonia Network of Parks working committee in compliance with the framework collaboration agreement for the management of the recently protected areas.
Two ñandúes are released into the wild from the nursery in Patagonia National Park.
2017
The Chilean president Michelle Bachelet and Kristine Tompkins meet in Pumalín Park to sign an Agreement Protocol expanding the national park system in Chile through the Chilean Patagonia Network of Parks, an unprecedented public-private partnership and one of the largest donations in history, with the aim of creating five national parks and expanding three more.
On July 27, President Michelle Bachelet signs the decree recategorizing the former natural reserve Cerro Castillo as a national park.
On September 27, President Michelle Bachelet signs the decree expanding Isla Magdalena National Park.
Kristine Tompkins is one of the first conservationists awarded the Carnegie Medal for Philanthropy.
Twelve ñandúes are released into the wild from the nursery in Patagonia National Park.
In August, the National Transit Authority formalizes the official Scenic Route guidelines.
2015
Douglas Tompkins dies on December 8 in a kayaking accident on Lake General Carrera in Chilean Patagonia.
In August 2015, the Transit Authority and Pumalín Project formalize the document “A conceptual framework and some considerations for Scenic Routes, scope for Ruta 7, a discussion document.” This document is created based upon discussions and analysis during various public-private meetings between the Transit Authority and the Pumalín Foundation.
In October 2015, Douglas Tompkins debuts the vision for the Route of Parks in the ATTA Tourism Summit in Puerto Varas.
2014
After seven years of opposition to the hydroelectric dam project HidroAysén, the Patagonia without dams campaign triumphs when the project’s Environmental Impact Study is rejected.
In March, a forest fire destroys 7,413 acres in Patagonia Park, kicking off a long restoration project in the affected areas.
Douglas Tompkins proposes the Route of Parks of Patagonia plan to the Chilean government. The plan includes the donation of all the foundation’s acquired land to the state.
Three condors are released into the wild in Patagonia National Park, thanks to a collaboration between Tompkins Conservation, the Chilean Ornithological Society, and Chile’s Agriculture and Livestock Service.
The Rhea breeding center is created in Patagonia National Park.
2013
The decree formalizing Yendegaia National Park is put into effect on December 24, and Tompkins Conservation donates the land for its creation.
The Outdoor Education Program begins in partnership with the Austral Lord Cochrane School, promoting the students’ connection with conservation and their natural surroundings through various activities in the future Patagonia National Park.
In Patagonia Park, a collaboration agreement is signed by Patagonian Conservation Chile, AVESCHILE, and CRAC to develop an initiative rehabilitating condors and teaching the local community in Cochrane about these raptors.
2012
As part of a campaign to declare the Carretera Austral an official scenic route, the book Carretera Austral: The Most Spectacular Route in South America is published.
In Patagonia Park, the Herd Protecting Dogs (link in Spanish) program is launched, aimed at ranchers near the park, focusing on protecting their herds against predators.
2011
The book Work in Progress: A 20 Years’ Retrospective is published to tell the story of the work of all the foundations under the Tompkins Conservation umbrella.
2010
Pumalín Foundation signs a collaboration protocol with the Los Lagos Transit Authority, with the goal of solving emergency road situations caused by Chaitén Volcano’s eruption.
2009
In January 2009, the ad-referendum agreement between Pumalín Foundation and the Los Lagos Transit Authority is signed to beautify Ruta 7 in the Palena Province.
2008
The Chaitén Volcano erupts. This volcano is located in the heart of Pumalín Park, and its eruption forces nearby communities to evacuate. The accumulation of ashes and associated flooding causes severe damage to infrastructure in both local communities and the park itself.
The puma monitoring program in Patagonia National Park begins with the goal of researching the interactions between pumas and huemules, part of the rewilding program.
2007
An alliance of more than 80 organizations creates the Patagonia Defense Council to fight the installation of mega dams in Patagonia. The campaign kicks off with the publication of the book Chilean Patagonia Without Dams!
The El Amarillo beautification project begins, initiating a series of aesthetic improvements in this town near Pumalín Park.
The Pro Camino Costero Community Group comes together, helping Chaitén coastal communities join forces in a campaign to improve connectivity in Palena.
2005
Pumalín Foundation is founded as a Chilean NGO. Ownership of the lands comprising Pumalín is transferred to the Foundation, along with the responsibility for maintaining it.
On August 19, President Ricardo Lagos visits Pumalín and declares its 713,366,052 acres a Natural Sanctuary.
Land is donated for the creation of the new Corcovado National Park, which will eventually be made up of more than 988,000 acres of protected land.
The huemul monitoring program begins in Patagonia Park.
2004
Under the leadership of Kristine Tompkins, Patagonia Conservation (now Tompkins Conservation Chile) launches the project for the future Patagonia National Park, buying the Chacabuco Valley cattle ranch in the Aysén region, an estate of almost 173,000 acres. The process of transforming this cattle ranch into a national park begins.
2002
The Scenic Route project for the Pumalín sector of the Carretera Austral is presented to the Public Works Ministry.
2001
Douglas Tompkins receives the Luis Oyarzún Prize from the Universidad Austral de Chile, awarded for his contribution to fostering harmonious relationships between human beings and nature.
The Alerce 3000 native species nursery opens. This project focuses mainly on the reproduction of alerces, as well as other native trees, to help restore degraded land in Pumalín.
2000
Kristine Tompkins founds Patagonia Conservation, the organization that begins the process of buying the Chacabuco Valley cattle ranch and transforming it into Patagonia National Park.
1998
The 93,900-acre Yendegaia farm in Tierra del Fuego is acquired for conservation.
The book The Tragedy of the Chilean Forest is published in collaboration with the group Defenders of the Chilean Forest.
1997
An agreement is signed between Tompkins Conservation and the Chilean government, which will become the basis for the first statute declaring Pumalín a Nature Sanctuary.
Additionally, both parties commit to regularizing the land situation of neighboring habitants near Pumalín Park.
1994
Douglas and Kristine Tompkins marry and begin working together on Southern Cone conservation projects.
With the help of American philanthropist Peter Buckley, Conservation Land Trust acquires more than 207,000 acres of land for the creation of Corcovado National Park.
1992
The Conservation Land Trust is created with funding from Douglas Tompkins. The trust is a private foundation headquartered in California, dedicated to the creation of parks and conservation projects in Chile and Argentina.
1991
Douglas Tompkins buys a deteriorated coastal farm in the Reñihué fjord, in the middle of what will eventually become Pumalín Douglas Tompkins National Park.
1990
Douglas Tompkins creates the “Foundation for Deep Ecology”, a private nonprofit organization headquartered in California, with the goal of financing various organizations around the world focused on protecting biodiversity and promoting eco-friendly agriculture and activism.