a documentary on rewilding
“It was while reading that I discovered the life of an American named Douglas Tompkins.” From the first minutes of the documentary Rewilding Patagonia, director Arnaud Hiltzer takes the stage and reveals the starting point of his documentary which takes us to the heart of Patagonia.
Passionate about rewilding, letting nature reclaim its rights without human intervention, the director continues his commitment by highlighting Douglas Tompkins and his wife. But who is he and what is the story of this couple?
A self-taught and talented entrepreneur
In 1966, Douglas Tompkins created The North Face, one of the biggest outdoor activities brands in the world today. Shortly after, he goes on an adventure, accompanied by three friends.
“At the time, the film The endless summer, first surf film at the cinema, a hit. It tells the story of two Americans who go around the world in search of the best waves. Passionate about adventure, mountaineering and expeditions, Douglas and his friends were inspired and went to Patagonia,” says Arnaud Hiltzer. He sells his brand The North Face to finance the adventure and a film in the style of The endless summer.
It’s a fiasco for mountain of storms but, during this initiatory journey, one of his traveling companions Yvon Chouinard launched his brand Patagonia, another major brand in the world of adventure, in memory of this period.
In 1968, Douglas Tompkins merged the Esprit brand, one of the best-known fashion brands of the 1980s and 1990s. “It was the Uniqlo of the time! », recalls Arnaud Hiltzer. For twenty years, he managed the multinational before selling it, just before his 50th birthday. It was there that he began the second part of his life: protecting the environment, thus abandoning a flourishing career in the business world.
“In my opinion, he had a deep connection with nature. He went on expeditions for several months, while directing Esprit: going on expeditions, sleeping under the stars, going down rivers… This privileged relationship with the natural environment allowed him to observe, over time, the progressive degradation of the environment,” adds the director..
A decisive love at first sight in Patagonia
In 1991, he settled in a remote fjord in Patagonia. He buys huge properties that he wants to protect from human exploitation. In just a few years, he acquired several hundred thousand hectares of land housing fjords, glaciers and active volcanoes.
In 1993, he received a visit from Kristine McDivitt, the general manager of Patagonia, his friend Yvon’s company. It’s love at first sight. Kristine leaves her post to follow Douglas on the adventure. Together, they want to transform their lands into national parks so that they become common property.
“They thought it was necessary to reconnect residents with these spaces of which they were deprived in order to want to protect them. It’s the same issue in France with people who live in Grenoble and who don’t know their surrounding mountains,” explains Arnaud Hiltzer.
A legacy that has reached consensus today
There were many obstacles for the Tompkins couple. Becoming the largest private owner in Chile, the “American” is seen in a negative light. Residents and political figures question each other, almost becoming a public debate accompanied by fantasies.
“They have been accused of creating a new state, oil drilling, selling Chilean cows to bring in American bison and even making a nuclear waste site. It was sometimes very violent, going as far as death threats,” explains the director.
Faced with difficulties, the couple held on. Thirty years later, they donated parks to the State, wishing to complete their commitment. The Chileans are no longer suspicious and are committed to the cause.
In 2015, Douglas died in a kayaking accident, swept away by a violent storm. He is buried in Patagonia National Park, in the Aysén region. A marker which once again proves the philanthropist’s attachment to this territory.
A profound cultural change
After Douglas’ death, Kristine decided to continue the project by focusing on donating properties and converting them into national parks. Over three decades, the Tompkins, surrounded by their teams and partners, have contributed to the creation or expansion of 18 national parks in Chile and Argentina, covering more than 7 million hectares. It is an area equivalent to that of Ireland. To date, this is the largest private donation in the world for nature.
Throughout the documentary, the directors demonstrate that local communities play a central role today. They embody proof that change is possible. We understand that the Tompkins have succeeded in initiating a profound cultural change and that they are managing to involve local residents and communities in this rewilding initiative.
The results today are spectacular. Each national park has its own initiatives: publication of a book, educational programs, animal releases which the population is invited to attend. Everything is designed so that residents take ownership of the parks and become their first defenders.
And the adventure is still far from over! Their new project? Protect nearly 2.59 million square kilometers, an area almost twice the size of Alaska. A vast territory crossed, at the confluence of four South American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay). A private financing campaign will support the project with initial commitments from donors amounting to $26 million.
“Action inspires action. Our documentary is a film which highlights this passage to action,” concludes Arnaud Hiltzer.
