US conservationist, Chile sign creation of national parks
Source: Associated Press
By MAURICIO CUEVAS and PATRICIA LUNA
13 minutes ago
PARQUE PATAGONIA, Chile (AP) — Chilean President Michelle Bachelet signed decrees Monday creating vast new national parks using lands donated by a U.S. conservation organization in what is believed to be the largest private donation of land ever from a private entity to a country.
The agreement signed by Bachelet and Tompkins Conservation CEO Kristine McDivitt Tompkins will create the new Pumalin and Patagonia national parks while expanding others to help create a “Route of Parks.”
The string of 17 parks will span more than 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) across the South American nation, stretching from Puerto Montt to Cape Horn.
In all, the plan ultimately seeks to increase Chile’s national parkland by more than 15,600 square miles (40,400 square kilometers). Bachelet said that would expand national parklands in Chile by 38.5 percent.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/e800eb4eacda477ba3fa68b303d3d8b4/US-conservationist,-Chile-sign-creation-of-national-parks
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Chile creates national parks from donated land
49 minutes ago
TOMPKINS CONSERVATION
Doug Tompkins was a keen conservationist who died aged 72 in a kayaking accident
The donated land will form part of a network of 17 national parks spanning the country
Chile has officially designated a national park network including land privately donated by a US couple.
The government signed a deal with Kristine McDivitt Tompkins, who worked with late husband Doug for decades to protect areas of Patagonia.
Mr Tompkins, founder of the North Face clothing label, died in a kayaking accident in Chile in 2015.
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet called the signing an "unprecedented preservation effort".
More:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-42868690
