Douglas Tompkins Conservationist in South America Dies in Chile

Douglas Tompkins, the co-founder of outdoor equipment and clothing giant The North Face and the Esprit clothing company died on Tuesday while kayaking in southern Chile at the age of 72.

 The billionaire who turned his back on the corporate world in the 1980's to become a committed conservationist and philanthropist died of hypothermia in Cohaique after the kayaks he and his party were in capsized in strong waves, Chilean authorities said.

In 1964, he co-founded The North Face, to make and sell outdoor equipment. A few years later, he headed south on a road trip to Patagonia to climb Mt. Fitzroy, surfing, skiing, and climbing along the way, an adventure documented in the film Mountain of Storms according to the Tompkins Conservation website. He then co-founded Esprit clothing company with his first wife Susie and under their leadership, Esprit grew into a multinational company with over $1 billion in sales, the website states. It continues to say that in the late 1980s, he became increasingly interested in environmental activism (and disenchanted with promoting a consumer culture), leading him to sell his share of Esprit. He created the Foundation of Deep Ecology and soon afterwards moved to south Chile to focus on conservation.

Upon retiring to Chile, Tompkins bought large swaths of the Chilean Patagonia and eventually the Argentine as well to preserve their pristine atmosphere. Tompkins also began to involve himself in local environmental causes and also started to raise awareness on the environment. It has been reported that Tompkins and his wife Kris bought about two million acres of land for parks and reserves.

Tompkins environmental efforts however were not without controversy. From Chilean politicians to the local residents living in or near these areas of adventure and natural beauty, called him a "gringo out to steal their lands," according to some reports. Many area residents saw him with suspicion and ended up selling their lands to him because of high debts reported BBC Mundo. As well, it has been reported that he was against the paving of the PanAmerican Highway because it ran through Parque Pumalin, one of the largest private parks  in the world which extends from the Pacific Coast to the Argentinian border.

Tompkins will be remembered though, for not only the two giant companies he co-founded but undoubtley more for his taste for adventure, his love for the environment and zeal to preserve it for future generations.

Tompkins make clear that upon his death, all of his land would be transferred to both the Chilean and Argentinian state. It has been reported that at the time of his death the process had already begun.