Pumalín Douglas Tompkins

Pumalín Douglas Tompkins National Park is a vast protected area in the Los Lagos Region of Chilean Patagonia, spanning approximately 402,000 hectares along the Carretera Austral. Named in honour of American conservationist Douglas Tompkins, who spent decades purchasing and restoring private land in the area before his death in 2015, the park protects one of the world's largest temperate rainforests. Formerly a private nature reserve (Parque Pumalín), it was donated to the Chilean state in 2017 and officially declared a national park in 2018. The park extends from the Pacific coast fjords to the Andean volcanic peaks, encompassing an extraordinary range of ecosystems. It is considered a landmark achievement in private philanthropy-driven conservation.

The park's intact temperate rainforest supports one of South America's most diverse vertebrate communities. Pudu (Pudu puda), the world's smallest deer, inhabit the dense understory alongside South Andean deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus). Pumas are present throughout the park and are apex predators regulating guanaco and deer populations. Darwin's fox (Lycalopex fulvipes), a critically endangered endemic of Chilean temperate forests, has been documented within the park's boundaries. The coastal fjords and rivers support populations of South American sea lions, marine otters (Lontra felina), and kelp-forest communities. Andean condors soar above the volcanic peaks, while Magellanic woodpeckers—the largest woodpecker in the Western Hemisphere—excavate old-growth alerce trunks. River systems hold native galaxiid fish species threatened by introduced trout.

Pumalín protects one of the most significant stands of alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides) remaining in Chile. The alerce is a slow-growing conifer that can live for more than 3,600 years, making individual specimens among the oldest living organisms on Earth. These ancient trees, draped in mosses and lichens, form cathedral-like old-growth groves. Surrounding the alerce stands are dense coigüe (Nothofagus dombeyi) forests interspersed with the bamboo-like quila (Chusquea quila), which undergoes periodic mass flowering and die-off cycles. Ferns, mosses, and liverworts carpet the forest floor, sustained by exceptionally high rainfall. Near the coast, arrayán (Luma apiculata) forms riparian thickets with distinctive orange-red bark. The park's plant diversity reflects millions of years of isolation and the influence of the cold Humboldt Current.

The park spans the North Patagonian Andes, a zone of intense tectonic and volcanic activity. The Andean range in this sector consists primarily of granitic and metamorphic basement rocks formed during Cretaceous subduction events, overlain by Quaternary volcanic products. The Corcovado Volcano (2,300 m), located within the park, last erupted in 1835 and remains classified as potentially active. Chaiten Volcano, just north of the park, erupted dramatically in 2008 after a 9,000-year dormancy, depositing rhyolitic ash across the region. The fjord coastline results from glacial scouring during Pleistocene ice ages, with drowned glacial valleys creating the labyrinthine channels characteristic of Patagonian geography. Glacial erratics and polished bedrock surfaces are visible throughout the lowland forests.

Pumalín receives among the highest annual precipitation in South America, with coastal sectors recording over 4,000 mm per year and some mountain flanks receiving in excess of 7,000 mm. The climate is classified as temperate oceanic with strong maritime influence from the Pacific. Summers (December–February) are mild with temperatures averaging 15–20°C at low elevations, while winters are cold and wet, with temperatures frequently dropping to 0–5°C. Snow accumulates at elevations above 800–1,000 m in winter. The region is notorious for rapidly changing weather, with storms sweeping in from the Pacific within hours. Wind is a constant feature, particularly in exposed coastal and ridge locations. Fog is common in fjord areas year-round. Patagonian weather demands that visitors carry full rain gear regardless of season.

The Los Lagos Region of Chilean Patagonia was colonised by European settlers only in the late 19th century, following the Chilean government's colonisation programs targeting Chiloé and mainland Patagonia. Prior to European arrival, Chono and Kawésqar (Alacaluf) maritime peoples navigated the coastal channels by canoe, subsisting on marine resources. These nomadic peoples left few permanent settlements but occupied the coastal zone for thousands of years. Extensive forest clearance for cattle grazing degraded large areas during the 20th century. Douglas Tompkins began purchasing land in the early 1990s, eventually assembling approximately 290,000 hectares of private reserve. This acquisition was controversial among Chilean nationalists who viewed foreign land ownership in a strategic corridor near the Argentine border with suspicion. Tompkins worked to restore degraded farmland to forest and establish ecological connectivity.

Parque Pumalín originated as a private reserve when Douglas Tompkins, co-founder of The North Face and Esprit apparel companies, began land purchases in the Reñihué fjord area in 1991. By the early 2000s the reserve covered around 290,000 hectares and was formally opened to public visitors with trails, campgrounds, and interpretation facilities. Tompkins Foundation (Tompkins Conservation) managed the park with the explicit goal of eventual donation to Chile. Following Tompkins' death in December 2015 after a kayaking accident, his widow Kristine McDivitt Tompkins accelerated the donation process. In 2017, over one million hectares of Tompkins Conservation land was donated to the Chilean government. Pumalín was officially declared a national park in February 2018, managed by CONAF (Corporación Nacional Forestal) under the Ruta de los Parques initiative.

The park's trail network was largely designed by the Tompkins Foundation and includes some of Patagonia's most spectacular hiking routes. The Sendero Cascadas trail near Caleta Gonzalo leads through old-growth alerce forest to a tiered waterfall within 2 km. The Volcán Corcovado trail is a multi-day technical route reaching the volcano summit at 2,300 m, offering panoramic views of the Palena fjords and Andes. The Sendero Los Alerces winds through one of the most impressive alerce groves in Chile, with trees estimated at 2,000–3,000 years old. The Amarillo sector features thermal hot springs accessible via a 30-minute walk. Sea kayaking through the Reñihué fjord is offered by local guides. Wildlife observation focused on pudu, condors, and Magellanic woodpeckers is available throughout the old-growth sectors.

Pumalín is accessed primarily via the Carretera Austral (Route 7), which passes through the park. The main entrance and visitor hub is at Caleta Gonzalo, reachable by ferry from Hornopirén (a 4–5 hour journey with vehicle ferries operating seasonally). Puerto Montt is the principal regional gateway, with daily flights from Santiago. Within the park, the Tompkins-era facilities include CONAF-managed campgrounds at Caleta Gonzalo, Río Blanco, and El Volcán, with basic amenities including drinking water and fire pits. Cabins are available for reservation at Caleta Gonzalo. A small café operates at Caleta Gonzalo in summer. Ranger stations provide information and trail permits. The park is open year-round, though vehicle ferry schedules restrict winter access. Visitor numbers have grown substantially since national park designation.

Pumalín represents one of the most successful examples of private conservation transitioning to public protection. The park's primary ecological goal is the recovery of alerce forest on formerly cleared agricultural land; extensive replanting programs were initiated by Tompkins Conservation and continue under CONAF. Invasive species management targets introduced rabbits, deer, and American mink that threaten endemic bird-nesting sites and native fish. The 2008 Chaiten volcanic eruption damaged ecosystems in the northern portion of the park, providing a long-term study site for post-volcanic ecological succession. CONAF partners with Tompkins Conservation Chile (now WCS Chile) on wildlife monitoring, including camera-trap surveys for pumas and Darwin's foxes. The park serves as a cornerstone of the Ruta de los Parques—a network of 17 national parks across 2,800 km of Patagonia designed to drive sustainable tourism.