When I was living in Chile, there were frequently stories in the paper about a "deranged" and "dangerous" American who lived down South of the country. This American, suggested various op-eds in the paper, was determined to buy up the natural bounty of Chile - its forests, rivers, mountains - and to prevent Chileans from enjoying or using them. He was also considered a threat to national security since his land-holdings supposedly bisected this narrow country. Of course, these were the types of opinions caterwauled in conservative papers, and they came mostly from developers who were jealous or angry that the American was actually setting aside his property from them so they could not cut down its trees or build factories there. The American, who still lives down in the South of Chile, is named Douglas Tompkins, and he is as controversial as ever.

It's interesting, though. I've seen enough pieces over the years even in US press, that I didn't think Mr. Tompkins held much interest in American minds. That he was an OLD story. I guess I was wrong. This piece in the LA Times examines the Tompkins mythos.

Tompkins is a counterculture veteran who left his job running the clothing company Esprit with a reported $150 million in 1990. He bailed on his then-wife and longtime business partner and remade himself in South America as a "patron of preservation". Regardless of your politics, you do have to admire Tomkins' spunk and dedication. Apparently he has lots of friends who are eager to help him in his quest, including Harrison Ford and other Hollywood types. I say good for him. The part of Chile he seeks to preserve is one of the loveliest spots on earth, and even if he is seen by some as a demagogue, I think we need the occasional rich demagogue to take on these issues. Or not?

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