Yendegaia National Park

| Chile |

Area: 372,109 acres (150,587 hectares)
Estimated Carbon Storage: 69.1 million metric tonnes

Southern beech forests, expansive steppe grasslands, rugged coastline, wild rivers, and sublime mountains make Yendegaia one of the most spectacular and wild places on the island of Tierra del Fuego. The park, which lies within the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, stretches from the Beagle Channel into the Darwin Range at 54 degrees south. Threatened species include the Andean fox, southern river otter, and the Ruddy-headed goose. Yendegaia, which means “deep bay,” is also home to at least 49 species of land and marine birds. South American fur seals, marine otters, Commerson’s dolphins, Minke whales, southern right whales, orcas, and sperm whales use the park’s coastal waters.

Park History

After hearing about a former cattle ranch at the end of the Earth, Doug and Kris Tompkins scouted the Yendegaia property in 1998. Through a nonprofit foundation, and with the support of fellow philanthropists, they acquired it that year. Years later, working with President Sebastián Piñera, Tompkins Conservation donated roughly 94,000 acres for a new park, which was designated in 2013 and the private lands formally transferred and incorporated in 2014.