Conservation Patagonia

I was recently informed of an effort to conserve and protect an area of wilderness in Patagonia, South America. I came across a tweet from OBEY (@obeygiant) about a new movie called 180 South. The statement on Obey’s site reads:

“180 South is a new film retracing the 1968 journey of Yvon Chouinard (founder of Patagonia) and Doug Tompkins (founder of North Face) across South America. The film is told through the eyes of climber/surfer/writer Jeff Johnson over a six-month trek, conveying a unique voice for environmentalism based on experience rather than pie charts and idealism.

180 South and OBEY have teamed up to raise awareness about the destruction of one of the last remaining wild places on earth. The area, in Chile’s Patagonia region, is being threatened by relentless development, including the Hidro Aysen dam proposal. This includes the construction of five dams on the Pascua and the Baker River.

By creating these dams, irreversible damage would occur to the rivers and the ecosystems. In addition to the damming, a massive forest would be clear-cut for electrical transmission lines, scarring the landscape. Over 500 electrical towers would be built along the way, further threatening the wilderness. Please help us support the preservation of these untouched temperate rainforests, endangered species and the lives of local inhabitants.”

After watching the trailer for the movie and researching the cause, I was quite moved and felt the need to help out in any way possible. Please visit www.conservacionpatagonica.org and www.180south.com to learn more about this effort and to find out how you can help to save this beautiful landscape.